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Overhead Lunge with Twist
A full-body movement combining a lunge with an overhead reach and torso twist, targeting the legs, shoulders, and core for stability and mobility.
About Exercise
Equipment
Difficulty
3/5 • Intermediate
Primary Muscle Groups
Quads
Secondary Muscles
Shoulders, Abs, Obliques, Hamstrings
Popularity Score
5
Goals
Training Style
Setup Requirements
Requires Rack
No
Requires Bench
No
Requires Spotter
No
Space Needed
Medium
Noise Level
Low
Muscle Breakdown
View Muscle MapQuads
8/10Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
Glutes
6/10Glute Max, Glute Medius
Shoulders
5/10Anterior Delts, Medial Delts
Abs
5/10Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis
Obliques
4/10External Obliques, Internal Obliques
Hamstrings
3/10Semitendinosus
Programming
Typical Rep Range
8-15 reps
Rest Between Sets
30-90 seconds
How to Perform
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms extended straight overhead, hands shoulder-width apart. Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Step forward into a deep lunge, ensuring the front knee tracks over the ankle.
- Lower until the back knee hovers just above the floor, achieving 90-degree bends.
- Rotate your torso toward the front leg, keeping your arms locked overhead.
- Reverse the rotation back to the center position.
- Drive through the front heel to return to the starting standing position.
Coaching Tips
Form Cues
- Keep arms glued to ears.
- Rotate from the chest.
- Knee tracks over foot.
- Maintain tall posture.
Breathing
Inhale as you descend into the lunge; exhale forcefully as you rotate and maintain a tight core brace.
Tempo
2-0-1
Range of Motion
Achieve a 90-degree bend in both knees, with the torso rotating as far as possible without compromising the overhead arm position.
Safety
Safety Notes
- Stop the rotation if you feel pinching in the lower back.
- Ensure the overhead position does not cause shoulder pain.
Spotting
Not recommended; focus on using light weight or bodyweight until stability is mastered.
Common Mistakes
- Allowing the front knee to collapse inward.
- Leaning the torso forward excessively.
- Dropping the arms during the rotation phase.
- Rushing the rotational component.
When to Avoid
- Acute knee pain
- Severe shoulder impingement
- Recent spinal injury
Flexibility Needed
- Adequate ankle dorsiflexion
- Thoracic spine rotation
- Shoulder flexion to 180 degrees
Build Up First
- Competency in a standard bodyweight lunge
- Ability to hold arms overhead stably
Also known as
Rotational Overhead Lunge, OH Lunge Twist, Lunge with Torso Rotation
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