The lunge to high knee joins a reverse lunge and a knee drive in one movement: step one foot straight back and lower until both knees bend to 90 degrees, then drive through your front heel to stand and bring the back knee up toward your chest. It needs no equipment, works seven muscle groups when done with good form, and trains your strength and your balance together, at home, in the gym or outdoors.

This guide accompanies our video lesson above. The video teaches the movement at the speed it is really performed, mostly from the side, the view this lunge is judged from: the foot going back, both knees at 90 degrees and the knee driving up to the chest. Then it explains the muscles at work, the tempo and where the breath goes, and names the four most common mistakes, each with the cue that fixes it. Last come twelve repetitions at full speed, alternating legs, from all four camera angles, for you to follow along with.

How to do a lunge to high knee, step by step

  1. Set up. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. Keep your chest up, engage your core and look straight ahead for balance.
  2. Step back and lower. Step one foot straight back and lower in about two seconds, until both knees bend to 90 degrees and your back knee is just off the floor. Your front knee stays over your ankle.
  3. Drive through the front heel. With no pause at the bottom, drive through the heel of your front foot and stand tall.
  4. Bring the knee up to your chest. As you rise, bring the back knee forward and up toward your chest. The rise and the knee drive together take about one second.
  5. Steady and return. Steady yourself at the top, then place the foot back down at the start, in about one second.
  6. Switch legs. Do the next repetition with the other leg, and keep alternating.

Muscles worked in a lunge to high knee

The lunge to high knee is a compound lower-body movement with a knee drive, and seven muscle groups share the work: the quadriceps and glutes are its target muscles, with the quadriceps in the lead, and the hip flexors, core, hamstrings, calves and hip abductors assist them.

  • Quadriceps: these four muscles across the front of the thigh (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and vastus medialis) lift you out of the bottom.
  • Glutes: the gluteus maximus drives your hips forward as you stand.
  • Hip flexors: the psoas major lifts the knee toward your chest.
  • Core: the rectus abdominis keeps your torso upright.
  • Hamstrings: from the back of the thigh, they help keep you balanced on the standing leg.
  • Calves: they keep you steady on your standing foot.
  • Hip abductors: on the outer hip, the gluteus medius and minimus keep your hips level while you balance on one leg.

Tempo and breathing: 2 down, 1 up, 1 to return

Every repetition follows the same rhythm and takes about four seconds, in four parts:

  • Down, 2 seconds: breathe in as you step back and lower.
  • No pause: at the bottom, drive straight back up.
  • Up, 1 second: breathe out hard as you stand and drive the knee up.
  • Return, 1 second: place the foot back down at the start.

That rhythm is what turns movement into training: the slow way down and the controlled return keep your muscles working instead of letting momentum do the job. Keep the same tempo on every repetition, and don’t speed up as you tire.

4 common mistakes and how to fix them

  • A shallow lunge. If the lunge is shallow, bend both knees to 90 degrees. Cue: “both knees to 90°”.
  • Front knee past the toes. If your front knee passes your toes, keep the shin upright. Cue: “shin upright”.
  • A low knee drive. If your knee stops low, drive it up to your chest. Cue: “knee to your chest”.
  • Front knee falling in. If your front knee falls inward, push it out so it stays in line with your toes. Cue: “knee out over the toes”.

Sets, reps and variations

For general fitness, 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions, alternating legs, are typical, with about 60 seconds of rest between sets. Adjust the volume and the rest to your fitness level and your goal. It is an intermediate exercise: if your balance is not yet steady, start with one of the easier options below. A good first set is the one in the video: twelve repetitions, six on each leg, at the same four-second rhythm.

  • Easier: don’t lower as far, keep one hand on a wall or a chair for support, or leave out the knee drive.
  • Harder: carry a dumbbell in each hand, add a jump as you drive the knee up, or move faster for a cardio challenge.

Safety

Keep your front knee over your ankle, without letting it collapse inward or pass your toes, and keep your torso upright rather than leaning forward. If you have knee, hip or balance problems, go carefully and consult a professional first, and use a wall or a chair for support if you need it.

Your turn

Play the video above and do twelve repetitions with the coach, alternating legs, at the speed you would really train, with your last knee drive as high as your first. If this lesson helped, subscribe to HealthyShape on YouTube for a new exercise lesson every week. Every exercise in the HealthyShape app carries the same muscle view and tempo guide you see in the video.