8 modified lunge exercises.
Try to do a couple of such attacks with a variety of two to four times a week, giving your legs, thighs and buttocks 24-48 hours to fully recover between workouts.
Before you start these exercises - or any other exercises - talk to your doctor to make sure that they are safe for you, taking into account your level of physical fitness and health status.Lunges with support
This version is similar to a static lunge, except that you use a chair or a wall for balance. This is a great way for beginners who want to practice lunges, but are worried about losing their balance.
1. Stand with your right foot forward and your left foot back at a distance of about a meter from each other.
2. Hold on to a chair or a wall for balance.
3. Bend your knees and lower them to the floor until the back knee is 7-10 cm from the floor, and the front knee is at a right angle. Keep your front knee behind your toes and go straight down, not in front of you.
4. Keep your torso straight, returning to the starting position.
5. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-16 repetitions.
Sliding lunges
You can do this exercise using paper towels, regular towels or sliding discs.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, the upper part of your left foot resting on a paper towel or disk.
2. Bend your right leg, sliding your left leg back into the lunge position.
3. Keep the front knee behind the toe, and keep the back leg slightly bent. Also, keep your weight on the front leg so that you can always control the foot lying on the sliding element.
4. Slowly slide your left leg back to start by pressing on the towel, and repeat 8-16 times before changing sides.
Lunges with sliding to the sides
Another variation is lunges with sliding to the sides. By placing your foot on a paper towel or a sliding disc, you can aim at the inner thigh of the sliding leg while working the hips of both legs at the same time.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the upper part of your left foot on a plate, towel or disc.
2. Bend your left knee, leaning back on the heel, and take your right leg to the side.
3. Keep the left knee behind the sock, the trunk in an upright position, the press is retracted.
4. Press on the towel to squeeze the inner surface of the thigh, and slide the right foot back.
5. Do 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps, and then switch legs.
Split squats
Split squats are another way to diversify traditional lunges. In this exercise, you lift your back leg onto a step or platform. This puts emphasis on the front leg and adds difficulty with balance, which makes this exercise quite difficult.
1. Stand about three feet in front of a step or platform and place your right foot on the platform, resting either on the toe or on the top of the foot.
2. Make sure that your feet are wide enough so that the front knee remains behind the sock when you lunge.
3. When you keep your balance, bend both knees and lunge.
4. Push out your front heel to stand up, and repeat 10-16 reps before changing sides.
5. Hold weights for extra intensity.
Low lunge
The low lunge is an interesting variation of the traditional lunge. When the feet are closer together, the knees may feel less tension, but a shorter range of motion really adds intensity. This is a great addition to your lower body program.
1. Stand in a split stance with your feet together (about two feet apart, one foot forward and one back).
2. Hold dumbbells in each hand and bend your knees, transferring your weight to the floor. This is the beginning of the movement.
3. Keeping the abs in tension, and the shoulders are pulled back, press on the front heel and rise about halfway.
4. Go down and repeat 1-3 sets of 10-16 repetitions.
Deadlift with a lunge
This combination of lunge and deadlift is a great way to work out every muscle of the lower body, including the buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings. This advanced movement will also challenge your core muscles, balance and stability, so practice this movement and focus on what you are doing to get the most out of it.
1. Take a lunge position, placing your back foot on a step or platform. Make sure that the front leg is extended far enough forward so that the knee remains behind the sock when performing the lunge.
2. If desired, take light and medium weights with both hands.
3. Bend your knees and lunge, simultaneously lowering your torso to the front thigh and lowering your weight to the floor.
4. Keeping your back straight, push off your front heel, straighten your torso and return to the standing position.
5. Do 8-10 reps on each leg, completing 1-3 sets.
Lunges with a barbell
If you want to make the lunges more intense, use a barbell. The barbell distributes the weight more evenly over the shoulders, so you can lift more weight than with dumbbells. To make this exercise safe, use only the weight that you can lift, or keep an observer nearby.
1. Place a medium-weight barbell on the fleshy part of the shoulders (if necessary, use the bar for the crossbar) and bring the left leg forward and the right leg back.
2. Keeping your torso in an upright position and tense press, bend your knees to lower yourself to the floor. Keep your front knee behind your toes and go straight down, not forward.
3.Lower yourself as low as possible, without touching the floor with your back knee.
4. Press down on the front heel to stand up.
5. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-16 repetitions.
Lunge with sliding to the side with a load
This advanced exercise simultaneously targets the buttocks, thighs and body. Using a paper towel or something sliding and pushing one leg outwards, you add intensity to the traditional side lunge.
1. Place a paper plate under your left foot and pick up a kettlebell or other weights.
2. Keep your body weight on your right leg and bend your knee, while simultaneously pulling your left leg to the side, keeping this leg straight.
3. When you squat to the floor, keeping your knee behind your toes, lower the weight and touch the floor.
4. Squat as low as possible, keep your back straight, and your abs tense.
5. Push off, returning the left leg back.
6. Repeat 8-15 reps, and then change sides by doing 1-3 sets.
