Split Sprinter High Lunge

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and step one foot back into a long, deep lunge stance.
2. Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back and place your fingertips on the floor on either side of your front foot.
3. Ensure your front knee is stacked directly over your ankle and your back leg is straight with the heel lifted.

How to do it

1. Inhale and engage your core, keeping your gaze slightly ahead of your front foot to maintain a neutral spine.
2. Exhale and drive through the front heel to lift your torso into an upright high lunge, swinging your arms into a running position (opposite arm forward).
3. Inhale and slowly lower your fingertips back to the floor with control, returning to the starting sprinter position.
4. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other to maintain unilateral tension.

Form checklist

• Keep the front knee tracked over the second and third toes, avoiding internal collapse.
• Maintain a neutral spine from head to tailbone, especially when reaching for the floor.
• Keep the back leg active and the back glute engaged to stabilize the pelvis.
• Avoid 'crashing' into the bottom position; use your muscles to control the descent.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pulling' yourself up with the front hamstring and glute rather than just pushing off the back foot.
• Keep your weight centered over the front mid-foot to maximize tension on the posterior chain.
• Synchronize your arm drive with the leg movement to improve coordination and mimic athletic sprinting mechanics.

Make it harder

• Add an explosive knee drive at the top of the movement, bringing the back leg forward and up toward the chest.
• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to 3-4 seconds to increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the split sprinter high lunge work?

The split sprinter high lunge primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the split sprinter high lunge?

The split sprinter high lunge requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the split sprinter high lunge good for beginners?

The split sprinter high lunge is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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