Legs: "Dumbbell Lunge"

Good lunge form decreases stress on knees!

Directions: Perform my Dynamic Warm-Up exercises at “beginning” of workout for maximum benefit and improvement.
Pick a safe level; never be unsafe or exceed your capacity to “control” your body!

1. Be careful to use light enough DBs that  allow you to do a deep and full range of motion lunge.

2. Take long step or "lunge" forward with both feet pointing straight forward as you keep your back upright..

3. Keep front knee aligned directly over front ankle then drop straight down into lunge.  There should be a 90° angle at the knee as you finish the lunge.

4. Concentrate on limiting lateral motion with body as you stabilize during the movement.

5. If using an Alternating Step Lunge, step back up and back into the starting position with both feet together.  As you stand back out of the lunge quickly "press off" the front foot to help you return to starting position without dragging the foot back.

6. If doing a Walking Lunge, take one full large step "past" the front foot right into the next lunge.  Don't bring feet together between lunges--just step right into the next lunge position.  If you cannot step right into the next lunge, then go back to the Static Lunges where you do all the lunges on one side before putting other leg forward.  The Static Lunge does not involve forward travel--you just go up and down and is where I usually start people until they can progress to the Alternating Step and Traveling Lunges.

Tips: Take really big steps so there is enough room between your feet to drop your trunk towards ground. Pretend you are sliding your "back down a wall" so you keep your back upright without collapsing forward or rounding your posture.

• I "rarely" use DBs with people because they have a hard enough time just doing body weight lunges.  If you cannot do a clean body weight lunge then you have absolutely NO business doing, or rather attempting, a weighted DB lunge!  In this case the DBs will just make your compensations even worse and rendering the lunge counterproductive.

• The biggest problem I see with lunges in general is that people are too tight in their hips to really take a big stride step. Consequently, they now have a "cramped" position as they begin to lunge and have no where to go but too far forward over their toes.  Split your hips wide open like opening a pair of scissors--then you'll have room to drop into the lunge.  If you are tight, just don't go down as far but at least try to get a long stride to begin with if you can.

• I also recommend the lunge for "hip mobility" as much as leg strength.  With a good deep lunge, you get a lot of opening and "dynamic" stretching in the glutes and hips.

*Note: These exercises are intended for "normal healthy" individuals and many are only intended for competitive athletes. 
If you have an injury, or abnormal pain is present, see your physician or a certified physical therapist before continuing your exercises. 

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(Updated 11.18.06)

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