Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Barbell Lunge: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The barbell lunge is a compound lower body exercise that targets the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It involves stepping forward with a barbell on your upper back and lowering your body into a lunge position before returning to standing.

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

How to do the barbell lunge

  1. Step 1: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell resting on your upper back.
  2. Step 2: Take a step forward with your right foot, keeping your torso upright.
  3. Step 3: Lower your body by bending your right knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground.
  4. Step 4: Push through your right heel to return to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat with your left leg, alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the barbell 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 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.