The lunge is a complete lower body strengthening exercise. Add a twist to your lunge and you engage your core. If you hold a weight during the movement, you add upper body strengthening to this exercise. A reverse lunge is a variation on a forward lunge. This new movement challenges your muscles to respond.
Rotated Reverse Lunge
The reverse lunge begins in a standing position with your feet underneath your hips. Place your feet facing forward and parallel to each other. Step your right foot approximately 3 feet behind your left. Bend both knees no deeper than a 90 degree angle to lower into the lunge. Keep your left knee in a vertical line with your left heel. Maintain a straight spine as you lunge backward. Add the torso rotation and bring your right elbow to the outside of your left knee. Reach your left hand toward your right foot. Rotate your torso toward the center and step your right foot forward to start position. Repeat the lunge on your left leg.
Muscles
The reverse lunge strengthens all three areas of your glutes: maximus, medius and minimus. This exercise also improves the fronts, backs and inner areas of your thighs. The muscles in your calves work to maintain stability in your legs. The muscles of your core including your transverse abdominis, the deepest layer of stomach muscles and your obliques, along the sides of your stomach, engage to protect your spine during the rotation.
Tools
Perform the reverse lunge using the weight of your body as you learn the exercise technique. Once you perfect the lunge and your strength improves, add a resistance tool to enhance the exercises strength training benefits. Hold onto a weighted medicine ball between your hands at the level of your chest. Rotate the ball during your lunge. You can produce the same results by holding a dumbbell in between your hands for added resistance.
Static Lunge
Maintain your reverse lunge with a rotation in a stationary position to strengthen your legs and core. Perform a yoga lunge and step your right foot approximately 3 feet behind you. Rest the toes of your right foot onto the floor. Bend your left knee to a 90 degree angle. Place your palms together at the center of your chest. Add the rotation by lowering the outside of your right arm to the outside of your left leg, or the outside of your left arm to the inside of your left leg. Count to 10 as you maintain your breathing. Step your right foot forward and repeat as you step your left leg behind. If you require more stability, lower the heel of the back foot onto the floor so your back foot is perpendicular to your front foot.
Member Comments