Move · Videos · Technique · 14 min

How to Do a Lunge: Beginner Form Guide

How to Do a Lunge: Beginner Form Guide — video by WeShape Play · 14:05

Video by WeShape on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A coach covers the three big lunge mistakes and seven form checkpoints, then works from a supported half reverse lunge up to front and jump lunges so every level has a starting point.

  • 14 min
  • All levels
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
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Step by step 10

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  1. Three mistakes to avoid: weight on the front toes, the front knee caving in, and pushing up with the quads only. 1:31
  2. Front foot: flat on the floor, with about 70% of your weight in the heel and 30% in the toes. 4:19
  3. Front knee and hips: the knee travels the same way as your toes, and the hips stay square and level. 4:57
  4. Core and glutes: brace as if holding a cough, then push through the front heel and extend the hip to stand. 5:55
  5. Back knee and foot: feet on two hip-width lines, back knee tracking straight, back toes tucked under. 6:59
  6. Reverse lunge: step back, lower the back knee, press through the front heel to stand and alternate sides. 9:16
  7. Easier: reverse half lunge, lowering only halfway with slow, controlled reps. 10:04
  8. Easiest: supported reverse half lunge, hands on your thigh or a sturdy chair for balance. 10:45
  9. Harder: front lunge, stepping forward, breathing in as you lower and out as you stand. 11:41
  10. Hardest: jump lunge, jumping into a lunge and back to feet together, slowly at first. 12:12

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep the front foot flat with most weight in the heel
  • Let both knees travel the same way as your toes, feet on two hip-width lines
  • Push through the front heel and extend the hip to stand, keeping the back toes tucked

What it works

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Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Hips takes loadlunges, extending the hip to stand
  • Knees takes loadreverse lunges, half lunges, front lunges
  • Ankles & feet moveslunges, front foot flat, back toes tucked

Easier option from the coach: Half-depth reverse lunge, or hands on thigh or a chair for support

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by WeShape; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety