Side to Side Lunge with Medicine Ball

The side to side lunge is a great way to warm up and strengthen the glutes, hips and thighs. Adding a medicine ball makes the exercise more intense and forces you to engage the core to keep the body in proper alignment.

1. Stand with feet wide, toes out at about a 45-degree angle and hold the medicine ball or weight at chest level.
2. Lunge to the right, bending the knee and taking care to keep the knee behind the toe. Touch the ball to the floor while keeping the abs engaged and the back flat (don't round the shoulders).
3. Stand up, bringing the weight to the chest.
4. Repeat the lunge on the left side.
5. Do 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps. One rep is a lunge to the right and left.

Tips:

• Keep your knee in line with your toe as you lunge. If the knee angles in or out, adjust the angle of your toes.
• Press through the heel of you foot as you push up from the lunge to engage your glutes.
• Avoid letting the knee bend over the toe by sitting back into the heel.

Turning Lunge

If you want a dynamic and functional lunge, this turning lunge is a great choice. In this move, you pivot around and lunge diagonally behind you, taking the weights towards the floor and engaging the glutes, quads and even the core. You may even feel your heart rate rising with this move. Just make sure you pivot on the foot as you turn to avoid tweaking the knee.

1. Begin the move facing forward, holding weights in each hand, if desired.
2. Turn to the left at a diagonal, pivoting on the right foot while stepping forward with the left foot into a lunge, taking the weights towards the floor. Make sure your abs are engaged to protect the back.
3. Keep the right leg straight as you lunge and keep the front knee behind the toe.
4. Push back up, turning so that you face forward again.
5. Do the same move to the right, this time lunging forward with the right foot and keeping the left leg straight.
6. Push back to start and repeat, alternating sides, for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.

Around the World Lunges

Another way to add challenge and intensity to lunges is with the around the world lunge. With this exercise you're combining a front lunge, a side squat (or a side lunge if you prefer) and a reverse lunge, which will hit every muscle in the hips, glutes and thighs. The key is to keep this move slow and controlled and try to use the strength of your legs rather than momentum as you move from one exercise to the next. You can also hold weights for added intensity.

1. Step forward with the left foot and lower into a lunge, keeping the front knee behind the toe. Lower until the back knee comes close to the floor.
2. Push into the heel to step back and immediately step out to the left and into a squat.
3. Press back to start and take the left leg back into a reverse lunge, again keeping the front knee behind the toe.
4. Bring the left leg back to start and repeat for 8-16 reps before switching sides.

Lunge Sweep with a Kettlebell

The lunge sweep with a kettlebell is a great whole body exercise. The lunges target the muscles of the hips, glutes and thighs while the kettlebell swing challenges the arms and core as well as balance, coordination and stability. This advanced move isn't easy, so start with no weight or hold a light medicine ball in both hands the first time around. Watch the floor as you pivot - if you have carpeting, you may need to walk the feet around to shift from side to side.

1. Begin with feet wider than the hips and hold a kettlebell or weight in the right hand.
2. Pivot and turn the body to the right so that you're in a split stance and lower into a lunge. Keep the front knee behind the toe.
3. As you push back up, swing the weight up and over the head as you pivot back to the front.
4. Switch the kettlebell to the left hand as you pivot to the left, lowering into a lunge and taking the weight down to the floor.
5. Continue alternating sides while swinging the weight up and over for 1-3 sets of 8-10 reps (1 rep includes lunging to the right and left).
6. If you're advanced, you can toss the weight to the other hand at the top of the motion. If you're a beginner, you can keep the weight at chest level rather than swinging it overhead.

If you don't have a Kettlebell, then use a hand weight.

Side Lunge

Side lunges are a great way to vary your lunges and put more emphasis on the inner thighs along with the glutes, quads and hips. Side lunges also help you work on balance and stability and are perfect for building strength for sports that involve lateral movement like tennis, racquetball or handball.

1. Step out to the right, keeping the left leg straight and both feet pointing forward.
2. As your right foot hits the ground, bend at the hips and push your glutes back as you shift all the weight to your right leg.
3. Lunge down until the shin is vertical to the floor and the right knee is in line with your toes, both heels flat.
4. Push into the heel back to starting position and repeat on the other side for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.

Form Pointers

Avoid stepping too far out, which can compromise your form and cause you to twist the knee inward. You should step far enough that the shin is straight and the knee is in line with the toes.