Legs
Lateral Lunge to Knee Drive
A side lunge that finishes with your lunging knee driving up as you return to standing. It works your legs and glutes side to side and challenges your balance on every rep, all with no jumping.
- Works
- Glutes, quads, adductors, hip flexors, core
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Load
- Bodyweight
How to do it
- 1Stand tall with your feet together and your hands clasped at your chest.
- 2Take a big step out to the side. Sit your hips back and bend that knee, keeping the other leg straight and both feet pointing forward.
- 3Push off the bent leg to come back to center and, in the same move, drive that knee up toward your chest while you balance on the other leg.
- 4Lower the foot and go straight into the next side lunge. Finish your reps, then switch sides.
Cues
- Sit back like you're reaching for a chair.
- Push off and bring the knee up in one move.
- Stand tall on the standing leg.
Common mistakes
- Knee shooting forward in the lunge. Sit your hips back so your weight is in your heel and your knee stays over your toes.
- Wobbling on the knee drive. Slow down and pause with your knee up until you're steady. Fix your eyes on a spot on the floor ahead.
- Rounding forward. Keep your chest up as you sit back. Hinge from your hips, not your back.
Easier
Take a shorter step to the side, and tap your foot down next to the other one instead of driving the knee up.
Harder
Hold one dumbbell at your chest, or pause with your knee up for 2 seconds on each rep.
Try it: 3 rounds of 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off per side.
What do lateral lunges work?
Mainly your glutes, quads and inner thighs. Moving sideways works your legs in a direction a lot of workouts skip, and the knee drive adds balance and some hip flexor work.
