Side lunge
A side lunge is a wide step out to the side, sitting your hips back over that leg while the other leg stays straight, then pushing back to the middle. It works the quads, glutes and inner thighs, and stretches the inner thigh of the straight leg.
- Group
- Legs
- Equipment
- None
- A first set
- 12 reps
How to do it
Start position
Stand tall with your feet together and flat, hands clasped in front of your chest.
One rep
- Take a wide step out to one side and sit your hips back, bending that knee while the other leg stays straight.
- Push off the bent leg to step back to feet together.
- Do the next rep to the other side.
Tempo
About 2.8 seconds per rep, at a controlled pace. A set of 12 takes around 34 seconds.
Form cues
- Your bent knee points the same way as its foot.
- The straight leg's foot stays flat on the floor.
- Keep your chest up and your back flat.
Common mistakes
- Bending both kneesLock the trailing leg straight and let only the stepping leg bend.
- The straight leg's foot rolling upStep a little less wide until you can keep that whole foot down.
- Knee falling inwardSit back into your hip, with the knee over the middle of the foot.
- Drifting across the roomPush all the way back to the centre before you switch sides.