Still on Stage 1 and at the gym today, I realized I might be doing these godforsaken things wrong. Maybe. Have I been doing split-leg squats when I thought I was doing lunges? I looked in the FAQ and didn't it addressed. What I have been doing is:
1. Take a big step
2. Weight is mostly on back leg
3. Keeping torso straight, lower body using legs so that back knee goes towards floor, forward knee bends but doesn't go past toes
4. Go up and down 8 times
5. Switch which legs are in front/back and go up and down 8 times
6 End Set 1.
I was in the middle of my last set and suddenly remembered a post about how the lunges were supposed to be good for hips and glutes, and I realized as I was lunging, wow, my hips and glutes don't seem to have anything to do with it, it's all my knees and quads. Granted I have some weak knee issues so maybe I'm just feeling it more there because it's not up to speed. Then I remembered there's split-leg squats and had the sneaking suspicion that's what I've been doing all along.
Thank you once again, MissJane! thankyouthankyouthankyou! That link was soooooooooo helpful, everything I looked at just had a pic of the exercise in the down part, nothing showing you how to properly get there. I was TOTALLY screwing these up AND now I know why I was having so much trouble with my front knee wanting to go beyond my toes! On the up side, now I'll be totally prepared for Stage 2.
Dammit, I wish I'd figured this out before my workout today! Makes me want to practice in my cubicle today.
P.S. Nice guns! I miss the cute pooch with the bow tho...
I'd just add that in the article, that first video to illustrate a proper lunge is showing a proper dynamic lunge. The only video of a lunge aka Static Lunge (which he calls the first step/lowest level) is the one where is is using the band.
(I know you know that hazeldazel, I'm just making the point for those that come and read this a year later, go to the link and see the 1st vid without reading the article and think that "lunge" means the same as that first video. )
thanks LisaS, I knew the first vid were the dynamic lunges but I missed that there was a vid on the pic with the band.
okay, now I am confused again. the static lunge = split squat? The video with the band is essentially what i've been doing (however badly). Just been kinda going up, down, up, down...
are we supposed to be doing dynamic lunges in Stage 1?
P.S. have i mentioned how glad i am this forum exists, and that there are such great ppl here? you guys are teh awesome!
Hey don't worry much; after all, in that article Jane linked to, his progression starts with the static lunge, to get the form and movement down, before moving on to the dynamic lunges!
thanks for all the advice guys, i was practicing in my cubicle making sure to land and push off from my heel, and now i feel it in the areas i'm supposed to - and they're a bit easier on my knees as well. I finally feel like i can progress with this exercise!
huzzah! Today was Stage 1 workout B day, I did 3x8 of dynamic lunges, making sure to land and push off with my heels. The first set I used 10# DB, 2nd was 5# DB, and 3rd was BW only. It felt really challenging but I could really feel it in my glutes and hammies. It sucks to do them after you've done deadlifts though - my legs get so wobbly so quickly. I guess that's kinda the point though, but geez am I the only one cursing Alwyn & Lou while doing the exercises?
Am I Doing Lunges Wrong?
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