Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Barbell Lateral Lunge: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The barbell lateral lunge is a lower body exercise that targets the glutes and also works the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It involves stepping laterally while supporting a barbell on your upper back, requiring strength, balance, and coordination.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Quads , Calves
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the barbell lateral lunge
Front view: muscles worked by the barbell lateral lunge. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings, quads and calves.
Back view: muscles worked by the barbell lateral lunge. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings, quads and calves.
Primary Secondary

How to do the barbell lateral lunge

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across your upper back.
  2. Step 2: Take a big step to the side with your right foot, keeping your left foot planted.
  3. Step 3: Bend your right knee and lower your body down into a lunge position, keeping your left leg straight.
  4. Step 4: Push off with your right foot and return to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat on the other side, stepping with your left foot.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the barbell lateral lunge by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Barbell Lateral Lunge alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.