Barbell Overhead Lunge
Overhead Lunge: Challenge your balance & strength! Lunge with a barbell overhead for a full-body burn. Build stability & power.
The Barbell Overhead Lunge is a compound exercise that mainly works the glutes & hips and quads, with help from the hamstrings and lower back. You'll need: barbell or weight plates.
Required Equipment
Barbell Overhead Lunge Muscles Worked
Primary
Glutes (gluteus maximus); Quads (quadriceps femoris)
Secondary
Hamstrings; Spinal Erectors (erector spinae)
Barbell Overhead Lunge Variations and Alternatives
How to do the Barbell Overhead Lunge
Begin by standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Clean and press a barbell above your head until your arms are fully extended. This is the starting position.
Brace your core, and take a large step forward with one leg while keeping the barbell stabilized above your head.
Lower your body by bending both knees until your rear knee nearly touches the ground and your front thigh is about parallel to the ground. Ensure your front knee does not track over your toes and keep your torso upright.
Push through the heel of your front foot and engage your thigh and glute muscles to return to the starting position.
Repeat the movement with the opposite leg, stepping forward into a lunge.
Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions and sets.
Keep the barbell overhead and your arms extended throughout the entire exercise. Move with control to maintain balance.
It's important to perform this exercise with appropriate weight and good form to prevent injury. If you're new to this exercise, you may want to practice lunges without weight first or perform overhead lunges with a lighter implement like a dowel or PVC pipe to master the movement pattern before adding significant load.
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Barbell Overhead Lunge FAQs
What muscles does the Barbell Overhead Lunge work?
The Barbell Overhead Lunge mainly works the glutes & hips and quads, with help from the hamstrings and lower back. The main muscles are the gluteus maximus and quadriceps femoris.
What equipment do you need for the Barbell Overhead Lunge?
Barbell or weight plates.
Is the Barbell Overhead Lunge a compound exercise?
Yes. It's a compound movement, meaning it trains several muscle groups at once rather than isolating one.
What workout day should the Barbell Overhead Lunge go on?
It belongs on leg day in a push/pull/legs routine.
What are some Barbell Overhead Lunge variations and alternatives?
Similar exercises include the Barbell Curtsey Lunge, Barbell Forward-Backward Lunge, Barbell Front Rack Lunge and Barbell Lateral Lunge.
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