Lunge

The lunge is a fundamental leg strengthening exercise which adds functional benefits to many track and field sports. At Pete Fraser Fitness we use them regularly to improve our clients leg strength, core stability and lower limb coordination.

Read more on how to do it….

Which muscles does the lunge work?

• Primary muscles worked: Quadriceps, glute maximus and hip flexors
• Secondary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, lower back musculature, glute medius

What does it do for you and your sport?

• Benefits: develops a strong lower limb, especially glutes. Improves coordination of lower limb and pelvic structures
• Good for: any movement involving lower limb and pelvic momentum, e.g. all forms of running

How to do it: …

• Start in a standing position, take a shoulder width and a half (or a standard step and a half) distance forward and remain in this stepped forward position. Extend the arm forward at shoulder height for balance
• Keep the upper body, knees, feet and hips aligned forward
• Slowly flex both knees and hips to allow the whole body to descend towards the ground keeping the upper body vertical. The knees should remain both aligned with the feet and behind the toes all the way
• Just before the front knee touched the ground slowly push back to the start point
• Count 2/3 seconds on both the up and down movements

Variations:

• Weighted lunge – hold 5 – 10 kg dumbbells at the sides of body
• Walking lunge – maintain a slow forward momentum in a stepping/lunging action
• Alternating lunge – start from parallel standing position and alternate a step forward lunge
• Twisting lunge – rotate the upper body 90 degrees as you lunge (in the front leg side direction)
• Plyo-lunge – not for the old or infirm! as per the standard lunge but push up and off the ground with speed to jump into air, turn 180 degrees in the air and land into a lunge position in the opposite direction – alternate