Lunges

This week's tip is more of an opinion rather than scientific fact. I noticed over the years with my clients and during classes, a lot of complaints with the knees when doing forward lunges (stepping forward). Some found that the pain in the knees when on the way back to the starting position from the lunge to standing. Your body weight is not under your knee (like it would be for a squat when you push off) so I find there is more pressure on the joint.

They find stepping back in to the lunges (reverse lunge) much easier (harder to balance at first for some) Plus the push of the knee now has your body weight directly above (almost like a one legged squat). When you take a step back to lunge, it is ok to have a slightly forward lean and your knee above your toes.

In short, the take home message is step back into a reverse lunge rather than do forward lunge... unless you are doing walking lunges! Walking lunges/Farmer walks are great and, because you are moving forward, the lunge to standing movement is very similar to that of a reverse lunge.