Sliding Side Lunge

:exercise.about.com

2012/08/14

1119

Of all the variations of lunges out there, and there are a lot of them (lucky you), these sliding side lunges are one of my favorites, particularly for people who have knees that hate lunges even more than they do.

In this variation, the knee is more protected with one leg bearing most of the weight and the other staying straight throughout the exercise. The standing leg gets the most work, building strength and endurance in the glutes and hamstrings, while the sliding leg gets a bit more inner thigh.

The key to this move is to, first, keep your weight on the standing leg. Otherwise, you could end up doing the splits which, for most of us, would require a call to 911. Second, keep the weight in your heel and send the hips back to avoid too much pressure on the knee. Pressing into the plate as you slide the leg in and out will add even more intensity to the move.

Do it right: Stand with the left foot on a paper plate, towel or Gliding Disc. Bend the right knee, sitting back into the heel as you slide the left foot out to the side. Keep pressure on the plate to add resistance and keep the right knee behind the toe. Press into the plate to contract the inner thigh and slide the left foot back. You can also hold weights for even more intensity. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps and then switch legs.

What about you? Do you have a favorite lunge variation? If your knees bother you during lunges, how do you work around that? Leave a comment and tell us about your favorite lunge.