CORE (LP) HANDBOOK
LUNGES

BACK LUNGE

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SPRINGS: 1W // 1Y

SET-UP: 

  • Stand in the well, grab the high bars, and hook your secondary toe behind your back carriage strap

  • Hop your primary foot over the back platform to the floor and square hips towards the back wall

  • Bring hands to hips or prayer

  • Bring chest upright

    • Maven: shorter clients may need to slightly hinge

MOVEMENT:

  • Bend your front leg for 1, keep your back leg long for 2, bend your front leg for 3, bend your front leg for 4

  • Press into both feet as you lengthen your primary leg for 1, drag your back leg up and in for 2, lengthen your primary leg for 3, drag your back leg up and in for 4

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

  • Look for feet being too close together -> make sure feet are hip width distance apart (about 4 inches)

  • Watch for hip of back leg to sink -> lift the back heel high and squeeze through heels as you stand to stabilize glutes and core

  • Look at knees turning inward -> push thighs slightly out help contract and create stability in outer glutes

  • Exhale as you stand to engage the low abdomen as well as the glutes

  • Maven: shorter clients may need to slightly hinge

TIME: At least 2 minute

ACTION: Pulling against the tension

MUSCLES WORKED

  • Primary Movers:

    • glute max (hip extension on the back leg and drives upward motion)

    • quads (front leg)

    • hamstrings (resist carriage in)

    • hip flexors

  • Assisting Muscles: Adductors, Calves, Glute med/min, Core (Transverse Abdominis, Obliques, Rectus abdominis - maintain upright torso and pelvis control)

  • Stabilizers: Pelvic floor (neutral pelvis), Multifidus & QLs (spinal stability),

  • Relaxed Muscles: upper body

VARIATIONS:

  • Carriage Kick (will need to hinge spine and flick tailbone to clear front platform with back knee)

  • Twist Spine towards primary leg

  • Straight Leg Hold

    • Leaning Long Jump Arms

    • Arms Behind Head

    • Arms Out By Ears

    • Weights in Arms with any arm variation

  • Hinge Spine up and down

  • Straight Leg Pulses

  • Split Squat Pulses

  • Combos

  • Crossover

  • Lunge & Hinge // Stand & Lift Chest Upright (Deadlift motion)

MODIFICATIONS

  • Bring hands to back high bars

  • Walk foot closer to the front of carriage

  • Limit range of motion (not going quite as low)

  • Soften back knee if quads/hips/low back feel tension

  • Slightly hinge spine as needed

ADVANCEMENTS

  • Bring hands to prayer/chest

  • Walk foot further back on carriage

  • Straighten back leg to create more flexibility

  • Keep chest directly upright

  • Adding additional yellow/white spring

PREGNANCY MODIFICATIONS

  • Front Lunge at the front with 2w // 2Y