The most effective Lunge Variations for Glutes are ones that increase range of motion, challenge balance, and emphasize pushing through your front heel, like reverse lunges, walking lunges, and Bulgarian split squats. These variations help you better target your glutes (not just your quads), so you can build strength and improve stability.
"Way to work those legs, girl! So many good variations to hit the different muscles. Pinning!" - Kiran Dodeja Smith
Most people do lunges and feel them in their quads, not their glutes. The difference isn’t the exercise itself, but how you perform it and which variation you choose. Small changes in your stance and torso position can shift the focus, helping you actually target your glutes instead of just going through the motions.
Why lunges are great for glutes:
Lunges are one of the best lower-body exercises because they train your body one side at a time (check out these other unilateral exercises for muscle imbalance).
- Unilateral = better muscle activation
- Improves balance and stability
- Targets the glutes through hip extension (check out more gluteus maximus exercises)
- Works on each side independently for more even strength
While implementing different squat variations can help bring your workouts to a new level, lunges can place more emphasis on your glutes and hamstrings instead of your quads, depending on how you perform them.
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How To Make Lunges More Glute-Focused
Lunges require a lot of stability from the glute and place a great stretch on the hip flexors. This position naturally fires up the glutes.
However, to maximize glute activation in your lunges, first learn how to hip hinge and then make the following tweaks:
- Take a longer step back
- Lean slightly forward or think of knee to chest
- Push through the front heel
- Slow down the lowering phase
Best Lunge Variations For Glutes
Before jumping into these lunge variations for glutes, it’s important to choose ones that match your current strength, movement, and equipment.
Not every lunge will hit your glutes the same way, and not every variation is right for where you’re at right now.
Start with the basics like reverse lunges and stationary lunges, and focus on building control, balance, and proper muscle engagement. From there, you can progress into more challenging variations that increase the range of motion and intensity.
The goal isn’t to do the hardest version, it’s to pick the one that lets you stay stable, move well, and actually feel your glutes working (learn more about benefits of training glutes).
1. Deficit Lunge
Deficit lunges increase your range of motion, making them more challenging and effective for targeting the glutes.
They place a deeper stretch on the back leg and require more strength from the front leg, which is what really drives glute engagement.
Cue: take a slightly shorter step back and focus on pulling yourself up through your front heel (not pushing off the back foot).
2. Lunges With A Parlof Press
This variation challenges both your glutes and core by adding a stability component to a static lunge.
Holding the bottom position increases time under tension, while pressing the weight away forces your core to resist rotation, making it deceptively tough.
Paused reps like this are a powerful (and often overlooked) way to build strength and control, learn more about paused reps.
Cue: hold the bottom of the lunge and press the weight straight out from your chest without letting your torso twist
3. Offset Reverse Lunges
Holding a single dumbbell on one side increases the demand on your core and forces your body to stabilize throughout the movement.
Paired with a reverse lunge, this variation helps improve balance while still targeting the glutes, especially when done with control. Hold the weight on your shoulder or at your side.
Cue: hold the weight on one side, keep a slight forward lean, and drive through your front heel without letting your torso twist
4. Curtsy Lunges
Curtsy lunges are great for targeting the glutes, especially the outer glutes, while also challenging your balance and stability. These can be done with dumbbells or a band wrapped around your legs.
Because you step back at an angle, this variation hits your glutes differently than traditional lunges and requires more control through the front leg.
Cue: step back and slightly across, and drive through your front heel while keeping your knee stable. Hinge or lean forward for more glute.
5. Sliding Lunges
Sliding lunges are a great at-home option that add resistance without needing equipment.
By sliding your back leg, you increase time under tension and force your glutes and hamstrings to work harder, especially on the return.
Cue: slide your back leg slowly and use your front heel to pull yourself back to standing
6. Step Out (Lateral) Lunge
This variation targets your outer glutes and inner thighs by working side-to-side instead of forward and back.
It requires a bit more hip and ankle mobility, but it’s great for building strength and stability in the glutes.
Cue: step out wide, sit your hips back into the working leg, and drive through your heel to return
7. Low Lunge With Twist
This movement opens up the hips while adding a rotational core challenge, making it great for improving mobility and stability at the same time.
Cue: sink into the hips, keep your chest tall, and rotate from your ribs—not your lower back
8. TRX Lunges
Using TRX straps adds an extra stability challenge, forcing your glutes and core to work harder to control the movement.
With the rear foot supported, this variation helps improve balance while still targeting the glutes through the front leg.
Cue: keep tension in the straps, and drive through your front heel without relying on your back leg
9. Walking Lunges
Walking lunges are a great way to keep constant tension on your glutes while adding a dynamic element to the movement.
Because you’re continuously stepping forward, they challenge both strength and coordination while keeping your glutes engaged throughout.
Cue: take smooth, controlled steps, lean slightly forward, and drive through your front heel without fully standing up between reps
10. Lunge With Internal Rotation
This lunge variation adds a small inward rotation of the hip, which increases glute activation and challenges your stability in a totally different way.
By bringing the knee slightly inward as you lower, you tap into the smaller stabilizing muscles of the hips and glutes that often get missed. (This kind of hip rotation recruits muscles like the glute med/min and inner thighs)
Cue: as you lower into the lunge, gently let the front knee track slightly inward (without collapsing), keep control, and drive back up through your heel
Are Lunges Enough To Grow Glutes?
Lunges are a great tool for building your glutes, but they’re only one piece of the puzzle.
Because lunges mainly train your body in a forward/backward pattern, they don’t fully target the glutes in all the ways needed for growth. To build stronger, more developed glutes, you also need exercises that train different movements like hinging, bridging, and lateral work.
That’s why combining lunges with things like a glute hypertrophy workout, adding intensity with a glute HIIT workout, and focusing on key posterior chain exercises will give you much better results.
Train At Home: If you’re just getting started and want a simple plan to follow, my Glute Guide For Moms walks you through exactly how to train your glutes at home without the guesswork.
Stronger glutes = less back pain, better posture, more power.
This no-gym workout plan builds serious strength in just minutes a day.
Types Of Lunges FAQs
The best type of lunge is one that you can perform through a full range of motion, doesn't cause pain, and that you'll do consistently! Since you can tweak lunges to target the back (glutes and hamstrings) or the front (quadriceps) of the legs, each lunge is slightly unique. Choose one that best suits your goal.
Neither is better, they’re just different. Both target the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, but lunges can place more emphasis on the glutes when done with a slight forward lean.
If you only had to choose three, deficit lunges, curtsy lunges, and side lunges are the best lunges for strong glutes!
Summer says
Thanks for these. I've been doing more leg workouts and needed some more variety.
fitasamamabear says
Amazing! Leg workouts are my favorite- I hope you enjoy the variations! I also have one on squats too if you need some inspiration there 🙂
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Way to work those legs, girl! So many good variations to hit the different muscles. Pinning!
fitasamamabear says
Yes! There's so many lunges to chose from- it's hard!