Barbell Walking Lunge
Barbell Walking Lunge is a beginner compound barbell exercise that mainly works your quads, with help from your calves, glutes and hamstrings.


How to do the barbell walking lunge
- Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and a barbell across your upper back.
- 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.
- Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up.
- Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.
Muscles worked
Sets and reps
For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.
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Start your free trialBarbell Walking Lunge alternatives
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What muscles does the barbell walking lunge work?
It mainly works your quads; your calves, glutes and hamstrings assist.
How many sets and reps of barbell walking lunge should I do?
For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.
Is the barbell walking lunge good for beginners?
Yes. It is a beginner-friendly movement: start light and focus on the form steps above.