Another Lunge Modification

Another Lunge Modification

When performing the Body Weight Lunge, you must maintain a vertical spine.  Do not allow your back to flex forward toward the lead leg or laterally to either side.  

The trailing knee moves directly toward the ground, without allowing the knee cap to touch the ground.  This will prevent patella-femoral compression.  The lead knee remains in line with the center of the lead foot, not allowing the arch of the foot to drop (avoid being flat-footed).  Basically, avoid any "down and in" motion of the lead knee.  To return to upright, push through the front heel (not the toes!), until you are upright with both knees extended and gluteals contracted (clench your butt).

A common modification of the lunge is an Elevated Lunge, where the trailing foot is elevated either on a plyo-box, chair or suspension trainer.  This forces the lead leg to work harder, provides a more aggressive stretch to the trailing thigh, and more aggressively challenges ankle stability of the front foot.  You must maintain the same technique as mentioned above in regards to posture and leg position.

In yet another modification, instead of elevating the trailing leg on a chair, box or suspension trainer, place your trailing foot flat against the wall behind you with approximately 90 degrees of knee flexion.  

Notice the trailing leg has approximately 90-degrees knee flexion and is flat on the wall.  You must push into the wall through the heel, not the toes and your lead knee should not cross in front of the toes

As you move into a vertical lunge, maintain the same form as with the Standard Lunge.  Do not allow your trunk to shift forward or laterally, and do not allow the lead knee to move "down and in."  At the same time, maintain a "push" of the trailing foot into the wall through the heel.  Try to keep the amount of push into the wall constant throughout both phases of the repetition (concentric/eccentric). This creates an isometric hip extension contraction of the rear leg throughout the entire repetition, while the front leg works to lower and raise your body.  As a result, you are working the gluteals on both sides more aggressively than in the previous two lunge techniques.   Try it out and let me know what you think.  Start with just body weight.  Then try it with a kettlebell racked on either side.