As we all know regular participation in strength training provides a multitude of benefits. This includes increased muscular strength and power, decreased risk of injury, and improved activities of daily living.
A lunge is an option for a lower body exercise that can help to achieve these benefits. Let us learn more about this exercise and how to perform it efficiently to get maximum benefits in the blog below.
Introduction
The lunge is a staple unilateral exercise for the lower body that aims to improve strength and range of motion (ROM), which can potentially carry over to improving the ability to perform activities of daily living. Additionally, the lunge can be beneficial since it includes the integral “triple extension” of the hips, knees, and ankles.
Usually, the utility of this exercise is often lost because people find it difficult to perform and it is performed using poor technique. Several common errors occur in the performance of a lunge that can go unrecognized, even for experienced personal trainers.
Additionally, there is also room for modification of the lunge and progressions, which the personal trainer may find useful for their clients.
Benefits Of Lunges
Following are some of the benefits of performing lunges.
Strengthens lower body musculature
Research has shown that the lunge can improve muscular strength and running speed in athletes (1). Additionally, the lunge is a common exercise in rehabilitation settings for improved lower limb strength and function (2,3).
It strengthens the leg muscles, primarily the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius/soleus (calves). In addition to being prime movers, the hamstrings and gastrocnemius function as dynamic stabilizers at the knee joint through the lunge movement, increasing its effectiveness.
Improves core stability and balance
The lunge exercise involves several muscles in the abdomen and back that function as stabilizers. This movement requires the torso to maintain stability in a split stance, where feet are apart with one leg in front of the other. It thus helps the body stabilize for multiple positions in a staggered stance, such as walking or stair climbing. Additionally, a stronger core eases daily activities, helps to prevent lower back pain, and improves balance and posture (4).
Provides functionality
The forward lunge most closely mimics the pattern used for walking and stair climbing. The correct performance of a lunge mimics the gait pattern of walking and challenges the body to maintain balance during dynamic postures, such as walking.
How To Perform The Lunge Correctly?
Starting Position
1. Start in a standing position and then take a step with one foot.
2. One foot should be in front and one foot should be behind the torso, similar to a split stance.
3. Feet should be about hip-width apart.
4. Distance between the front foot and back foot should be a length that is greater than a walking stride
5. Thetorso should be straight and the abdominals should be tight.
6. Scapula should be retracted and depressed with the eyes looking forward.
7. Toes and knees of both legs should be pointing forward.
8. Back heel should be off the ground. The correct distance between the front and back foot will enable this step to be performed more easily.
Lowering (eccentric) Movement Phase
9. While keeping the torso straight and abdominals tight, lower the hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle, if possible.
10. Make sure the front knee is directly above the ankle and not over the toe
Upward (concentric) Movement Phase
11. Push through the front heel to return to the starting position while contracting the glutes, quadriceps, and calves.
Modifications And Progressions
Modifications are the “easier” version of thIS exercise, which reduce total stress, energy requirement, and/or intensity. They are appropriate for situations where individuals are a novice, injured, recovering from injury, fatigued, or disabled.
Progressions occur when exercise difficulty is increased without compromising safety. Progressions are most appropriate when an “easier” version can be performed with ease, and the adaptation response from the exercise is losing effectiveness. Lunges can be progressed using barbells and dumbbells and other variations.
There are basically three types of lunge movements
- Forward lunge
- Reverse lunge
- Walking lunge
These can be modified and progressed in a variety of ways. It is imperative that the personal trainer is competent in prescribing the level of lunge that is most appropriate for the client performing the exercise.
There are other variations like side lunge and cross lunge performed with the legs moving to the side either towards the front on the same side or back on the opposite side.
You can even perform the lunge using a bench. This is called a step-up lunge.
When you bend forwards during a forward lunge it is called a curtsy lunge.
Studies have shown that different lunge techniques cause different mechanics during the movement and hence affect the target muscles to different extents. For example, a study by Jönhagen, and Halvorsen (5) found that a six weeks period of training with a walk-forward lunge improved hamstring strength, whereas training with a jump-forward lunge improved sprint running performance.
Thus a wide variation can be seen in the way lunges are performed and you can pick and choose amongst any of the ones that give you maximum benefits. You can ask your physical trainer to advise you on how, to begin with, lunges and which variations to follow.
Concerns With The Technique
Poor performance of the lunge can be problematic. Several common errors occur in the performance of a lunge that can go unrecognized, even for experienced personal trainers. Due to the risks of the lunge exacerbating previous lower body injuries, it is extremely important that lunges are performed correctly. The ability of the personal trainer to address the critical issues of the lunge when teaching and critiquing will ultimately determine its value.
Conclusion
Lunges are effective lower body exercises that can give maximum benefits if performed using the appropriate technique and under the supervision of a trainer. Various modifications and progressions of the lunges can help a person gain control and strengthen the abdominal as well as lower body musculature.
References:
Jönhagen, S., Ackermann, P. and Saartok, T., 2009. Forward lunge: a training study of eccentric exercises of the lower limbs. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(3), pp.972-978.
Alkjær, T., Simonsen, E.B., Magnusson, S.P., Aagaard, H. and Dyhre-Poulsen, P., 2002. Differences in the movement pattern of a forward lunge in two types of anterior cruciate ligament deficient patients: copers and non-copers. Clinical Biomechanics, 17(8), pp.586-593.
Cook, G., Burton, L. and Hoogenboom, B., 2006. Pre-participation screening: the use of fundamental movements as an assessment of function–part 1. North American journal of sports physical therapy: NAJSPT, 1(2), p.62.
Richardson, C.A., Snijders, C.J., Hides, J.A., Damen, L., Pas, M.S. and Storm, J., 2002. The relation between the transversus abdominis muscles, sacroiliac joint mechanics, and low back pain. Spine, 27(4), pp.399-405.
Jönhagen, S., Halvorsen, K. and Benoit, D.L., 2009. Muscle activation and length changes during two lunge exercises: implications for rehabilitation. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 19(4), pp.561-568.
Author: Dr Pooja Nilgar (Content writer and editor)
