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01/10/2023-Move of the Day: The Lunge

Writer's picture: dragoman7002dragoman7002

The quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings of the lower body are worked out during the functional exercise known as the lunge. It is a compound exercise that entails taking a step forward, bending your knees to form a lunge, and then standing back up.


Due to its benefits for improving balance, stability, and functional mobility, the lunge is a crucial exercise to incorporate into your fitness regimen.


Here are the steps to perform a lunge properly:


  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips.

  2. Step forward with one foot and lower your body down into a lunge position by bending your front leg until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Your back leg should remain straight.

  3. Keep your chest lifted and your core engaged throughout the movement.

  4. Push through your front heel to stand back up and return to the starting position.

  5. Repeat the movement with the opposite leg.

  6. Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.


(This is a very brief description of how to do a lunge. For more information on proper technique and some of the finer in’s and out’s of the move, check out the video below).






There are several variations of the lunge that you can try to add variety to your workouts and target different muscle groups. Some variations include:


Forward lunge: This is the basic lunge that involves stepping forward and lowering your body down into a lunge position.

Reverse lunge: This variation involves stepping backward and lowering your body down into a lunge position. It targets the muscles of the quadriceps and glutes to a greater degree than the forward lunge.

Side lunge: This variation involves stepping to the side and lowering your body down into a lunge position. It targets the muscles of the inner and outer thigh.

Curtsy lunge: This variation involves crossing one leg behind the other and lowering your body down into a lunge position. It targets the muscles of the quadriceps, glutes, and inner thigh.

Incorporating lunges into your fitness routine has a number of benefits. Here are a few reasons why the lunge is an important exercise to include in your workouts:


Improved balance and stability: Lunges require you to balance on one leg, which can help to improve overall balance and stability. This is especially important as we age, as balance tends to decline with age.


Enhanced functional movement: Lunges are a functional exercise that involves movement in multiple planes of motion. This can help to improve overall mobility and functional movement, which is important for daily activities such as walking and climbing stairs.


Increased muscle strength and endurance: Lunges work the muscles of the lower body, including the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. By strengthening these muscles, you can improve overall muscle strength and endurance, which can help to reduce the risk of injury and improve athletic performance.


Improved cardiovascular fitness: Lunges can be incorporated into cardiovascular workouts, such as interval training, to increase the intensity and improve cardiovascular fitness.


Lunges can prove to be a vital exercise to incorporate into your workout program since they aid to enhance balance, stability, and functional movement in addition to building strength and endurance in the muscles. You can try a variety of lunge variants to mix up your workouts and focus on other muscle areas. When practicing lunge exercises, keep appropriate form in mind always.


(If anyone would like information into my complete set-up that I do so that I make sure my technique is spot on, let me know in the comments section. Thanks for reading. And don’t forget, at the end of the week, I’m going to take all of the moves of the day and turn it into a workout that will be posted on Sundays. The Sunday post will start with the title: “Workout of the Week” and it will be broken down into recommended sets and reps, warm-up, cool-down, and a small little break down of why I programmed the routine the way I did.)


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