Lunge with Trunk Rotation
This movement works the entire lower body, along with the core, abdominal and lower back muscles.
It will also help strengthen your arms.
1. Stand straight with feet together while holding a medicine ball, dumbbell or any object that is 5-to-10
percent of your body weight. Hold the object close to your chest.
2. Lunge your right leg forward and rotate your trunk across that same leg, as shown in the photo above.
Then turn your trunk back to face the front leg, as demonstrated in the photo below.
Bring your left foot forward to meet the right foot and stand with straight legs.
3. Repeat the same exercise with the left leg.
Continue with alternating lunges and trunk rotations until you perform 8-to-12 repetitions with each leg.
That completes one set.
Rest about 60 seconds and repeat, until you complete 3 or 4 sets.
4. When lunging, keep your torso upright. Allow the knee of the trailing leg to bend within 2-to-4 inches
from the floor (and this is not the leg you lunged forward with).
5. Avoid letting your knees cave inward.
Contrary to popular belief, avoid using mini-bands with this movement as they’ll only prevent effective
motion at the hip complex and actually slow the movement and do nothing for the exercise.
Disclaimer: Do not begin any physical activity described in this column without prior approval from your health care professional.