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

Ranked 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. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for 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. Play demonstration

   1. Forward Lunge

   85% match

   • Glutes
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Compound

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

   How to perform this exercise

   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. Play demonstration

   Progression

   2. Lunge With Twist

   84% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

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

   How to perform this exercise

   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
3. Play demonstration

   Progression

   3. Walking Lunge

   84% match

   • Glutes
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
   2. Take a step forward with your right leg, lowering your body into a lunge position.
   3. Keep your torso upright and your front knee aligned with your ankle.
   4. Push off with your right foot and bring your left foot forward, stepping into a lunge position with your left leg.
   5. Continue alternating legs and walking forward, maintaining a controlled and steady pace.
   6. Repeat 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: 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
4. 

   Progression

   4. Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound

   79% match

   • Quads
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

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

   How to perform this exercise

   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
5. Play demonstration

   Progression

   5. Lunge With Jump

   79% match

   • Glutes
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   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. Push off with your right foot and jump into the air, switching the position of your feet mid-air.
   4. Land softly with your left foot forward and immediately lower your body into a lunge position.
   5. Continue alternating between lunges and jumps for the desired number of repetitions.

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

   Why this matches

   • 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
6. 

   6. Dumbbell Lunges

   75% match

   • Quads
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

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

   How to perform this exercise

   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
7. 

   Progression

   7. Scissors Jump

   75% match

   • Quads
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Assume a lunge stance position with one foot forward with the knee bent, and the rear knee nearly touching the ground.
   2. Ensure that the front knee is over the midline of the foot. Extending through both legs, jump as high as possible, swinging your arms to gain lift.
   3. As you jump as high as you can, switch the position of your legs, moving your front leg to the back and the rear leg to the front.
   4. As you land, absorb the impact through the legs by adopting the lunge position, and repeat.

   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
8. 

   Progression

   8. Split Jump

   75% match

   • Quads
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Assume a lunge stance position with one foot forward with the knee bent, and the rear knee nearly touching the ground.
   2. Ensure that the front knee is over the midline of the foot.
   3. Extending through both legs, jump as high as possible, swinging your arms to gain lift.
   4. As you jump, bring your feet together, and move them back to their initial positions as you land.
   5. Absorb the impact by reverting back to the starting position.

   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
9. 

   9. Lunge Sprint

   74% match

   • Quadriceps
   • Machine
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust a bar in a Smith machine to an appropriate height. Position yourself under the bar, racking it across the back of your shoulders. Unrack the bar, and then split your feet, moving one foot forward and one foot back. This will be your starting position.
   2. Lower your back knee nearly to the ground, flexing the knees and lowering your hips as you do so.
   3. At the bottom of the descent, immediately reverse direction. Explosively drive through the heel of your front foot with light pressure from your back foot. Jump up and reverse the position of your legs.
   4. Repeat for the recommended amount 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: quadriceps, not your heart and lungs
   • Equipment: a machine, not bodyweight only
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge
10. 

    10. Lunge Pass Through

    74% match

    • Hamstrings
    • Kettlebell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Stand with your torso upright holding a kettlebell in your right hand. This will be your starting position.
    2. Step forward with your left foot and lower your upper body down by flexing the hip and the knee, keeping the torso upright. Lower your back knee until it nearly touches the ground.
    3. As you lunge, pass the kettlebell under your front leg to your opposite hand.
    4. Pressing through the heel of your foot, return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions, alternating legs.

    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: hamstrings, not your heart and lungs
    • Equipment: free weights, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Walking High Knees Lunge