How to do a lunge with twist
A lunge with twist is a forward lunge where you rotate your chest over your front leg at the bottom. It warms up your legs and hips and gently mobilises your upper back and obliques.
- Warm-up
- No equipment
- 8 reps
lunge with rotation, forward lunge with twist, twisting lunge
How to do it
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your arms out in front of your chest.
- Step your right foot forward and lower until both knees bend to about 90 degrees.
- Rotate your chest and arms toward the right, over your front leg.
- Turn back to the centre with control.
- Push through your front foot to step back to standing, then repeat on the left.
Form cues
- Front knee over the ankle
- Turn from the chest
- Keep your hips square to the front
Muscles worked
Main: quads, glutes
Also: obliques, hamstrings, core, upper back
Common mistakes
- Twisting the knee instead of the chest. Fix: Keep the front knee pointing over your toes and rotate only from your rib cage up.
- Swinging the arms with momentum. Fix: Turn slowly to a comfortable end and pause for one breath.
- Stepping too short so the front knee drifts far past the toes. Fix: Take a longer step so your shin stays close to vertical.
Make it easier: Static split squat with twist
Stay in a split stance with a hand on a wall and twist at the bottom, without stepping.
Make it harder: Walking lunge with twist
Step forward into each lunge and twist, then keep travelling instead of stepping back.
In a workout
Do 8 reps, alternating legs, as part of your warm-up before squats, lunges or jumping moves.
Safety: If you have knee or lower back pain, make the lunge shallow and the twist small, and stop if either hurts.
Questions
What does a lunge with a twist work?
The lunge works your quads and glutes. The twist adds work for your obliques and moves your upper back.
Which way should I twist?
Twist toward the front leg. Step right, turn right. This keeps the movement stable.
Can I hold a weight?
You can, but as a warm-up it works best with your bodyweight and slow control.
