Wall Press Lunges
We lunge pretty frequently during our daily lives! We just might not think of these movements as lunges.
Drop a pencil? You might kneel down to grab it! See a friendly dog? You might step into a lunge to greet it! Lunges are a unilateral movement (where you work one side at a time). This translates into many movements like running, sprinting, and kicking!
That being said, lunges can be a challenge. We can start to work through this challenge by training our range of motion. This is a great place to start!
Standards
LEVEL 1: 1 Set of 15 (Both Sides)
LEVEL 2: 2 Sets of 20 (Both Sides)
LEVEL 3: 2 Sets of 30 (Both Sides)
Do 2-3 Sets of as many as you safely can.
Once you can meet or exceed the sets and reps of Level 3 with good form, you are ready to move on to a harder variation.
Form Cues
Your legs should be about shoulder width apart with your hips facing forward.
Try to keep the heel of your standing leg in contact with the ground. If your heel wants to lift up anyway, that’s okay! It will get easier with time.
Move your arms however you wish to balance this exercise. It does not matter much.
Slow and steady wins the race on this exercise. Don’t just speed through these. Find a controlled, rhythmic pace to really feel this movement. 2 Seconds Down, 1 Second Pause, 2 Seconds Up. Repeat.
Try to keep your back neutral throughout the exercise. This means don’t arch or round your back. This may take some work if you’re not used to it, but you should make progress over time.
Film yourself and watch back between sets!
Tutorial
Stand about one leg-length away from a wall.
After you have found your balance, place one foot on the wall at approximately hip-height.
Slowly bend your knee and slowly lunge forward until your quad makes contact with your core. Your torso should remain neutral and upright.
Pause for 1 Second.
Press through the ball of your foot to slowly return to your starting position.
Repeat 3-6.
Progression & Regression
To make this exercise harder: Finding a lower platform to push off will make this exercise harder. A steep stairwell sometimes works (stepping up). Stay safe
To make this exercise easier: Many people have the strength for this workout but struggle with the balance. Doing this next to a railing or wall corner and using your arm to stabilize yourself may help you focus on the movement.