WALKING LUNGES video exercise guide

Overview

Walking lunges are a functional lower-body movement that builds strength, stability, and coordination. While primarily targeting the quads, they also engage the hamstrings, glutes, calves, adductors, and core as stabilizers. Holding dumbbells increases the resistance, demanding more from your musculature and balance.

Instructions

  1. Stand tall with dumbbells in each hand at your sides.

  2. Step forward with one leg into a deep lunge, lowering your back knee toward the ground. Ensure a ~90° bend in both knees. Core engaged, torso upright.

  3. Push through the front heel to return to standing.

  4. Continue stepping forward with the opposite leg into the next lunge.

Tips for Proper Form

  • Avoid stepping too far forward, which can strain the rear knee; aim for both knees to hit roughly 90° at the bottom of the movement.

  • Keep your torso upright and core tight—don’t lean forward.

  • Varying step length adjusts muscle targeting: shorter steps emphasize quads, longer steps shift focus to glutes and hamstrings.

  • Consider mastering bodyweight lunges first to build balance and motor control before adding weight.

Optional Form Correction Tip

A great mental cue: visualize pushing through your front heel and “launching” yourself forward, which encourages balanced, efficient movement and limits excessive torso or knee forward lean.