Lunge Tag
Quick Intro
Lunge Tag is a balance game built on the reverse lunge. Two people stand facing each other and step back into reverse lunges, each at their own pace. When you are at the bottom of your own lunge, you may reach forward and lightly tag your partner’s front knee. Then you both come back up and go again. The first to an agreed number of tags wins.
The reverse lunge itself is covered at Reverse Lunge. This guide covers the tag rules and the balance problem at the heart of the game: reaching for a tag at the bottom of a lunge, on a split stance, without tipping over.
What You’ll Need
- Clear space behind each person for the step back.
- A non-slip floor.
How to Play
- Agree the target, such as five tags, and the lunge depth.
- Stand facing each other, a little less than an arm’s length apart.
- On “go”, both step back into reverse lunges at your own pace, alternating legs.
- At the bottom of your lunge, you may reach forward and tag your partner’s front knee, if they are at the bottom of theirs too.
- Come back to standing and go again.
- First to the target wins.
What Counts
A tag counts only if:
- you are at the bottom of your own lunge when you make it, with the back knee near the floor;
- your partner’s knee is forward in their lunge;
- it is a light touch on the knee or the thigh.
Reaching for a tag from standing does not count. Neither does a tag from a half lunge, which is the usual way people try to get more chances. Agree the depth before starting: for example, the back knee coming within a few centimetres of the floor.
Balance Decides It
Strength matters less here than balance. At the bottom of a reverse lunge your base is narrow, front to back, and reaching forward shifts your weight toward the front foot. Partners who stay low and steady while reaching win more tags than those who move quickly.
Two things help:
- Keep the feet hip-width apart, side to side, like two rails. A lunge with the feet on a single line wobbles.
- Reach with the arm, not the trunk. Keep the chest up and stretch the arm; leaning the whole body forward tips you over.
If either of you starts rushing the stand-up to get the next tag, slow the whole game down.
Making It Fair
A less stable partner can use a shorter step back, which gives a steadier base. The other partner keeps the full step. If the shorter step changes how far apart your knees end up, move a little closer so the tags are still possible for both. Agree it before starting. More on handicaps is in Training With a Friend.
Staying Safe
- Tags are light, a touch on the knee or thigh, never a push.
- Never time a tag to knock someone off balance, for example as they are stepping back.
- Watch the front knee. If a partner’s front knee starts wobbling side to side, stop the round.
- Clear space behind. A step back into a bag or a chair leg is how ankles get turned.
- Agree to contact on the knee and thigh before starting.
Common Mistakes
- Shallow lunges. More chances to tag, but no game. Keep the depth.
- Standing too far apart. Reaching too far pulls you off balance. A little less than an arm’s length is about right.
- Forgetting to alternate legs. Agree to switch legs each rep, so one side does not do all the work.
Fitting It Into a Session
Lunge Tag is moderate for the legs and good for balance. It works as an early game, after a warm-up, and pairs well with an upper body game afterward.
Variations and Related Games
- Squat Tag is the same idea with squats, which is easier for balance.
- Tempo Count Games include a reverse lunge game done to a shared count.
- Dare Ladder includes a lunge version where each round adds reps.
- Bodyweight Lunge, stepping forward, makes a harder version of the game, since the forward step adds momentum.
FAQ
Which knee do I tag?
Your partner’s front knee, the one bent forward over the foot.
Can I tag from a forward lunge instead?
The game is played with reverse lunges, which are steadier for reaching. A forward lunge version is possible, but both people should be comfortable with forward lunges first.
What if we never reach the bottom at the same time?
Slow down and watch each other. The game rewards timing your lunge to your partner’s.
Related to Reverse Lunge, Squat Tag and Tempo Count Games.