How to Do the Curtsy Lunge
Intermediate glutes exercise — bodyweight.
The curtsy lunge is a lunge where you step one leg diagonally behind and across the other, as if doing a curtsy, then bend both knees to lower your hips. Crossing behind puts the front hip into a position that makes the glutes — including the gluteus medius on the side of the hip — work harder than in a regular lunge, while the quads of the front leg still do a lot of the work. It needs no equipment and also challenges balance, so it's a popular glute move for home workouts.
Exercise details
- Muscle group
- Glutes
- Primary muscle
- Glutes
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
How to perform it
- 1Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
- 2Step one leg diagonally behind the other, as if curtsying, and bend both knees to lower your hips while keeping your chest up and your hips square.
- 3Push through your front heel to return to the start, then repeat.
- 4Alternate sides for the prescribed number of repetitions.
- 5Targets the glutes, especially the gluteus medius, along with the quads.
Curtsy Lunge form cues
- Step back and across so your back foot lands behind and outside your front heel — a moderate cross, not a big one.
- Keep your hips and shoulders facing forward; don't twist your body to follow the back leg.
- Keep most of your weight in your front heel and mid-foot.
- Let your front knee track in line with your toes rather than caving inward.
- Lower until your front thigh is close to parallel, then push through the front heel to stand.
Common Curtsy Lunge mistakes
Crossing too far
A very wide cross twists the knee and hips. Shorten the step until you can keep your hips square.
Front knee collapsing inward
Push your knee slightly out over your little toes. If it keeps caving, don't go as deep.
Pushing off the back foot
The back leg is mainly for balance. Drive up through the front heel to keep the work in the front glute.
Who the Curtsy Lunge is for
Beginner-to-intermediate trainees who can already do a regular reverse lunge with control. Good for home workouts and glute-focused days. Hold dumbbells at your sides to make it harder once 12–15 reps per leg feel easy.
Curtsy Lunge vs similar exercises
vs Reverse Lunge
Steps straight back instead of across. Easier to balance and a good starting point before curtsy lunges.
vs Barbell Lateral Lunge
Steps out to the side. It trains the inner thighs and glutes in a different direction.
vs Bulgarian Split Squat
Rear foot raised on a bench for a deeper, more demanding single-leg exercise.
How to program the Curtsy Lunge
- Do the Curtsy Lunge early in your session while you're fresh — compound lifts deserve your best energy.
- Warm up with one or two lighter sets before your working sets to prime the movement.
- As a compound lift, 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps builds strength, while 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps favours muscle growth. Rest 90–180 seconds between sets so you can move quality load.
- To progress, add reps, slow the lowering phase, or move to a harder variation once the current version feels easy.
Curtsy Lunge alternatives
No space? These train the same glutes, grouped by what you have available.
Dumbbell or kettlebell
Easier and harder variations
The Curtsy Lunge is rated intermediate. Regress while you build the pattern, progress once it feels easy.
Easier — build up to it
What to pair it with
For a balanced session, pair the Curtsy Lunge with a move for the opposing muscles — the Bodyweight Lunge (quadriceps) or the Bodyweight Squat (quadriceps). Alternating the two as a superset saves time, because one side rests while the other works.
Where it fits in your weekly plan
When the free routine generator builds your week, the Curtsy Lunge can land on:
- Legs days — in 3, 5 or 6 days a week plans
- Lower Body days — in 4 or 5 days a week plans
Included when your equipment is set to: No equipment, Dumbbells, Full gym.
Free tools for this exercise
Put it in your plan
SSS Workout Assistant builds a custom weekly routine around your goals and adds moves like the Curtsy Lunge automatically — then tracks every set.
Build my free planFrequently asked questions
What do curtsy lunges work?
Mainly the glutes — including the side glute muscles — and the quads of the front leg, with the inner thighs and core helping you balance.
Are curtsy lunges bad for your knees?
With a moderate cross step and your front knee in line with your toes, most people find them comfortable. If you feel knee pain, shorten the cross step or switch to a regular reverse lunge.
What muscles does the Curtsy Lunge work?
The Curtsy Lunge primarily targets the glutes within the glutes muscle group, and recruits several supporting muscles as a compound movement.
What equipment do I need for the Curtsy Lunge?
None — the Curtsy Lunge is a bodyweight exercise you can do anywhere, no gym required.
Is the Curtsy Lunge a compound or isolation exercise?
The Curtsy Lunge is a compound exercise, working multiple joints and muscle groups at once. It's well suited to intermediate trainees.
How many sets and reps of the Curtsy Lunge should I do?
As a compound lift, 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps builds strength, while 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps favours muscle growth. Rest 90–180 seconds between sets so you can move quality load.
Is the Curtsy Lunge good for beginners?
The Curtsy Lunge is rated intermediate. Beginners can work toward it by mastering easier variations first and prioritising form over load before adding weight or reps.
What can I do instead of the Curtsy Lunge?
Good substitutes that train the same glutes include the Bodyweight Hip Thrust (bodyweight), the Glute Bridge (bodyweight), the Dumbbell Rear Lunge (dumbbell). Pick the one that matches the equipment you have.
Can I do the Curtsy Lunge at home?
Yes — it needs no equipment, so it works at home, in a hotel room, or anywhere you have a bit of space.
