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Forward Lunge

Lower Bodycompound

62

/100

moderate (0.65)
Decision Guide

Best when...

  • You feel stiff from sitting and want to undo desk posture quickly.
  • Your energy is dipping and you want a more activating break.
  • You only have about a minute between tasks or meetings.

Not ideal when...

  • You cannot leave your desk area or need something very office-subtle.
  • You want a nearly effortless reset that will not elevate breathing much.
  • You are in a crowded office or tight workspace.

Pairs well with...

a chest-opening or shoulder reset after long sitting

Better than X when...

Longer break routines when you only have 60 seconds and need immediate value.

Office-clothes alternative

Sit-to-Stand or Seated March are easier alternatives when office clothes or limited space make this awkward.

Movement Profile
Muscular Demand
66measured

Compound movement primarily engaging quadriceps, gluteals, hamstrings

Metabolic Cost
63measured

MET 4 (measured), 1.1x walking

Mobility Value
78modeled

Joint ROM: 80%, posture benefit: 75%

Desk Practicality
45modeled

Requires open floor space

Muscle Activations

quadriceps

75%measured

gluteals

68%measured

hip flexors

45%derived

hamstrings

42%measured

calves

20%derived
Energy Estimate
~2.9kcal

for 10 reps · roughly 0.7 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg person

Score by Rep Count

62

5 reps

62

10 reps

62

15 reps

62

20 reps

62

30 reps

“Forward Lunge scores 62/100, driven by strong muscular demand. Needs open space.”

Caveats
  • Metabolic cost varies with body weight and fitness level
  • mobility value, desk practicality are estimated, not directly measured
Data Provenance

Measured (4)

  • MET value
  • quadriceps activation
  • gluteals activation
  • hamstrings activation

Derived (4)

  • calves activation
  • hip flexors activation
  • joint ROM
  • caloric expenditure

Modeled (2)

  • posture correction
  • desk practicality
References

Estimating energy expenditure during bodyweight resistance exercise

Journal of Sports Sciences (2019)

MET values specific to bodyweight resistance exercises at various intensities

DOIFull Text

Electromyographic activity in the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and rectus femoris during the Monopodal Squat, Forward Lunge and Lateral Step-Up exercises

José M. Muyor, Isabel Martín-Fuentes, ... José A. Antequera-Vique

PLOS ONE (2020) · Vol. 15(4) · pp. e0230841

EMG activation data for squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts

DOIFull TextPDFPDFPMCPMCPubReader