- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternSquat
- Reps8 to 20 reps
- Joint loadKnee
- One side at a time
How to do the Walking Lunge
Set up. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides and clear space in front of you.
- Take a long step forward and lower your back knee toward the floor.
- Go down until both knees are bent at roughly right angles.
- Push through the front foot and bring the back leg through into the next step.
- Keep alternating legs as you walk.
Form cues
- Keep your torso upright.
- Keep the front knee over the foot.
- Lower the back knee gently.
Common mistakes
- Taking steps so short the front heel lifts.
- Banging the back knee on the floor.
Muscles worked
Main target: Quads. The quadriceps are four muscles at the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee: squats, lunges, leg presses and every stair.
On the way: Glutes and Hamstrings.
Its other side: Hamstrings and Glutes, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Walking Lunge, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Stiff-Leg Deadlift Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Walking Lunge first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Walking Lunge 3 × 8 to 20 reps
- Stiff-Leg Deadlift 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Split Squat
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Single-Leg Press
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Bulgarian Split Squat, Reverse Lunge, Step-Up, Split Squat, Lateral Lunge and Curtsy Lunge.
Do before it: Couch Stretch (hip range), World’s Greatest Stretch (hip range) and Split Squat (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Walking Lunge is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Walking Lunge?
Set up: Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides and clear space in front of you. Steps: 1. Take a long step forward and lower your back knee toward the floor. 2. Go down until both knees are bent at roughly right angles. 3. Push through the front foot and bring the back leg through into the next step. 4. Keep alternating legs as you walk. Form cues: Keep your torso upright. Keep the front knee over the foot. Lower the back knee gently. Common mistakes: Taking steps so short the front heel lifts. Banging the back knee on the floor.
What muscles does the Walking Lunge work?
It trains the quads as its main target and works the glutes and hamstrings on the way.
What can I do instead of the Walking Lunge?
At home: Split Squat. In a gym: Single-Leg Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Walking Lunge with?
Good partners in the same workout are Stiff-Leg Deadlift, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Walking Lunge be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.