Curtsy lunge

Muscles worked: Glutes
Glutes
🔧 no equipment ↕ Push 🔁 reps Difficulty:

Muscle outlines from Body Muscles by Ivan Vulović, Apache 2.0 — regrouped and recoloured for Muscle Train.

How to perform

Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips or clasped in front for balance. Engage your core and keep shoulders back. Step back and across, lifting your right foot behind your left leg (curtsy). Distance depends on hip mobility – avoid forcing. Lower into a lunge, bending both knees until your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee hovers above the ground. Maintain an upright torso and ensure your front knee tracks over your toes. Drive through the heel of your front foot to return to standing, squeezing your glute.

Muscles Worked

Gluteus maximusgluteus medius
Secondary: Quadriceps, hip adductors, gluteus minimus, core stabilizers

Tips

Keep hips square – imagine your hip bones as headlights pointing forward. Ensure your front knee tracks over your toes; reduce the step-back distance if it caves inward. Avoid excessive crossover; 12-18 inches is sufficient. Maintain an upright torso; reduce range of motion if needed. Drive through the heel of your front foot to activate glutes and hamstrings.

Similar exercises

Barbell curtsy lunge Quads, Glutes · 🔧 Barbell, Squat Rack 4/10 Resistance band curtsy lunge Glutes · 🔧 Resistance band 2/10 Dumbbell curtsy lunge Quads, Hamstrings · 🔧 Dumbbells 3/10 Smith machine curtsy lunge Quads, Glutes · 🔧 Smith Machine 3/10 Kettlebell curtsy lunge Quads, Hamstrings · 🔧 Kettlebell 3/10 Medicine ball curtsy lunge Quads, Hamstrings · 🔧 Medicine Ball 3/10 Lunge Glutes, Hamstrings · 🔧 no equipment 2/10 TRX curtsy lunge to lateral lunge Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 🔧 TRX 3/10
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