Walking High Knees Lunge

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed at your sides.
2. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine with your gaze fixed straight ahead.
3. Ensure you have a clear path of at least 10 to 15 feet to move forward.

How to do it

1. Drive your right knee toward your chest as high as possible while simultaneously swinging your left arm forward.
2. Step forward with the right leg and lower your hips into a lunge until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles, inhaling during the descent.
3. Push through the right heel to stand up, immediately driving the left knee toward your chest to transition into the next repetition.
4. Exhale forcefully as you drive the knee up and push out of the lunge, maintaining a rhythmic and controlled tempo.

Form checklist

• Keep your torso upright throughout the movement; avoid leaning forward as you lunge.
• Ensure your front knee stays aligned over your ankle and does not cave inward.
• Drive the knee high enough so the thigh is at least parallel to the floor.
• Maintain a tight core to prevent the hips from swaying during the single-leg transition.

Pro tips

• Focus on a powerful, explosive knee drive to maximize hip flexor recruitment and glute activation on the standing leg.
• Pause for a split second at the peak of the high knee to challenge your stability and mind-muscle connection before stepping down.

Make it harder

• Add a small hop at the top of the high-knee drive to turn the movement into a plyometric exercise.
• Hold a medicine ball or light dumbbells overhead to significantly increase the demand on your core and shoulder stability.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the walking high knees lunge work?

The walking high knees lunge primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the walking high knees lunge?

The walking high knees lunge requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the walking high knees lunge good for beginners?

The walking high knees 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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