10 Best Walking High Knees Lunge Alternatives for At-Home Cardio

The Walking High Knees Lunge is done standing. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Forward Lunge, the Lunge With Twist and the Walking Lunge.

Walking High Knees LungeWatch the Walking High Knees Lunge

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Walking High Knees Lunge

The steps for the Walking High Knees Lunge itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Cardio, with quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves · Bodyweight · Beginner · Compound

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Lift your right knee up towards your chest as high as you can while balancing on your left leg.
  3. Step forward with your right foot and lower your body into a lunge position, bending both knees to a 90-degree angle.
  4. Push off with your right foot and bring your left knee up towards your chest.
  5. Step forward with your left foot and lower your body into a lunge position.
  6. Continue alternating legs and lunging forward, keeping your core engaged and maintaining a steady pace.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Walking High Knees Lunge Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Walking High Knees Lunge on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Forward LungePlay demonstration

    1. Forward Lunge

    85% match

    Glutes · Beginner · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the glutes rather than the heart and lungs.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hands on your hips.
    2. Take a big step forward with your right foot, lowering your body into a lunge position.
    3. Bend your right knee to about 90 degrees, keeping your knee aligned with your ankle.
    4. Push off with your right foot and return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat with your left leg, alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: forward lunge, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
    • Primary muscle: glutes, not your heart and lungs
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
  2. Lunge With TwistPlay demonstration

    Progression

    2. Lunge With Twist

    84% match

    Abs · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the abs rather than the heart and lungs.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Take a step forward with your right foot, lowering your body into a lunge position.
    3. As you lunge, twist your torso to the right, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
    4. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat on the other side, stepping forward with your left foot and twisting your torso to the left.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: forward lunge, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
    • Primary muscle: abs, not your heart and lungs
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
  4. Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound

    Progression

    4. Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound

    79% match

    Quads · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the quads rather than the heart and lungs.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Assume a comfortable stance with one foot slightly in front of the other.
    2. Begin by pushing off with the front leg, driving the opposite knee forward and as high as possible before landing. Attempt to cover as much distance to each side with each bound.
    3. It may help to use a line on the ground to guage distance from side to side.
    4. Repeat the sequence with the other leg.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: quads, not your heart and lungs
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
  6. Dumbbell Lunges

    6. Dumbbell Lunges

    75% match

    Quads · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it works the quads rather than the heart and lungs.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your torso upright holding two dumbbells in your hands by your sides. This will be your starting position.
    2. Step forward with your right leg around 2 feet or so from the foot being left stationary behind and lower your upper body down, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: As in the other exercises, do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint. Make sure that you keep your front shin perpendicular to the ground.
    3. Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
    4. Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: forward lunge, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
    • Primary muscle: quads, not your heart and lungs
    • Equipment: free weights, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge

  8. Progression

    8. Split Jump

    75% match

    Quads · Intermediate · Compound

Why You Might Need a Walking High Knees Lunge Alternative

You might substitute Walking High Knees Lunge for joint pain, poor balance, limited space, or to vary intensity. High-impact lunges stress the knee and hip joint during rapid eccentric control; choosing a march or step-up reduces peak knee shear while preserving cardiovascular work. Cue: slow the descent and hinge at the hip to emphasize glute and hamstring eccentric control. Alternates let you manipulate cadence and range of motion to protect tissue, maintain aerobic stimulus, and target hip flexors, quads, and the posterior chain through different biomechanics.

Walking High Knees Lunge FAQ

What muscles does Walking High Knees Lunge work?

Walking High Knees Lunge primarily taxes the cardiovascular system while engaging hip flexors, quadriceps, glutes, and core stabilizers. During the knee drive you activate the iliopsoas and rectus femoris, and during support-phase control you load the gluteus maximus and hamstrings eccentrically.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.