Medicine Ball Lunge
The Medicine Ball Lunge is a functional full-body exercise that combines a forward lunge with a chest press motion. It primarily targets the quadriceps and glutes while challenging core stability and shoulder strength through the extended lever arm of the ball.
Lunges require significant neuromuscular coordination and unilateral stability, which can be compromised if you are fatigued. The AI analyzes your daily recovery metrics like HRV and sleep to determine if your central nervous system is ready for this high-coordination movement or if a more stable regression is safer today. Additionally, by tracking your localized muscle recovery, the app ensures your quads and glutes are sufficiently recovered from previous sessions to handle the dynamic load without risking knee valgus or form breakdown.
Form Cues
- Step forward and lower your hips until both knees bend to 90 degrees
- Press the ball straight out from your chest as you descend
- Keep your torso upright and core braced tight
- Drive firmly through your front heel to return to the start
- Retract the ball to your chest simultaneously as you stand back up
- Don't let your front knee collapse inward
- Don't round your shoulders or lean forward at the waist
- Don't slam your back knee into the ground
- Don't extend the ball before you begin the step
Common Mistakes
- Knee valgus (caving inward)
- Leaning the torso too far forward
- Inconsistent step length
- Lack of core engagement
- Rushing the movement and losing balance
Muscles Worked
This exercise is a potent lower-body builder, focusing heavily on the quadriceps and glutes for the lunge portion, with the hamstrings acting as stabilizers. The addition of the medicine ball press specifically targets the anterior deltoids and pectorals while forcing the deep core muscles to work overtime to maintain an upright posture against the forward weight.
Primary
Secondary
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