LiftSets / Exercises / Barbell Lunge
Barbell Lunge
Works the quadriceps. Helped by the calves, glutes and hamstrings.


Bright blue is the target muscle. Darker blue is helping. The app shows this as a moving demo.
Muscles worked
quadricepscalvesgluteshamstrings
How many reps
| Goal | Reps per set |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3-6 |
| Muscle size | 6-10 |
| Endurance | 12-20+ |
Whatever the number, the set should end within a rep or two of the point where you could not do another with good form.
| Kit | Barbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Intermediate |
What to think about
- Long enough stride that the front shin stays upright.
- Drop straight down, torso tall.
- Push through the front heel.
How to do it
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack just below shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and step forward with your right leg and squat down through your hips, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint.
- Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.
Other exercises for the quadriceps
- Barbell Full Squat
- Barbell Hack Squat
- Barbell Squat
- Barbell Squat to a Bench
- Barbell Step Ups
- Barbell Walking Lunge
- Bodyweight Squat
- Bodyweight Walking Lunge
Track it in LiftSets
Log Barbell Lunge with last time's numbers in front of you, a rest timer on your lock screen and a graph of your progress.
Coming soon to the App Store