Jumping Lunge
- Primary muscleGlutes
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypePlyometric · Knee-dominant
- Secondary muscles
- Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Plyometrics
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Switching your feet mid-air forces each leg to absorb and redirect force in a fraction of a second, so keep sets short and crisp rather than burning them out in long circuits. Land softly with the front knee tracking straight before you chase speed or rep counts.
How to do the Jumping Lunge
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Take a step forward with your right foot, lowering your body into a lunge position.
- Push off with your right foot and jump into the air, switching the position of your feet mid-air.
- Land softly with your left foot forward and immediately lower your body into a lunge position.
- Continue alternating between lunges and jumps for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Keep most of the weight in the front foot and think of pushing the floor away rather than standing up.
Muscles worked
Primary
Glutes · Legs
The glute of the front leg extends the hip, and leaning the torso forward slightly with a longer stride shifts more work onto it.
Secondary
- Quads — The front quad controls the descent and drives you back up, and it takes an especially heavy load on split squats where the stance is fixed.
- Hamstrings — The hamstrings of the front leg assist the glutes in hip extension and control the knee on the way down.
- Calves
Common mistakes
- Front knee caving inward — the knee should track over the second toe; if it drops in, widen the stance slightly and push the knee out.
- Stepping too short — a short stride pushes the knee far past the toes and shifts everything onto the quad and knee; lengthen the step so the shin stays fairly upright.
- Leaning forward and rounding — keep the torso tall and the chest up, and let the back knee drop straight down rather than reaching forward.
- Pushing off the back foot — drive back up through the front heel; the back leg is just there for balance.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 3–5 × 3–5 | 90–120 s |
| Conditioning | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s |
Lunges and split squats go after squats or deadlifts as the main single leg movement, or first on a lighter day. Superset them with a Romanian deadlift using the same dumbbells for a complete lower body pair.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Jumping Lunge work?
The Jumping Lunge primarily works the glutes. It also involves the quads, hamstrings and calves, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Jumping Lunge good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Jumping Lunge is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.
What can I do instead of the Jumping Lunge?
If you cannot do the Jumping Lunge, try the Barbell Jump Squat, the Barbell Kneeling Jump Squat or the Jump Squat. Each of them trains the glutes through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Jumping Lunge, a sensible starting point is power: 3–5 × 3–5 with 90–120 s rest; conditioning: 3 × 8–12 with 60 s rest. Do it first in the session while you are fresh. Quality of each rep matters more than the count.
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