Hi!
Today, let’s make lunges a little less easy to hate.
We’re going to go over 2 commonly overlooked issues that affect your lunges and the results you get from them.
*For further instruction, check out my in-depth video that you can access with a free 15-day trial. You know the drill--cancel anytime.
Okay, so 1st item:
dexterity of your back foot
There are numerous factors related to this all-powerful foot that can dictate the strength of your lunge.
Consider:
(1) placement of this foot and the length of your step relative to the stationary leg
(2) position of foot once on ground (e.g. straight/good contact, angled/half contact, barely hanging on for dear life)
(3) foot/toe mobility in general—are these just limp things attached to your legs?
We want that back foot to be a source of your stability and the mechanism by which you best control the descending portion of your lunge. A lot can be said for training your feet, increasing dexterity, etc., but these will facilitate better setup.
Tips:
1) Dorsiflex ankle (bring toes towards shin) as you move foot towards ground. This way, you should more easily land on your toes and balls of your feet—rather than landing flat-footed and immediately losing balance.
2) Get solid in positioning before proceeding with the rep. so, one, place back foot and feel solid and centered then two, continue your lunge.
2nd item:
quads do all the work, glutes are MIA
There could be multiple things going on here but for purposes of this, let’s assume we have a breakdown in the front foot/ankle complex that is causing inward movement of our knee.
Tips:
1) front foot stability-->Create tripod foot (strong arch, big and pinky toe gripping the ground) *Now, hip should be less internally rotated and knee able to track over 2nd and 3rd toes—more glutes, less inner thighs & hamstrings
2) JUST squeeze those glutes before you drive back up!! Same as with your squat. Talk to em!
Give these a try and let me know if you see the light.
Thanks,
Lindsey