Lunge exercise : How to lunge correctly?

Lunges are an effective exercise for shaping and strengthening nearly every muscle in the lower body. If you learn how to do them correctly, this exercise can become an important element of any strength or circuit training routine.

How to lunge

1. In a split stance, place your right foot 2 to 3 feet ahead of your left foot. Your body is straight, shoulders are back and down, core is engaged, and hands are on hips.
2. Bend your knees and lower your body until your back knee is just a few inches above the ground.
3. The front thigh is parallel to the ground at the bottom of the movement, the back knee is pointing toward the floor, and your weight is evenly distributed between both legs.

Benefits of lunges

The lunge is a multi-joint exercise that tones and strengthens various lower-body muscles. Quadriceps (front of thighs), hamstrings (back of thighs), glutes (buttocks), and calves are all included (back of the lower leg).

During the lunge, your hip flexors are stretched. This increases their suppleness and prevents the shortening and stiffness that occurs when sitting for lengthy periods of time. 1 You also use your core muscles for stability, which might assist you in keeping your balance. 2 and to avoid harm

4 mistakes to avoid to squat properly

Mistake #1 - Leaning too far back

Excessive Leaning Back

When they lunge, other folks have the reverse problem: they lean too far back. As previously said, if you lean back too much, you lose part of the exercise's benefits because the leg you're lunging forward with is performing less effort. The inclination to lean back during lunges might often be attributed to an unsteady core.

Solution

If you're having trouble with this, focus on strengthening your core. When you lean too far forward or back, it indicates that you may be experiencing stability concerns. Working on your core strength is one technique to deal with trouble stabilizing.

Mistake #2 - Not going deep enough

A shallow lunge won’t yield the same benefits as the one you take to full depth. How do you know if you’re using the right depth? Have someone critique your lunge and see how far you’re dropping down when you lunge. Your knee should come as close to the mat as possible without the knee of your other leg coming over your toes.

Solution

If you’re having trouble going deeper, tight hip flexors may be the problem. Add more hip flexor stretches to your routine to help maximize lunge depth. Make sure you’re not cheating yourself out of benefits by doing a squat that’s too shallow.

Mistake #3 - Stance too close or wide

Each person has a unique stance based on their height, leg length, and personal preference. Keeping the feet too close together, on the other hand, puts a lot of strain on the knees, but keeping them too far apart compromises rear leg flexibility and adds to an already unstable position.

Solution

Get into a lunge position to check your stance. Lower all the way to the ground, resting your back knee on the floor (on a mat or other padded surface). This allows you to check if both knees are at a 90-degree angle. Adjust your stance if you don't.

The lunge is one of the most important exercises for developing your lower body. Make sure you're getting the most out of your lunges by maintaining proper form and diversifying the types you execute. Return to the basics by performing lunges with no weight until you've mastered good form. It's well worth the effort. Regardless of what you do, keep lunging!