Lunge Variations

On to our second "key exercise"- THE LUNGE. The lunge is an exercise that is important in helping to train for acceleration, quick changes of direction, and deceleration. It is a challenging movement as both the upper body and lower body have to work together yet independently in achieving the movement in a balanced manner. Hip tightness and poor core stability can cause great difficulty with the lunge exercise. As with all exercises, correct form is imperative. If your form is off due to the difficulty of an exercise- scale back to an easier version or come see a sports medicine staff member so we can evaluate the problem.



Important tips for a safe lunge exercise-



* DO NOT LET YOU KNEE GO OVER YOUR TOES

* DO NOT LET YOU KNEE COLLAPSE INWARDS

* KEEP YOUR BODY UP- DON'T FALL FORWARD

* KEEP GLUTES, LEG AND CORE TIGHT THROUGHOUT THE EXERCISE



WALKING LUNGE-This is the basic lunge with a continuum of motion. Works on power and strength of the glutes, hamstrings, and quads as well as works on core

ALTERNATING LUNGE WITH MEDICINE BALL-Great core exercise as well as lower body and shoulder exercise. There are two variations to this- the first is to hold the med ball out in front of you with arms straight out at chest level and the second version is more difficult and activates more core is to have med ball over head with arms straight. Both exercises you must make sure you are not arching your lower back and you are keeping a nice tight straight core.

BACKWARD LUNGE WITH TWIST- This exercise can be used as a movement prep exercise- an exercise you do to warm up and stretch out. It is also an exercise that can challenge your balance. The reason I put this in here is because what it primarily stretches out is your hip flexors, quads and front of the core- areas that are typically very tight. You will feel this through your entire back leg all the way up to your hips, abs and up to your lats. If you want to make this a bit more challenging for your core and balance- put a med ball in your hands and keep your arms above your head and perform the exercise.

ALTERNATING LUNGE WITH ONE DUMBBELL: This is an exercise that is meant to challenge your core. In sports you constantly have outside variables that throw your center of gravity off and you have to balance these out to remain effective. The use of one dumbbell in your hand will challenge your core in a similar way. Make sure you have a heavy enough weight to really challenge your core. The goal is to remain in an upright position despite the weight pulling you to one side.

SPLIT JUMPS: This exercise is one that will challenge your core as well as improve your power and explosion in your hips and legs. The key is to keep your balance and torso upright and stable when you land. To start off with this exercise, land in the same position as you took off from. To progress to a more difficult version, look at the second video here to a cycled split jump where you switch legs in the air and land in the opposite lunge position than when you took off.








SLIDING BACKWARD LUNGE: This exercise is a good single leg exercise that incorporates stretching, strength, and challenges you balance. To perform this exercise you need a surface you can slide on- a slide board (available in AT room), a sliding foot disc (also available in the AT room), or you can use a towel on a smooth surface such as the gym floor. To make this even more challenging you can put your front foot on a step for greater range of motion in the dip.

STATIC LUNGE WITH MEDICINE BALL THROW: This exercise is performed with a partner or against a wall. It is a great exercise that works on both strength and core as well as the trunk rotational core that sports require. Have your partner stand on a plyo box or bench. Find the spot where you can bounce the ball off the ground to your partner and mark this spot. Your goal with this exercise is to maintain the lunge position with your back knee off the ground and keep your hips facing forward so only your shoulders rotate to pass the ball to your partner. Start this exercise with 10-15 repetitions and work up to 30-40 repetitions each side consecutively.

LUNGE ON HALF FOAM ROLLER: Saved the toughest for last.!!This is a challenging exercise that if you are not ready to do- DO NOT!!! You need a foam roller or two dyna discs- both available in the AT room. Position yourself next to an object you can use to help with you balance to get on the roller and as you need during the exercise as you will see Steve does in the video with another foam roller.