How to Perform a Side Lunge
Improve Balance and Strengthen your Core by Perfecting Side Lunge.
Like any other lunge, this one-leg-at-a-time exercise strengthens the glute and quadriceps muscles. Find out how to add this lateral variant to also strengthen the inner and outer thigh.
Side lunge are an uncommon exercise, but this variation is incredibly effective at engaging muscles that you are not used to working: inner and outer thighs and hips. Follow the advice of Flor Beckmann, SAHIL FITNESS Trainer, to integrate side lunges into your routine.
How to Perform a Side Lunges?
Bodyweight side lunge are a great exercise for the legs, especially the quadriceps and glutes. The type of movement also stresses many other muscles that take on the role of stabilizers, since the dynamics of the exercise involves performing a lateral step creating an imbalance of the whole body. To give stability to the body, you can keep your arms outstretched.
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1. Starting Position
The starting position is standing with your hands on your hips. The head is straight, the gaze forward and the shoulder blades are adducted, that is, close together. The back is contracted with its natural curvature.
2. Execution
A wide lateral step is performed making sure that the knee does not go beyond the tip of the foot until the thigh is parallel to the ground. The other leg is fully extended, while the foot remains firm in place with the heel firmly planted on the ground. By leaning on the leg, the chest leans forward, then stretch the arms forward to improve the stability of the body.
Hold the position for a few moments, then return to the starting position by straightening the bent leg and repeat the movement for the opposite leg. Instead of alternating legs, you can do one set per side. During the movement it is necessary to feel the stretching on the hamstrings, furthermore the torso remains straight and the gaze is forward.
3. Perfect side lunge and variations
- Push on the foot of the bent leg to return to the starting position. This is a repeat.
- Switch legs and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
- In the outward phase you inhale, in returning to the initial position you exhale.
- Like the front lunge, this one-leg exercise uses the glute, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves muscles, as well as the inner thigh muscles (adductors and abductors).
Why And How to Do a Side Lunge?
Side lunge allow you to working out in a different plane. This improves hip mobility, flexibility and stability, as well as your overall sports performance.
Side lunges may be a better alternative than other lunge variations, because they don’t put too much pressure on the joints.
You will develop the muscles around the knees, strengthen the joints, stretch the hamstrings, which tend to be tense, and work the glutes and quadriceps in different angles, as you will move to the side and not backwards.
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When to Perform the Side Lunge Exercise?
The tip for beginners is to start by learning the correct execution (more details below). Better to start with 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg. The goal is to perform quality repetitions, i.e. slow movements while maintaining control, without load.
Those starting at a more advanced level, however, must make sure that they are doing the exercise correctly before adding weight, increasing the number of reps and sets, or adding variations to increase the intensity of work.
You can add side lunge to any workout you do at home or on the go. Try adding weights to maximize strength training, or integrate side lunge with step or jump into a HIIT circuit to increase heart rate.
Whatever your level of training, always take a few minutes to range of motion for the hips and muscle activation for the glutes before performing lunge to prepare the muscles and range of motion.
Perfect Side Lunges and Variations
“Try adding weights to maximize strength training or integrate side lunge with step or jump into a HIIT circuit to increase heart rate.”
How to Make Exercise Easier?
Do it slowly and reduce your range of motion. Or reduce the number of repetitions until you reach a good level of balance and strength.
How to Make the Exercise more Difficult?
Variation 1: Side Lunge with Barbell
Adjust the squat stand to the desired height, then load the bar. Position yourself under the bar so that it is balanced on your upper back and lower yourself into a mini squat position while grasping the prone grip bar.
Contract your core and push on your feet to lift the bar off the support, then take a couple of steps back.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and contract your abs as you step to the side, shifting your weight onto this leg.
Bend your knee, push your hips back and lower yourself into a squat position, extending the opposite leg well and keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground and the toes pointing forward.
Lean forward slightly at your hips, but keep your torso erect, your chest open and the natural arch of your lower back.
Push on the foot of the bent leg to return to the starting position. This is a repeat.
Switch sides and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Variation 2: Side Lunge with Handlebar
Position yourself with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Hold a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing each other.
Contract your abs and step to the side, shifting your weight onto this leg. Bend your knee, push your hips back and lower yourself into a squat position, extending the opposite leg well and keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground and the toes pointing forward.
Hands with dumbbells should frame the foot of the bent leg and be just off the ground.
Lean forward slightly at your hips, but keep your torso erect, your chest open and the natural arch of your lower back.
Push on the foot of the bent leg to return to the starting position. This is a repeat.
Switch sides and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Variation 3: Modification
Refine the execution of the side lunges, then add variations until the intensity increases. Variations with weights include having a barbell on the trapezes, dumbbells in both hands, a kettlebell or dumbbell in the goblet squat position, i.e. on the chest, or a medicine ball on the chest.
To make this exercise more complex, push the medicine ball forward as you perform the side lunge. If you don’t have weights at home, you can take a break at the base of each lunge for an even more challenging challenge.
Benefits of Performing Side Lunge Exercise
1: Side Lunges Exercise Weight Loss
Lunges work large muscle groups in the lower body, which builds lean muscle and reduces body fat. This can increase your resting metabolism, which allows you to burn more calories and reduce excess weight.
If you are looking to lose weight, push yourself to your outer limits by including lunges in a high intensity circuit training routine using heavy weights.
2: Balance and Stability
Lunges are a one-sided lower body exercise as you work independently on each side of the body. Single-leg movements activate the stabilizer muscles to develop balance, coordination and stability.
Working one leg at a time makes the body less stable, forcing the spine and core to work harder to stay balanced.
3: Alignment and Symmetry
Lunges are better than bilateral rehabilitation exercises as they can correct imbalances and misalignments in your body to make it more symmetrical.
If you have a less strong or flexible side, spend some extra time working on this side so you don’t overcompensate or abuse the dominant side.
4: Stand Taller
Lunges strengthen the back and core muscles without excessive stress or strain on the spine. A strong and stable core reduces the chances of injury and improves posture by facilitating joint movements.
