All you need to know about lunges

Justina
August 4, 2016

Written by ladies personal trainer Justina Triasovaite.

A lunge is a form of exercise in which one leg is positioned forward with knee bent and foot flat while the other one is positioned behind. It is used by several people with several purposes. Yogis use it for asana regimen, weight trainers use it for fitness and athletes use it for cross training in sports.

How-to perform 

Just like other exercises, lunges also have several variations but a basic form of lunge is:

  • where you keep your upper body in a straight position
  • shoulders relaxed at the back and chin up.
  • put your one foot in front lowering your hip until both of your knees are bent at about 90 degrees.

Please check out the video below where famele personal trainer Justina is demonstarting different varieteis of lunges:

Benefits

There is a numerious great benefits you will get after performing this great exercise on weekly basis:

  •  Improves hip flexibility
  • Greater core strength
  • Strengthens gluteal muscles
  • Gives a firm rounded shape to your hips
  • Improves balance and coordination
  • Targets most of your lower body muscles

Common mistakes

Lunges can be quite complicated exercise for a begginer, make sure you follow the rules...

· Biggest mistake while performing a lunge is that you think you are dropping your knees too much but you are not. The correct form is to get your back knee almost touch the floor.

· Many people fall down with their upper body because they do not keep their core strength engaged.

· People think justbending down one knee is the form of a lung, whereas, the correct form is to bend enough where your knee is aligned with you ankle.

· Sometimes the lunge is too long or too short.

· Because your body is not at a balance and your back is not straight, your front knee gets shaky and eventually leads to a fall.

· Body weight is not distributed accurately.

    Variations/progressions

    · Walking lunge (my favourite) : do a basic lunge as mentioned above and then start walking before your bent leg makes contact with the floor.

    · Reverse Lunge: it is similar to walking lunge just that you have to step backward at exactly the same width as you take in moving forward.

    · Rear elevated foot lunge: put your one foot at a bench or a step keeping your toes pointed, foot flexed pressuring the ball of your other foot. Bend down on your foot that is not on the bench or step until it almost touches the floor and then drive back up through the other leg to the starting position.

    · Slider lunge: stand with your feet hip width apart. Place the slider under your foot and push it back until hip is completely stretched and knee almost touching the floor. Apply the pressure on the slide and bring your leg back to the original position.

    Who should do this exercise

      Lunges are the best exercises for your butt and legs. It can be done by anyone whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced. For beginners it is suggested to do basic planks, for intermediates walk or reverse lunges and for advanced level professionals it is suggested that they use weights or dumbbells to make it more energetic.

      If you enjoyed this article click here for related article  written by female personal trainer Justina

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      Female personal trainer Justina Triasovaite justinatraining.com

      I'm Justina, a personal trainer based in London

      Every day I use my passion and energy to improve my clients’ health, looks and lifestyle.
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      07449 169 906

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