Forward Lunge
A bodyweight forward lunge that trains the glutes and quads one leg at a time — the entry point to single-leg work.
How to do it
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips or relaxed at your sides.
- Take a long step forward with one leg, landing softly on the heel and rolling onto the whole foot.
- Lower your back knee straight down toward the floor until both knees form roughly right angles.
- Keep your torso upright, with your front knee tracking over your front foot at the bottom.
- Push off your front heel to come back up and step your front foot back to the start.
- Alternate legs every rep or do all reps on one side before switching, depending on the program.
Key technique cue
Long step, torso upright; stop the back knee just above the floor — don't tap it down hard.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the front knee cave in, which stresses the knee and shifts the work away from the glutes.
- ✕ Taking too short a step forward, which pushes the front knee far past the toes and loads the joint.
- ✕ Leaning the torso forward over the front leg, which loads the lower back instead of the legs.
- ✕ Slamming the back knee into the floor instead of stopping just above it under control.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds glute and quad strength one leg at a time.
- ✓ Reveals and fixes strength imbalances between the left and right sides.
- ✓ Develops single-leg balance and hip stability for sport and everyday life.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Forward Lunge
- Bodyweight Reverse Lunge
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Step 2 -
Step 3
About the exercise
The Forward Lunge is the most common single-leg exercise in any program. Stepping forward and lowering your back knee toward the floor trains the glutes and quads of the front leg while challenging the balance and stability of both legs. It is the base pattern for every walking lunge, reverse lunge and split squat that follows. It fits beginner training, leg days, and bodyweight programs. It is also a good way to learn the lunge pattern itself — knee position and torso angle — before moving on to loaded variations.
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