This was published 7 years ago
Workout hacks: How to lunge
Sam Downing
No lower-body workout is complete without the lunge, an exercise that targets the major muscles in your thighs and butt.
This workout hack examines some important cues in the bodyweight lunge, a move to master before you add weight to your lunge:
- Start with your feet hip-width apart, then keep them hip-width apart as your step forward — you may lose stability by putting one foot in front of another. Think walking on train tracks, not a tightrope.
- Keep your weight in the front foot, and the heel of that foot planted on the ground. Don't let your knee travel out over your toes (if lunges put a lot of pressure on your knees, this may be why).
- Hold your chest proud with your shoulders back and your core braced — don't let your torso lean forward.
- The depth of your lunge depends on your mobility, but try to bring your back knee down until it's just off the floor.
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An advantage of the lunge is that it's super-versatile, with variations including the forward lunge, reverse lunge, the stationary or walking lunge, the jumping lunge, and the lateral lunges (stepping out directly to the side, or forward or backwards at an angle). Add weight with a barbell on your back, holding dumbbells at your side, or a kettlebell at your chest — use your imagination.
9Honey workout hacks
Go here to watch all of the how-to videos in this series:
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