16 Jan The Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge… is almost *never* performed correctly.

Here are the main mistakes people make:

1. They lean on their back leg.
2. They keep their torso upright.

It’s actual pretty simple to understand and grasp proper form on a reverse lunge:

It should look EXACTLY like a single leg squat. The only difference is your gently resting your opposite foot on the ground for balance.

That means all your weight should stay on your front leg.

That means your front knee should move forward, staying in front of your and behind your toes.

That means you should be bending at both your knees AND your hips.

That hip movement, and hence glute engagement, is what most people miss.

It looks quite pretty to keep your torso perfectly upright with your head high.

The only problem is that it’s wrong, it’s terrible for your joints, and it leaves your glutes completely out of the equation.

Trust me, EVERYONE needs some more glute engagement in their lives.

This is an exercise for which you should *definitely* watch the full tutorial video prior to your first attempt.

With that said, let’s dive in.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width and your hands by your sides. Lift your right foot off the floor slightly, so that you’re balancing on your left leg.

Step 1: Initiate a single leg squat on your left leg. Your knees AND hips should bend. Your torso should lean forward (without moving in the spine itself).

Step 2: As you lower into your lunge, gently rest the toes of your right foot on the ground behind you for balance. Keep as much weight as possible on your front leg.

Step 3: Pause when your right knee is right above the floor.

Step 4: Push through your left heel to engage your left glute, and fully extend your knees and hips to bring you back to the starting position.

Repeat on the other side, alternating with each rep.

Note: If you have pain or the exercise is too hard — don’t bend as far down. Try going halfway down, and adjust as appropriate.

That’s all for today, my friend.

Stay busy. Stay fit.

-Coach Dani

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