Making the Cut (41 page)

Performance Description:
Lift your right leg, leading with your heel, and step forward in an elongated stride. As your foot touches the floor, bend both knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left thigh is perpendicular to it. Your left heel will be off the floor. Exhale and press off the ball of your right foot, stepping back into the starting position. Repeat.

Tips:
Make sure your front knee never travels past your toes. Keep your eyes focused forward—if you look down, you might lose balance. Keep your spine straight through the entire movement, with your shoulders always positioned squarely over your hips.

[variations]

Crossover Lunge

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart. Step your right foot diagonally forward and across the left foot. If you were standing in the middle of a clock facing the number 12, you would bring your right foot across the body and place it on the 11. Slowly lower your left knee until the right leg is parallel to the floor. Then using the right leg, exhale and push yourself back into starting position. Repeat the same motion with the left leg, this time bringing your left leg forward and placing it on the 1 of the imaginary clock. This type of modified Lunge focuses on the
sides
of your glutes.

Crossover Lunge with Hammer Curl
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Holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing inward toward the sides of your body, exhale and, keeping your elbows locked firmly against your rib cage, curl both arms three-quarters of the way up toward your shoulders while lowering yourself into Crossover Lunge position. Hold for a beat, then slowly lower your arms to the starting position as you raise up from Crossover Lunge position. Repeat on opposite leg.

Basic Lunge with Military Shoulder Press

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart, your weight on your heels. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your ears, with your elbows bent to a 90-degree angle. Pull your abs in, and stand with your shoulders squarely over your hips. Lift your right leg, leading with your heel, and step forward in an elongated stride. As your foot touches the floor, bend both knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left thigh is perpendicular to it, while simultaneously pressing the weight up over your head in a military press. Your left heel should be off the floor. Exhale, and press off the ball of your front foot, lowering the weights and stepping back into the starting position. Repeat on alternating legs. Muscles targeted are quads, glutes, shoulders.

Jumping Lunge

Start by dropping down into a Lunge position with your right leg forward and your left leg back. Exhale and jump upward, launching both legs off the floor so you can switch them in midair. You should land with your left foot forward and right leg back. Drop back down into a lunge, and repeat. This modification is for advanced athletes only. Its purpose is to develop explosive power and core strength.

Pendulum Lunge

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart. Take a big step back with your left leg, bending your right knee so your right thigh is parallel to the floor (keeping your right knee behind your toes) and your left thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Exhale, and pressing with your right foot, swing your left leg back up and in front of you into a forward lunge, so your left thigh is parallel to the floor and your right thigh is perpendicular. Continue for a full left-leg set, then switch legs and repeat. This dynamic move gives you excellent quad definition and chiseled glutes, plus the required balancing helps develop your core strength.

Pendulum Lunge with Hammer Curl

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing inward. Take a big step back with your left leg, bending your right knee so your right thigh is parallel to the floor (keeping your right knee behind your toes) and your left thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Exhale, and pressing with your right foot, swing your left leg back up and in front of you into a forward lunge, so your left thigh is parallel to the floor and your right thigh is perpendicular to it. When you hit the midpoint of the swing, perform a Hammer Curl while your body is upright and straight. When you are lowering your body into the lunge, the dumbbells should be lowering with it. Continue for a full left-leg set, then switch legs and repeat. Muscles targeted are glutes, hamstrings, core, biceps.

Side Lunge

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart. Step your right leg out to the side about a stride’s length, keeping it in line with your left foot. Lean onto your right leg, bending at the hip, until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Then, using the right leg, exhale and push yourself back into the starting position. Repeat on the other leg. This version of the lunge focuses on the sides of your glutes as well as your outer quads.

Side Lunge with Anterior Shoulder Raise

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart, arms at your sides, and a dumbbell in each hand. Step your right leg out to the side about a stride’s length, keeping it parallel to your left foot. Lean onto your right leg, bending at the hip, until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. As you are lowering your body into the lunge, simultaneously raise the dumbbells up in front of your body to eye level with palms facing down. Then, using the right leg, exhale and push yourself back into the starting position. Repeat with the left leg. You can perform using a Bosu ball (as pictured) for added challenge. Muscles targeted are glutes, quads, shoulders.

Static Lunge with Lateral Shoulder Raise

Place your right leg a stride’s length in front of the left, arms by your sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms turned toward your body. Bend both knees, and lower your body so that your left knee is a few inches from the floor and the right leg is parallel to it. As you are lowering your body, simultaneously exhale and lift the weights out and up to the side until they are parallel to the ground, palms facing down. Hold for a beat. Inhale, and slowly lower your arms back to the starting position. Complete a full set, then switch legs and repeat. Muscles targeted are glutes, hamstrings, quads, shoulders.