Lunge

Exercise Information

Exercise Name:	Lunge
Resistance Band Type:	A resistance band with handles
Equipment Required:
Body Parts Exercised:	Legs and gluteals

Exercise Procedure

Exercise Start Position

1. Start with one foot forward with the leg on that side bent at approximately a right-angle. The back knee will be on the floor with the toes of that leg tucked.
2. Place the mid-point of the resistance band under the front foot and hold the handles with your hands in front of your shoulders and the resistance band travelling behind your arms.
3. Your body should be close to vertical – a slight bend forward is good whilst maintaining the natural arch in your lower back.
4. In this lowered position, your front knee should be in line with your foot.

Exercise End Position

1. The front leg will be reasonably straight (maintain a slight bend) with the majority of your weight on this front leg.
2. The back leg will be relatively straight and extended behind.
3. Your body should lean forward slightly maintaining the natural arch in your lower back.

Action

1. Push up with your front leg until it is close to straight whilst maintaining the majority of your weight in this front leg. Your back leg will also straighten (without much weight).
2. Return to the starting position, lowering your knee to a position close to the floor without the knee touching the floor and then, repeat.
3. Once you have completed your set on one side, repeat on the other side.

Modification Options

1. Vary the strength or length of the resistance band to increase/ decrease the difficulty of the exercise.
2. Keeping your front leg bent at the extended position maintains the weight on this leg increasing the intensity.

Technique Tips

• Maintain the natural curvature of your lower back.
• Maintain tracking of your front knee in line with your front foot.
• Maintain your head in line with your body.
• The majority of your weight should remain on the front foot.
• Breathe in as you bend the front leg and breathe out as you straighten your front leg.
• Perform the exercise slowly, especially on the way down. Aim for 4-5 seconds per repetition.
• To change the difficulty of the exercise, use a weaker or stronger resistance band.

Exercise Prescription

1-3 sets of up to 15 repetitions. Note that if you can do more than 15 repetitions of a particular exercise, you should increase the difficulty of that exercise. If you are performing multiple sets, you may do 2-3 sets of the one exercise before moving on to the next exercise or cycle through your whole program 2-3 times.

Up to 60 seconds rest between sets. The duration of rest will be dependent upon the intensity of the exercise for you.

Lunge Demonstration Video