Exercise #4

The Walking Lunge

 

This one is a little tricky, and you might have to work up to the full Walking part of the Lunge.

 

While you’re at the kitchen counter cutting up your veggies, take a minute and turn your right side to the counter top, and stand with your feet together, so you can take a step forward without anything getting in your way in front of you.

Hold on to the countertop with your right hand, and place your left hand on your left hip.

Take a relatively big step forward with your right foot; not so big that you do the splits or anything extreme, but a step bigger than your normal walking stride.

Stop and hold this position for a few seconds; keep holding on to the counter top for balance if you need to.

Be sure your right knee on your extended leg is bent but not sticking out beyond the front of your toe.

Now, try to drop your left knee down toward the floor.  Keep your right knee behind your toe on your right foot!

Now, straighten your left leg and stand up bringing your left foot forward to meet up with your right foot.

 

Ok, that’s 1 lunge.

 

Turn around, and then repeat the sequence with the other leg.

Like I said, hang on to the counter top while you start out with this one. It’s a tough one. Be sure to engage the abs (it’s all about the abs), and tighten your glutes, too.

 

If you can, do 10 lunges on each side.

 

If you’re really ambitious you can do them one after the other, alternating right leg, then left leg, so you are “walking”. This takes a lot of balance, but once you build up your strength and balance, try doing your Walking Lunges down the hallway.

It helps to be near a wall at first, in case you lose your balance, you can always reach out to the wall for stability.  But, once you’ve got your strength and balance, you’ll be lunging all over the house.

 

Now, the neighbors might think you look a little weird, but who cares?!!