How to make lunges when walking
Level: Medium
Generally speaking, walking with a lunge is a strength exercise for the lower body, and therefore it should be included in strength training programs. However, because they involve multiple muscle groups and joints when performing lunges while walking with a large number of repetitions or time, they can also cause a sharp increase in heart rate. This makes them a good option for inclusion in circuit training or in high-intensity interval training regimens designed to perform a dual task to improve strength and cardiovascular performance.
Advantages
Walking lunges challenge the entire lower body and body, making them a great exercise that can be used in almost any workout, from warm-ups to strength training. In particular, you can expect to "feel a burning sensation" in your quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks, and calves, as well as feel tension through your abs and lower back.
Any complex exercise that involves multiple muscle groups at the same time is considered a functional exercise that mimics the movements of everyday life, making you stronger and better for the types of movements that are necessary for everyday life. For example, every time you are on the floor, you should stand up using some variant of squats or lunges. Similarly, because walking with a lunge helps you develop better balance, if you stumble and try to hold on, you will be better prepared with the strength and body awareness needed to reduce the likelihood of falls, or injury, when you take a "rebalancing step" (often wide or long) to avoid falling and regain a stable body position.
Finally, because walking lunges require very little equipment or space, you can incorporate them into almost any workout anywhere. You can do them in your living room or in the hallway, or even in a hotel room or on the beach while traveling. This is a great way to develop lower body strength - no gym required.
Step-by-step instructions
As an exercise with your own weight, you need quite a bit to start doing lunges when walking. Most importantly, you need an open space where you can take at least 6 wide steps in a row. The more space you have, the more lunges you can make without turning around. Parks, gyms and open corridors are all good options, but even an open living room will suffice.
1. Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-length apart. Before you start, check your posture - your torso should be vertical and high, your body should be engaged, your shoulders should be pulled back, and your chin should be raised. Look straight ahead.
2. Take a wide step forward with your right foot - put it about 50-60 cm forward, allowing the left heel to rise naturally as you take a step forward. You can put your hands on your hips or swing your arms naturally - elbows bent at a 90-degree angle-with each step.
3. Keep the body tense and upright. Bend both knees and lower your back knee to the floor. Stop right before it lands. Inhale during the lowering phase (or eccentric phase) of the exercise.
4. Press hard on your right heel and extend your right knee to rise as you lift your left foot off the ground, swinging your left foot forward, placing it about 50-60cm in front of your right. When performing this step, do not tilt your torso forward from the hips. Exhale as you stand up (the concentric phase of the exercise).
5. Continue to make each lunge forward, alternating sides. If you find yourself losing your balance while walking, pause at the top of each lunge when your feet are next to each other. Collect the balance and continue.
Common mistakes
Complex exercises that involve multiple muscle groups often involve pitfalls and common mistakes-mostly because so many joints are involved that it's easy to loosen up or not notice where you're doing something wrong. One of the main reasons why you get tired during lunges is the wrong position.
Take your time and pay attention to your technique. If possible, perform the exercise in front of the mirror until you feel comfortable with it, so that you can detect errors as they occur.
Feet too close during a step
Pay attention to the position of the foot as you take each step forward. You need to keep your feet about hip-length apart (or slightly wider) to provide good support for balance and stability.
If your feet are too close together and the heel of your front foot is aligned with the toes of your back foot, you are much more likely to lose your balance. As you walk forward, the width of your stride should seem natural - as if you were just taking longer steps with your normal gait.
If you take steps forward as if you are walking on a tightrope, one foot aligned directly in front of the other, you will make the exercise even more difficult to perform, and you will change your gait in such a way that it is harder to maintain the correct position.
The steps are too long
Another common mistake is brute force. Yes, during lunges, your steps should be longer than usual, but they should not be so long that you create an uncomfortable stretch in the groin when you lower your back knee to the floor.
It is better to take long steps, but put the front leg about 50-80 cm in front of the back. When you perform a lunge, both knees should form angles of about 90 degrees at the bottom of the movement.
Lean forward from the hips
During lunges when walking, you are constantly moving forward, and your torso has a tendency to lean forward strongly to "help" you shift when lunging. This usually happens when you try to accelerate in an approach and use the forward tilt momentum to help you make each lunge.
The problem is that you will disable the core muscles and can damage the lower back if you are not careful. Stick to slowing down and watch your chest carefully while walking - it should not bend to the ground. Keep your abdominal muscles and cortex engaged and try to keep your torso roughly perpendicular to the floor throughout each lunge. Looking ahead or looking at the wall in front of you can also help.
Lifting the front heel during a lunge
Another common mistake when you move too fast during lunges when walking is the tendency to lift your front heel off the floor when you bend your knees and lower yourself to the floor. The problem is that it disrupts the position of your front leg, increasing the load on your knee.
You need to keep your front heel in an elevated position throughout the lunge - your shin is roughly perpendicular to the floor, your knee is aligned above the heel - allowing your front heel to rise only after you have put your back foot forward for the exercise.
Slow down and check your shape at the bottom and top of each lunge - monitor whether your heel is still on the floor - and make sure your front knee doesn't extend beyond your toes. Paying close attention and taking your time is the best way to identify and solve this problem.
Modifications and variations
The possibilities of modification and variation when performing lunges with walking are almost limitless. Start with these options.
Need a modification?
If you want to lunge while walking, but your balance is a little unstable, pause by putting your feet together between each step forward. In other words, after making one lunge forward with your right foot, as you stand up, bring your left foot forward and place it on the ground at hip distance from your right. Pause here, making sure you are well balanced, then continue by stepping forward with your left foot to perform a lunge in the opposite direction.
Ready for the challenge?
The easiest way to complicate the execution of lunges when walking is to add weight to the exercise. Just grab a dumbbell and hold one in each hand while performing the movement. Take your time and move with precision to maintain perfect shape while solving this extra challenge.
If you feel you need an even more challenging challenge, hold a dumbbell in each hand, stretching your arms straight above your head for each set. This version of the lunge when walking over your head requires even more use of the body, as well as straining your shoulders and arms.
Safety and precautions
As an exercise with your own weight, if you pay close attention to your form, the lunge while walking should be safe enough for most people. Do not forget to keep the muscles of the abdominal press and lower back in tension - this will help to maintain balance and reduce the likelihood of falling.
People with knee pain often struggle with lunges. Try the exercise with a smaller range of motion - drop only a few centimeters with each lunge-if deeper lunges cause pain. You can also try step-up as a modification. Knee lifts are generally easier to perform while engaging the same muscle groups due to the change in angle of movement (step forward and lift your body to the first leg, rather than step forward and lower your body into a lunge).
Lunges are a great lower body exercise that will definitely cause a natural "burning" sensation in your working muscles as your muscles get tired. This is normal. What is abnormal is a sharp or shooting pain. If you experience a sudden feeling of pain that is not associated with normal working muscles, stop the exercise.
