Quads · Compound movement
Dumbbell Forward Lunge
A compound exercise for the quads, with the glutes and hamstrings working too. You need dumbbells.
Looping the start and end of the movement.
Primary muscle
Quads
Secondary muscles
Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Dumbbell Forward Lunge
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides and stand tall with the feet hip width apart.
- Step one foot forward and decelerate the descent as the rear knee drops toward the floor.
- The forward lunge loads the front leg eccentrically as you catch and decelerate the stride, which is harder to control than a reverse lunge.
- Lower until the rear knee nearly touches the floor with the front shin roughly vertical.
- Push back through the front heel to return to the standing start position rather than stepping through.
- Keep the torso upright and the front knee tracking over the toes on both the descent and the push back.
Suggested working range: 8–12 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Failing to decelerate the forward stride so the front knee crashes past the toes.
- •Letting the torso pitch forward as you catch the descending stride.
- •Stepping through into the next rep instead of pushing back to the start.
- •Letting the front knee cave inward on the push back to standing.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Dumbbell Forward Lunge fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize quads volume.
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