Four-way lunges

Lunges are a powerhouse compound exercise that activates several of the muscles in your lower body and core at once. They are a fun way to push yourself to enhance your strength and balance, taking your leg-day workouts to new heights. The lunge exercise, for example, primarily activates the hip and knee extensor muscles of the front leg and, in track starts, causes the biggest impulse.

What are four-way lunges?

A four-way lunge is a multi-directional exercise that involves lunging in four directions—forward, backwards, side, and to the other side—from a stationary position. It’s a full-body exercise that improves lower-body strength, balance, and core stability by engaging different muscle groups in each movement. This variation of the lunge is beneficial for athletic movements that require control in various planes of motion.

How to do a four-way lunge

1. Starting position: Stand with your feet together or in a split stance.
2. Forward lunge: Step forward with one leg and bend both knees to lower your hips, keeping your front knee aligned over your ankle so that bodyweight is distributed on both legs. When lunging forward, the knee should not extend beyond the toe of that leg. Use the forward leg to push off and return to the starting position.
3. Reverse lunge: Step backward with the same leg and lower your hips into a lunge, ensuring your back knee moves towards the floor.
4. Side lunge: Step to the side with your front leg and bend the knee, keeping the other leg straight.
5. Return to centre: Step back to your starting position, or a split stance, to prepare for the next lunge.
6. Repeat: Complete all four lunges on one side before switching to the other side.