Barbell Lunge
A standing lunge done with a barbell across the upper back, stepping forward one leg at a time to build single leg quad and glute strength. It suits lifters who are comfortable racking a barbell safely.
- Primary musclesQuads
- Secondary musclesCalves, Glutes, Hamstrings
- EquipmentBarbell
- LevelIntermediate · compound
How to do the barbell lunge
- Set the bar in a rack at shoulder height, step under it, and rest it across your upper back.
- Lift the bar off the rack by pushing through your legs and standing tall.
- Step forward with one leg and squat down through your hips while keeping your torso upright.
- Inhale as you lower, keeping your front knee tracking over your foot rather than drifting past your toes.
- Push through your front heel to return to standing, exhaling as you rise.
- Complete your reps on one leg before switching to the other, or alternate legs each rep.
Original library instructions (5 steps)
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack just below shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and step forward with your right leg and squat down through your hips, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint. li>
- Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.
Common mistakes
- Letting the front knee travel far past the toes, which adds unnecessary stress to the knee joint.
- Leaning the torso too far forward instead of keeping it upright throughout the lunge.
- Skipping the squat rack setup and stepping in with poor bar position; take time to set up safely.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps per leg, 90 seconds to 2 minutes rest |
| Muscle | 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg, 60 to 90 seconds rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 15 reps per leg, 45 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Practice this movement with just the empty bar first to get comfortable with balance before adding weight.
- Use a squat rack for setup and safety pins if you are training this lift alone.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the barbell lunge good for beginners?
It works better for lifters who already have some experience with squats and bodyweight lunges, since balancing a loaded bar while stepping forward takes practice.
What muscles does the barbell lunge work?
It mainly works the quads, with the calves, glutes and hamstrings helping to stabilize and drive you back up each rep.
