Lunges

3 × 10-12 c/u  ·  Equipment: No equipment

Muscle groups: Legs & glutes

How to do lunges

1. Stand tall with your hands on your hips and look straight ahead.
2. Take a long step forward with one leg and lower your body by bending both knees.
3. Lower until your back knee is near the floor and your front thigh is parallel.
4. Keep your torso upright and your front knee aligned with your foot, never past it.
5. Push through your front leg to return to the starting position.
6. Alternate legs and repeat the movement with control and balance.

Mistakes to avoid

• Don't let your front knee travel past your toes or cave inward.
• Don't lean your torso forward; keep it upright to protect your back.
• Don't take steps that are too short, as they stress the knee; take a long, solid step.
• Stop if you feel knee pain or a loss of balance you can't control.

Progression

• Start with 3 sets of 10 lunges per leg and add 1-2 reps each week.
• Once your technique is solid, hold dumbbells to increase the load.
• Increase time under tension by lowering slowly for 3 seconds per rep.
• Progress to walking lunges, reverse lunges or jump lunges when reps feel easy.