Trainer Tips
STORY AND PHOTOS BY TYLER MURPHY
Learning the LUNGE DON’TS: DON’T Allow your forward knee to extend beyond your toes; it will put too much stress on the joint. DON’T Tilt your head down. Once you get the hang of it, keep your chin up and your head and back aligned. DON’T Let your hips start to sway and become uneven. Keeping your upper core slightly tense and in place is an important part of the exercise; it helps focus the workout on your legs.
WANT TO LEARN MORE? Check out Lori’s video on the lunge and more, online at youtube.com/ TimesUnionMagazines.
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Lunge
Lori Whelan
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TO START THE LUNGE, find an area with ample room. The space in front of you should be at least equal to your height. To begin, stand straight, arms down, head facing forward, with your feet hip-width apart. Relax your shoulders and keep the chin up.
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STEP FORWARD WITH ONE LEG, lowering the hips but keeping them even. The forward foot should land with the knee directly above it, forming a right angle with the leg. Don’t overextend your foot ahead of the knee or bend the joint past the ankle. Your back foot rolls forward onto the toes. The back knee should end up below your hips pointing at the ground with the calf parallel to the floor, forming another right angle.
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PUSH OFF THE FORWARD LEG using the heel and pull back to the starting position. Keep your posture straight and try not to let your hips sway. Alternate legs and repeat the exercise.
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STRIVE TO COMPLETE THREE SETS with 20 alternating lunges for each. Remember to always engage your core — the shoulders should be back and the chest slightly puffed-out with the torso staying perpendicular to the ground. Lori Whelan is a certified personal fitness and Pilates trainer. She’s owner and head instructor at FIT ENERGY in Clifton Park, where she teaches several fitness classes and schedules one-onone training sessions. One of her most popular programs is Lean and Mean, an eight-week fitness challenge.
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