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Barbell Walking Lunge

A beginner strength exercise for the quads, done with a barbell.

Barbell Walking Lunge: starting positionBarbell Walking Lunge: finishing position
Main muscles
Quads
Also works
Calves, Glutes and Hamstrings
Equipment
Barbell
Level
Beginner
Type
Compound
Movement
Push

How to do the Barbell Walking Lunge

  1. Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and a barbell across your upper back.
  2. Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot.
  3. Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up.
  4. Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.

Sets and reps

Strength3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes
Muscle3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes
Endurance or fat loss2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds

Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.

Alternatives to the Barbell Walking Lunge

Questions

What muscles does the Barbell Walking Lunge work?

Mainly the quads, with the calves, glutes and hamstrings helping.

Is the Barbell Walking Lunge good for beginners?

Yes. It's rated a beginner exercise: start light and learn the movement before adding weight.

What can I do instead of the Barbell Walking Lunge?

Good alternatives that train the quads: Barbell Side Split Squat, Barbell Squat, Barbell Full Squat or Barbell Hack Squat.

How many sets and reps of the Barbell Walking Lunge should I do?

Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes. Muscle: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes. Endurance or fat loss: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds.

Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).