The lunge is a leg-strengthening exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. There are many variations, but proper form and contraction of the gluteal muscles are important. Holding weights can add resistance, but beginners can use their body weight.
A lunge is a leg-strengthening exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. To perform the exercise, a person begins with their feet together or shoulder-width apart and steps forward with one leg, landing on the heel of the front foot and bending the knee at a 90-degree angle to the toes. The movement is complete when the person returns to a standing position and can be repeated several times, either with one leg or alternating legs.
There are many variations of the basic lunge. A longer version, in which the knee of the rear leg touches the ground and the knee of the front leg is bent less than 90 degrees, targets the gluteal muscles; A shortened version focuses more on the quadriceps. However, the shorter stroke puts unnecessary pressure on the knee and is not recommended by most health professionals.
Perhaps the most popular variation is the lunge in which a person begins with the basic movement and continues for several steps until the muscles in both legs are exhausted. There is also the forward version, performed as the walking version but with the knee parallel to the hip between movements, and the reverse version, performed as the walking backwards only.
Other variations include the rotational version, a combination of forward motion and torso rotation; the drop version, which begins with feet shoulder-width apart and crosses one leg behind the other as the hips drop; and the knee-hugging version, similar to the forward movement, in which the person performs a walking lunge with their hands on their hips and hugs the knee that strikes the chest between lunges. Also, the side version can be a great stretch variation. The side lunge is performed as you come out of a standing position, rotating your heel and propping up your knee, again at a 90 degree angle over your foot, shoulder or elbow. To increase flexibility and range of motion, the lateral movement should be held for a minimum of 20 seconds and then repeated on the opposite leg.
While one person’s bodyweight is efficient resistance for the beginner, the advanced or intermediate worker may choose to hold dumbbells in either hand or a barbell on top of the shoulders for added resistance. However, the most important thing is to maintain proper form and contraction of the gluteal muscles. This is true of the basic lunge and all variations of the lunge, including walking and barbell lunges. The additional contraction of the abdominal muscles during a lunge can help maintain form and further condition the core of the body.
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