Lateral Step Out Squat

Your strength training program should include upper body, lower body and core exercises in all three planes of motion -- forward and back, side to side and rotating, also called sagittal, frontal and transverse. Lateral step out squats are a lower body and core exercise that moves sideways, in the frontal plane. They are also called lateral lunges or side lunges.

Directions

Start with your feet together. Take a large step out to your right with your right leg, keeping your toes and knees pointing straight forward. Shift your weight into the right leg and bend it like you are performing a squat. Keep your left leg as straight as you can, comfortably, and keep both feet flat on the ground. Sit your hips back and descend as low as you can. Keep your back straight and stick your butt out. Stand up slowly and use your right leg to propel you back toward your left leg, ending with feet together. Repeat on the other leg. The movement should blend seamlessly as you become more comfortable with the exercise -- with no lag between the landing of your right leg and your descent into the squat.

Benefits

You have to absorb force as you step sideways and descend into the squat, and produce force as you come up from the squat and push yourself back to the starting position. Force production and force absorption are crucial for multiple activities, both for sport performance and activities of daily life. Lateral step out squats also strengthen your joint stabilizers differently than forward, backward or rotating exercises. The sideways motion places more force on the lateral stabilizers of your ankle, hip and knee, strengthening them and preventing future injury. Your lateral stabilizers include the lateral and medial collateral ligaments of the knee.

Prescription

Exercises that require you to produce and absorb force have a higher risk of injury than stationary exercises because more stress is placed on your joints. You should only perform lateral step out squats if you have participated in a resistance training program for six weeks or more and are free of pain and injury to your lower extremities. You should also demonstrate correct technique during more basic exercises like the squat, sideways walking squat and lateral stationary squat. New exercises are best learned under the supervision of an exercise professional.

Progressions

Progress the lateral step out squat by adding resistance, such as a barbell, dumbbell or kettlebell. Hold the weight straight down at your sides, resting on your back or held up in front of your body. You can also increase the difficulty of the exercise without weights -- push off the ground as fast and hard as you can when returning to your starting position. Challenge your frontal plane muscles even more by attaching your moving leg to a cable column or wrapping a band around your torso, resisting your step to the side.