Legs
Lateral Lunges
A lunge that steps out to the side instead of forward. It builds your glutes, quads and inner thighs, and trains your legs to move side to side, which most leg moves skip.
- Works
- Glutes, quads, inner thighs, hamstrings
- Equipment
- One dumbbell held at your chest
- Load
- Medium
How to do it
- 1Stand tall with your feet together, holding one dumbbell upright at your chest with both hands.
- 2Take a big step out to the side and land with your toes pointing forward.
- 3Sit your hips back and bend that knee while your other leg stays straight. Keep the dumbbell close to your chest.
- 4Push hard off that foot to step back to the start. Finish your reps, then switch sides.
Cues
- Hips go back, not just your knee forward.
- Keep both feet flat on the floor.
- Push the floor away to bring yourself back.
Common mistakes
- Stepping too short. A short step turns it into a one leg squat. Step wide enough that your other leg can stay straight.
- Toes turned way out. Point your toes forward or just slightly out so your knee can track over them.
- Rounding your back to get lower. Keep your chest up and only go as low as your hips let you.
Easier
Go without weight, or take a shorter step and don't sit as low.
Harder
Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom before you push back, or go heavier.
Try it: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
What muscles do lateral lunges work?
Your glutes, quads and inner thighs do most of the work, with your hamstrings helping. Because you move side to side, they also train the muscles that keep your hips and knees steady.
