Lunges are a foundational movement exercise that can be done anywhere and everywhere. They are easy to do and there are so many variations that make them a great exercise. However, they are one of the most butchered exercises in the gym and have caused injuries. Lunges allow you to elevate your heart rate and target several muscle groups at the same time. The targeted muscles include the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and the calf muscles, abdominal muscles, and back muscles act as stabilizers.
The Quick Guide to Lunges It's important to do lunges properly, as bad form can result in you not getting the full benefit of the exercise, or may even cause injury. There are several variations to the squat, but here are 6 tips to ensure proper form when executing basic squats:
- Keep your upper body relaxed, with your shoulders back and chest lifted, abs tight.
- Keep your chin up and squared. It helps to pick a point to stare at in front of you so you don't keep looking down.
- Back knee bends at 90° so the shoulder, hip and knee form a straight line down.
- Front Knee is aligned with the ankle and doesn't go past the toe.
- Both Knees bend at 90° and the back knee stays 2-4 inches off the ground.
- Keep feet in line pointing forward and the majority of your weight should be in your front heel.
Benefits Lunges can be done as a body-weight exercise, with weights, or for plyometric training. For instance, walking lunges can improve hamstring strength and jumping lunges can improve sprint performance. Performing lunges strengthens the muscles crossing the hip, knee, ankle, and helps improve balance and core stability. There are many variations to the basic forward lunge such as walking lunge, reverse lunge, curtsy lunge, rear elevated foot lunge, and the front elevated foot lunge are just a few. Experts suggest that if you are a beginner, start with a static or walking lunge with 3 sets of 10 reps each leg. As you become more experienced work towards 10 sets of 10 reps. When you've mastered the basic lunge, you can try more complex variations of lunges and add weights. As any trainer will tell you, exercise alone isn't enough to achieve your fitness goals. Good nutrition is a key component including lots of protein to rebuild muscle after a workout. Adding
Promax to your diet may help decrease your risk of injury and strengthen your immune system. Sources:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/439335-what-muscles-do-lunges-work-out/ http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/know-your-basics-how-do-lunge
