Shaped By Faith – Progressions of Lunges

Did you know that you can work on your lower body anywhere, anytime! Ask my guest Maria Kelly owner of Nona’s Downtown market just how easy it is to exercise, even at the market☺  This low-intensity exercise focuses on your quads, hamstrings, calves, hips, and glutes, but is also beneficial for your lower back, abs, and great for balance.

Standing Lunges (Maria Kelly demonstrates this lunge by holding on to the counter)

Begin by standing in a split stance, holding onto your chair, counter, desk if needed for balance. Remember to keep your back straight and your abdominals pulled in. Inhale and lower down toward the floor, keeping both knees at a 90-degree angle. Do not allow the front knee to extend over your toe. Exhale as you push through your back heel and contract your glutes and push up without locking your knees. Repeat this exercise on this leg for 8–12 repetitions and then switch legs. Repeat both legs for 2–3 sets.

Moving Front Lunges (Melissa Deeg owner of Creative R U at Nona’s demonstrates a forward moving lunge, even while wearing nice flip flops☺)

One way to add variation and intensity to a traditional lunge is to try a front lunge. By lunging forward, you're challenging your front hips, glutes and quads to stop momentum against gravity. Stepping back challenges your balance.

Begin with feet about hip-distance apart and step forward with the left leg into a lunge. Make sure the knee doesn't go over the toes (although it may go slightly over the ankle).

Concentrate on landing with the knee bent and the weight in the heel.

Push into the front heel to bring the left foot back. Touch the floor if you need to and then lift the left knee up to hip level.

Stability Ball Lunge, Yikes! So Challenging to the Core! (Shauna-Dever Jones, owner of Wheatgrass Juice Bar at the Market, did a beautiful job of demonstrating this Challenging Lunge off the Ball!) Doesn’t Shauna demonstrate this exercise like a Pro! WOW!

Progression: Lunge on the Ball

Place one foot on top of a ball positioned behind you. Place your hands on hips or Hold weights  in each hand at your side. Inhale and bend your knees and lower into a lunge position, keeping your spine tall and your abdominals contracted. Be sure to keep your knee behind your toes. Exhale and push through your front heel and slowly lift up to the starting position. Repeat this on each leg for 1–3 sets of 12–16 repetitions. This exercise is very advanced; if you do not feel comfortable with it, hold on to the wall for balance.

For more Shaped by Faith exercises you can do anywhere, anytime check out www.shapedbyfaith.com 

Check out the video demonstration!