Bodyweight Walking Lunges

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Basics

Primary muscles worked: Quadriceps

Synergist Muscles: Gluteus Maximus, Adductor Magnus, Soleus

Mechanics: Compound

Equipment: N/a

How To Perform Bodyweight Walking Lunges

• From a standing position, place your hands behind your head with your fingers interlocked.
• Take one big step forward and land your foot on the ground heel to toe.
• As you land, flex your front leg dropping your bottom until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Allow your trail leg to extend, and as your flex your front leg, allow your back knee to bend toward the floor. Do not allow the knee of your trail leg to touch the floor.
• After your lead thigh is parallel, push down through your lead foot and extend at the knee and hip while lifting your trail leg off of the floor.
• Carry your trail leg over while allow it to extend beyond your front leg. The distance between your feet should be the same as the initial step.
• Now, perform the lunge motion but with each leg performing the opposite movement.
• Continue stepping over into each lunge until you have covered your desired distance.

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Tips

• Keep your torso upright throughout the walking lunges exercise. Do not bend forward at the waist or lean back excessively because this will place more stress on your spine and reinforce poor movement mechanics. Problems with holding the upright position are usually associated with tight hip flexors.
• You also need to keep the knee of your leading leg from traveling beyond your toes when performing the lunge motion. This causes unnecessary strain in the knee joint and should be avoided.

Bodyweight Walking Lunges and Sports Application

Lunges recruit your muscles in a similar manner to the start of a sprint from a set position. The initial push, carryover, and the next step of a sprint are all motions that the walking lunge works. Lunges are not only beneficial for improved running performance but can strengthen your legs to improve with other skills such as jumping or breaking a tackle. Bodyweight walking lunges are a fundamental exercise that novice athletes should master before moving to weighted leg exercises. Bodyweight lunges teach proper body positioning and awareness that novice lifters need to learn to prevent injury during more strenuous and technically difficult exercises.