Curtsy Lunges Might Be the Key to Your Best Booty Ever. Here’s How to Do Them the Right Way

You may associate a curtsy with a formal greeting or as something ballerinas do at the end of their performance. The curtsy lunge exercise is an exaggerated version of that motion—and is a favorite of many exercise professionals for its many benefits.

“For my clients who care about total-body fitness, joint health, or performance in sports that require pivoting or fast changes in directions, it’s a must,” says Jonathan Jordan, CPT, a San Francisco–based certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and founder of Jonathan Jordan Fitness.

Let’s jump into the benefits, form tips, and variations of the curtsy lunge to challenge yourself.

What is a curtsy lunge and how does it differ from other lunge variations?

You are probably familiar with the standard lunge and some common variations, like the reverse lunge and side lunge. The curtsy lunge challenges your body a bit differently.

“A curtsy lunge is a lunge variation where you step one foot behind and across the midline of the body, aligning your back knee with your front heel as you lower to the ground,” explains certified personal trainer Tanysha Renee, CPT, a New York-based Tonal coach.

Stepping your foot across midline challenges your balance.

“I’m a big fan of ‘planes of motion training,’” Jordan says. “Our bodies are designed to move in all three planes of motion: sagittal (front to back), frontal (side to side), and transverse (rotational or horizontal).”

The front lunge works your body in the sagittal plane, while the lateral or side lunge works your body in the frontal plane. The curtsy lunge adds a new component by working your body in the transverse or rotational plane. This helps develop balance and stability.

How to perform a curtsy lunge perfectly every time

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms clasped in front of your chest.
2. Step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right leg in a curtsy position.
3. Bend both knees until your front leg is parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as you can comfortably go).
4. Keep your hips and shoulders straight ahead throughout the motion with your torso upright.
5. Push yourself back up to standing as you bring your back leg around to the starting position.
6. Repeat on the other side or do several reps on one side before switching.

Curtsy lunge benefits that'll make you want to add them to your routine

“The benefits are worth adding this one to your leg-day routine,” Renee says. Here are five reasons to start curtsy lunging.

1. They strengthen your larger leg muscles

“Curtsy lunges work the major leg muscles, including the quads in the front and glutes and hamstrings on the posterior side [of your leg],” Renee says. These larger muscles are important not only in sports that require power—such as running or jumping— but also in everyday activities like stair climbing and walking uphill.

Strengthening exercises like curtsy lunges are an important part of staying healthy. A 2024 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found a correlation between strength training two to three times a week and living longer overall and having a reduced risk of early death from heart disease.

2. They target your glutes and inner thighs

The cross-over motion of your leg during the curtsy lunge means that it works other muscles in your legs that regular lunges don’t work. “They target smaller leg muscles that sometimes are neglected, like our hip adductors that assist with bringing the legs together,” Renee says.

In addition to your inner thighs or hip adductors, the curtsy lunge also works your gluteal (or glute) muscles. Your glutes are made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Strengthening your glutes not only lifts and tones your backside, but also provides strength and stability to your hips and legs.

3. They improve muscular imbalances

Curtsy lunges help to “improve muscular imbalances in the lower body,” Renee says. Most people are stronger on their dominant side, but because you switch legs while doing this exercise, it ensures both sides of your body are strengthened equally.

4. They build balance

“Curtsy lunges are a fantastic way to build strength, balance, and stability,” Renee says. Because of the rotational component, the move works all those muscles in your hips, inner thighs, and and core that help your balance.

Curtsy lunges also strengthen your glutes, which are responsible for providing stability. Not to mention, they help improve coordination. This is a big plus for improving performance in sports such as tennis, baseball, or basketball.

5. They can be done anywhere

The curtsy lunge can be done at home or the gym. Although you can do this exercise with weights, you can also just use your own body weight. Whether you're at home, the office, or in a hotel room, you can do this exercise anywhere to reap the strengthening benefits.

“Curtsy lunges are a fantastic way to build strength, balance, and stability.” —Tanysha Renee, CPT

Common mistakes to avoid when doing curtsy lunges

Be aware of these common form mistakes to maximize the benefits of the curtsy lunge while preventing injuries.

1. Limiting your range of motion

One of the most common mistakes Renee sees with this move is “not lowering your body down enough to reap the benefits of the curtsy lunge.”

Aim for your front thigh to be parallel to the ground, she says. If you can’t go down that far, just go down as far as you can with good form, working your way lower as your strength improves.

Additionally, Jordan advises keeping your motion slow and controlled. “Your back knee should gently kiss your mat—meaning don’t slam your knee on the hard ground aggressively,” he says.

2. Not watching your knee alignment

“It's easy for the front knee to veer from the midline of the body, but try as best you can to keep it in line with your hips,” Renee says.

It's important to listen to your body to avoid injuries, according to Jordan. “I always tell clients that if it hurts, stop. Because when done wrong—or at the wrong angles—it can put painful pressure on the knee or ankle,” he says.

3. Not watching your trunk alignment

You don’t want to hunch forward, but you also don’t want to keep your chest too upright, according to Renee. “To maximize the target on the glutes, hinge through the hips, letting the torso lean slightly forward,” she says.

4. Not keeping your hips forward

Don’t let your hips or shoulders rotate, the experts agree. Keep both body parts straightforward as you step back and lunge.

Curtsy lunge variations to kick things up a notch

Once you have mastered the basic curtsy lunge, challenge yourself with these variations.

1. Weighted curtsy lunge

Use dumbbells, a barbell, or a kettlebell to build up more strength in your legs with the weighted curtsy lunge.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing in).
2. Step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right leg in a curtsy position.
3. Bend both knees until your front leg is parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as you can comfortably go).
4. Keep your hips and shoulders straight ahead throughout the motion with your torso upright.
5. Push yourself back up to standing as you bring your back leg around to the starting position.
6. Repeat on the other side or do several reps on one side before switching.

 2. Plyometric curtsy lunge

This is a great way to get your heart rate up and reap some cardiovascular and strengthening benefits.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms clasped in front of your chest.
2. Step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right leg in a curtsy position.
3. Bend both knees until your front leg is parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as you can comfortably go).
4. Keep your hips and shoulders straight ahead throughout the motion with your torso upright.
5. Push off your front leg as you jump to the side and bring your other leg behind.
6. Continue jumping side to side, doing curtsy lunges in between.

3. Curtsy lunge with side kick and arm raise

This challenging variation of the curtsy lunge strengthens both your legs and arms. You'll need a dumbbell for this move.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in your right hand (palm facing in).
2. Step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right leg in a curtsy position.
3. Bend both knees until your front leg is parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as you can comfortably go).
4. Keep your hips and shoulders straight ahead throughout the motion with your torso upright.
5. Push off with your front leg and kick your left leg out to the side as you are raising the dumbbell to shoulder height.
6. Repeat on the other side or do several reps on one side before switching.

How to include curtsy lunges in your exercise routine

There are several ways to include curtsy lunges in your exercise routine. Jordan says you can do them “either as a standalone exercise or as part of a circuit.” For a circuit, you can do one upper-body exercise, the curtsy lunge as the lower-body exercise, and a core exercise.

Make sure you do a five- to 10-minute warm-up first, consisting of dynamic stretches, walking, or a light jog. End your routine with a cooldown consisting of stretches.

How often to do curtsy lunges

You can either do several reps on one side of your body before switching sides or alternate sides every rep, Jordan says. “I generally prefer to do all one side versus alternating because that provides more time under tension for those wishing to gain strength,” he says. “It’s also fine to alternate if you prefer more of a coordination challenge.”

As far as how many to do, Renee gives this guidance: “Sets and reps will depend on your strength and conditioning level, but a moderate range to start is two to three sets with 12 to 15 reps on each leg.”

Tips for beginners new to curtsy lunges

If you're just getting started with curtsy lunges or having difficulty nailing the move, follow these tips to help you work your way up to this lunge variation.

• Start with a basic forward lunge or a reverse lunge to help you build up strength before moving to the curtsy lunge.
• Start slow and work your way up. “Start with your back foot behind and just slightly to the side of your front foot for a conservative angle to start,” Jordan says. “As you get more comfortable and strong, you can increase the stance and depth of your curtsy.”
• If you're having difficulty balancing, hold onto a stable surface, such as a chair or table.
• You can keep your back foot in place and do lunge pulses instead of bringing your foot back to the starting position each time.
• Start by doing shallow lunges, working your way up to deeper lunges as your strength and balance progress.

Remember, keep this exercise in your pain-free range.

FAQ

Which muscles do curtsy lunges work?

Curtsy lunges work the large muscles in your legs and hips, as well as core stabilizing muscles in your trunk. Specifically, this move works your quadriceps (fronts of thighs), hamstrings (backs of thighs), glutes (butt), adductors (insides of thighs), abductors (outsides of thighs), and calf muscles (backs of lower legs). Your abdominal muscles are also working to keep your trunk stable during the motion.

Are curtsy lunges better than regular lunges?

“All variations of lunges provide great benefits to improving lower-body strength,” Renee says. “Each can stand alone in a well-rounded workout routine, but incorporating all variations can increase stamina, strength, and balance.”

If you're interested in strengthening your inner thighs and glutes, as well as improving your balance, curtsy lunges are a great addition to your workout routine.

Are curtsy lunges bad for your knees?

“If you have knee ligament injuries, tight hip flexors or IT bands, or other issues like tendonitis or bursitis, [curtsy lunges] may not be great for you,” Jordan says. “But for a generally healthy person with no knee issues or injuries, curtsy lunges can help mobilize and strengthen and even avoid future injury.”

Make sure you do the move with proper form—and stay within your pain-free range. “If it hurts, stop. And if you aren’t sure, consult a trainer or physical therapist,” Jordan says.