Basic Exercise
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands at your sides. Keep your weight evenly distributed and your feet at just about hip-width apart so you’re nice and balanced. Let your arms hang straight and loosely at your sides.
Take a big step forward and clasp your hands in front of you. Step forward with 1 foot so you’re standing in a split stance. Bring your hands in front of your chest and clasp them together to help you balance. You can also place your hands on your hips as an alternative.
Lower down until your knees form 90-degree angles. Keep your feet firmly planted, with 1 foot forward and 1 back, and carefully lower your hips down to the ground with control. Allow your knees to bend and continue lowering until both of your knees form a 90-degree angle. Keep your chest tall and your shoulders stacked over your hips. Don’t allow your front knee to move too far past your toe and avoid having your front heel coming off the ground. Resist the urge to lean forward or you could lose your balance.
Drive off of your front heel to push yourself back to standing. Work your quads and glutes by pushing off of the ground with your front leg. Continue driving until your legs are straight and you’re standing all the way up. Then, bring your front leg back to the starting position to complete 1 repetition. Try not to push from the front of your foot or your toes, which can make balancing more difficult.
Shoot for 3 sets of 8-12 reps on each leg. You can do all your reps on 1 leg and then switch to really work your quads and glutes, or you can alternate between legs on each rep. Take a short 1-minute break between each set to allow your legs to recover. Aim for 3 working sets of front lunges to give your legs a killer workout. If you’re just starting out, shoot for 5 reps and work your way up.
Variations and Progressions
Reach forward when you lunge to target your glutes. Stand up tall, step 1 foot forward, and sink your hips so your legs are at a 90-degree angle. Lean your body forward and reach your hands to touch the floor on each side of your front foot. Then, push off your front leg to return to the starting position and complete a rep. This movement takes the load off of your lumbar muscles, making it easier on your back. It also forces your glutes and hamstrings to do more work. 3 sets of 8-12 reps is a great glute workout.
Try walking lunges to challenge your balance. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart for a little extra stability. Place your hands on your hips and step forward with 1 leg. Drop your hips so your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Then, push with your front leg to move forward, then bring your back leg to meet your front as you return to a standing position. Take another forward lunge with your other leg and alternate back and forth as you move across the room. Walking lunges require a little more stability, making it a great way to improve your balance and work your legs at the same time. Shoot for 8-12 steps on each leg.
Hold 2 dumbbells to add weight to your lunge. Pick up 2 dumbbells you can comfortably hold. If you’re brand new, maybe stick to the 5–10 lb (2.3–4.5 kg) range. Stand up tall and hold the dumbbells at your side. Step forward into a lunge position and then drive off of your front leg to return to the starting position. Shoot for 8-12 reps on each leg. The extra weight challenges your muscles and balance. Don’t use a weight that’s too heavy for you. Focus on good form and quality reps.
Step backward into a reverse lunge to mix it up. A reverse lunge targets your glutes just a tad more than stepping forward into a lunge, so it’s a nice variation to mix into your routine. Stand up tall and take a step back with 1 leg so you’re standing in a split stance. Lower your hips down until your knees form a 90-degree bend. Then, push through the heel of your front leg to return back to the starting position. Try 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, or mix in a set with your forward lunges to work your legs from multiple angles.
Do bicep curls with dumbbells while you lunge. Work your upper body at the same time as your legs. Grab 2 dumbbells you can comfortably hold. Stand tall and hold them at your sides. Step into a split stance with 1 foot forward and 1 foot back. Sink your hips until your knees form a 90-degree angle. As you lunge, curl the dumbbells up to your shoulder and lower them as you drive off your lead foot to stand and return to the starting position. You can hold 2 dumbbells or try holding 1 to challenge your balance. Make sure you choose a weight you can curl as many times as you can lunge. Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 reps to give your legs and arms a great workout.
Comments
0 comment