Chair Lunges vs. Walking Lunges

When you’re looking to build lower-body strength, you’ll find few better exercises than the lunge. Indeed, the exercise is so beneficial that it’s spawned a number of variations, including the chair lunge -- better known as the single-leg split squat -- and the walking lunge. Like the classic lunge, both the chair and walking lunge work your legs and hips, but in slightly different ways.

  1. Chair Lunge Form

    • To perform a chair lunge, stand with your back to a chair, bend your right knee, lifting your right foot up and back, and rest the top of your right foot on the chair’s front edge. Stand straight with your right thigh angled back, roughly 35 to 45 degrees relative to your left leg, and your right shin close to parallel with the floor. This is the starting position. Bend your left knee and hip as you squat straight down. Stop before your left knee moves in front of your toes. Pause for about six seconds and contract your glutes at the bottom of the movement. Push through your left foot to rise to the starting position. Perform an equal number of reps with both legs. You can substitute a bench or step stool for a chair. Make the exercise more intense by placing a barbell across the back of your shoulders or by holding a pair of dumbbells in your hands.

    Walking Lunge Technique

    • Walking lunges can perform the dual role of stretching and strengthening your muscles. The body-weight version makes a good lower-body dynamic stretch, while weighted versions -- using dumbbells or a barbell -- are powerful strength-training activities. The walking lunge begins with the same form as a standard lunge. From an erect position you lunge forward, stopping when both knees are roughly at right angles. As with the chair lunge, make sure your front knee doesn’t pass your toes. Push through your front foot and return to an upright position as you swing your back foot forward and then perform another lunge.

    Muscles Worked

    • Walking lunges target the quadriceps muscles in the front of each thigh. The gluteus maximus in your butt, adductor magnus on the inside of each thigh and the soleus muscles in your calves assist with your movements, while a variety of core and leg muscles act as stabilizers. Chair lunges target the same muscles, although your glutes work a bit harder when you contract them at the bottom of your movement. Chair lunges also don’t require as many core muscles to be used as stabilizers.

    Using Chair and Walking Lunges in a Workout

    • Raise your core temperature with a five- to 10-minute warm-up before you do any lunges. To perform walking lunges as a dynamic stretch, do the body-weight version, taking 10 steps with each foot before a strength-training session or athletic activity. Do eight to 10 repetitions per leg of either chair or walking lunges when you use them for strength training. Try to work up to three or four sets. Perform the exercises two or three times per week but leave at least 48 hours between sessions.