Mobility and stretches
Deep side to side lunge
- Kit
- No kit
- Works
- inner thighs · glutes · quads
- Also
- hamstrings · calves · hip flexors · lower back
The deep side to side lunge is a wide-stance shift that loads one hip at a time while the other leg stays straight. Done slowly, it opens the inner thighs, hips and ankles, and it teaches you to sit into a deep bend without your knee caving in. It works well early in a session to prepare the legs, or at the end to unwind them.
Form
How to do deep side to side lunge
- 1Stand with your feet much wider than your shoulders, toes pointing forward or turned out slightly, chest tall.
- 2Shift your weight over to one side and bend that knee, sitting your hips back and down while the other leg stays straight with the foot flat.
- 3Sink as far as your hips allow with the bent knee tracking over the middle of your foot, and hold the bottom for a breath.
- 4Push through the bent leg to travel back through the centre and into the same position on the other side, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
- 5Breathe out as you sink, in as you pass through the middle, and keep alternating so both sides get equal time.
Watch for
Common mistakes
The heel of the bent leg lifts off the floor.
Fix: Take a narrower stance and shift less far until you can keep the whole foot planted.
The chest drops toward the floor and the back rounds.
Fix: Sit your hips back rather than folding forward, and keep your breastbone lifted throughout.
Bouncing in and out of the bottom position.
Fix: Move at half the speed you think you need and pause for a breath at the deepest point.
Variations
Easier and harder
Sessions