Lunges . . . the skinny

[CraveMuscle]

I was looking through the training videos again just for giggles and came across the different variations of lunges. each one shows the back leg bending significantly or even touching the ground . . . what is the reason for this as opposed to keeping the back leg straight?

I was taught to keep it straight, so I'm a little confused as to the "why" of one way or another.

on that same note, why are the videos of deadlifts showing some flexion of the lumbar spine? isn't that a no-no?

and, what do you do if your gym doesn't have the faux-large plates in smaller poundage? do you just use the lighter plates and not let them touch the floor at the bottom of each rep?

[fairy]

I would like to hear the answer to this too!!

[Strive2Define]

I was looking through the training videos again just for giggles and came across the different variations of lunges. each one shows the back leg bending significantly or even touching the ground . . . what is the reason for this as opposed to keeping the back leg straight?

I was taught to keep it straight, so I'm a little confused as to the "why" of one way or another.

on that same note, why are the videos of deadlifts showing some flexion of the lumbar spine? isn't that a no-no?

and, what do you do if your gym doesn't have the faux-large plates in smaller poundage? do you just use the lighter plates and not let them touch the floor at the bottom of each rep?
Yes I was taught to keep the back leg straight as well and I find when I try to have a deep bend to the back leg, it cause discomfort in my knee..although my back is straight , I am sitting back and pushing through with the front heel.Which IS correct form?

[Patricia]

My back leg is always bent....my knee always nearly touches the ground.

[Mandy]

My back leg is always bent....my knee always nearly touches the ground.
Same here. Hmmmmm. never thought about doing them any other way :shrug:

[jaleena]

My back leg is bent...there's almost no weight on it, and bending the knee makes it easier to keep it out of the way of the floor while going deeper, and while keeping my chest more upright.

[JJ29]

My back leg is always bent....my knee always nearly touches the ground.

Mine too. Sometimes it does touch the ground. How would you do them w/ your leg straight???

[Strive2Define]

Well I guess mine is bent to a degree but if you look at pictures, the angle of the bend is much more severe..maybe it is just an optical illusion?

[fairy]

I have seen people do lunges with a bent back knee and also with a straight back knee. I am sure there is a reason for this, though I don't know why??

[matt]

I don't think it matters, straight or bent, do them the way you like to.

For the deadlift videos, it is probably because that is heavy and most people cannot keep picture-perfect-neutral-spine form when pushing the weights to the limit.

[GqArtguy]

Most of my clients come and have very tight hips. Additionally, they have weak glutes and core so they lift with their back.

The version where your knee can touch the ground usually ignores what I try to instill in them. Its easy for them to lean forward and use momentum to get up. Additonally, they have a tendency to take narrom steps this way that mimics tight-rope walking which doesnt help the hip issues that people bring.

I have my clients take a shoulder width step and step out wide so that they can stretch their hip flexors. Additioanlly I have them posteriorly tilt their pelvis and tell them that their butt is what pushes them forward whereas the front leg pushes them up. The back leg is never straight, it has a slight bend, but it will not touch the floor for most people.

[GraceGirl]

My back leg is always bent....my knee always nearly touches the ground.

I've always done them this way as well....hmmmm....

[CraveMuscle]

Most of my clients come and have very tight hips. Additionally, they have weak glutes and core so they lift with their back.

The version where your knee can touch the ground usually ignores what I try to instill in them. Its easy for them to lean forward and use momentum to get up. Additonally, they have a tendency to take narrom steps this way that mimics tight-rope walking which doesnt help the hip issues that people bring.

I have my clients take a shoulder width step and step out wide so that they can stretch their hip flexors. Additioanlly I have them posteriorly tilt their pelvis and tell them that their butt is what pushes them forward whereas the front leg pushes them up. The back leg is never straight, it has a slight bend, but it will not touch the floor for most people.

see, this is me: tight hip flexors and glute issues. hence, when I do really bent knee lunges, I have problems, but I'm not sure if it's b/c I learned how to do it a different way.

also, I can't do traveling lunges at all, in any form or fashion. I have tried many times over the years, and even if someone who is a biomechanical genius is watching me and making sure that everything is lined up right, I still develop knee pain in one leg. everything is fine for reverse lunges, stationary lunges, side lunges, and such, but somehow, forward propulsion just messes me up.

[JJ29]

Most of my clients come and have very tight hips. Additionally, they have weak glutes and core so they lift with their back.

The version where your knee can touch the ground usually ignores what I try to instill in them. Its easy for them to lean forward and use momentum to get up. Additonally, they have a tendency to take narrom steps this way that mimics tight-rope walking which doesnt help the hip issues that people bring.

I have my clients take a shoulder width step and step out wide so that they can stretch their hip flexors. Additioanlly I have them posteriorly tilt their pelvis and tell them that their butt is what pushes them forward whereas the front leg pushes them up. The back leg is never straight, it has a slight bend, but it will not touch the floor for most people.

So do you suggest we DON"T have our knee almost touch the ground? Is it a bad thing?

[GqArtguy]

So do you suggest we DON"T have our knee almost touch the ground? Is it a bad thing?

I dont touch for the sake of touching. My knee can touch the ground even with a wide step, but Im an ex-gymnast so take that for what its worth.

People use the knee touch on the bent leg versions of lunges to ensure that youre going down deep enough, but I dont really have people lunge that way in the first place.

[Brandi]

Most of my clients come and have very tight hips. Additionally, they have weak glutes and core so they lift with their back.

The version where your knee can touch the ground usually ignores what I try to instill in them. Its easy for them to lean forward and use momentum to get up. Additonally, they have a tendency to take narrom steps this way that mimics tight-rope walking which doesnt help the hip issues that people bring.

I have my clients take a shoulder width step and step out wide so that they can stretch their hip flexors. Additioanlly I have them posteriorly tilt their pelvis and tell them that their butt is what pushes them forward whereas the front leg pushes them up. The back leg is never straight, it has a slight bend, but it will not touch the floor for most people.

Good info.

[strongchick]

That makes me feel better. My knee NEVER touches the ground..I'm just not that flexible.

[Michael_70]

I was looking through the training videos again just for giggles and came across the different variations of lunges. each one shows the back leg bending significantly or even touching the ground . . . what is the reason for this as opposed to keeping the back leg straight?

I was taught to keep it straight, so I'm a little confused as to the "why" of one way or another.

on that same note, why are the videos of deadlifts showing some flexion of the lumbar spine? isn't that a no-no?

and, what do you do if your gym doesn't have the faux-large plates in smaller poundage? do you just use the lighter plates and not let them touch the floor at the bottom of each rep?

:scratch: When you keep your leg straight and you do the lunge is your forward knee going past your foot? I was just trying to imagine doing this with a straight leg. I guess I've always bent the knee behind me. Not saying right or wrong..just trying to vision it..

[CraveMuscle]

:scratch: When you keep your leg straight and you do the lunge is your forward knee going past your foot? I was just trying to imagine doing this with a straight leg. I guess I've always bent the knee behind me. Not saying right or wrong..just trying to vision it..

it goes a little past the line with my ankle, but the knee doesn't go past the toes.

and the back knee bends a slight bit so that the knee isn't locked out, but it is nowhere near to the ground.

[Michael_70]

it goes a little past the line with my ankle, but the knee doesn't go past the toes.

and the back knee bends a slight bit so that the knee isn't locked out, but it is nowhere near to the ground.

Ok, I understand it better now.

[char-dawg]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are lots of different ways to do pretty much every exercise out there. Another is to remember that two people can do the same exercise and get different results.

For example, I feel squats in my ass more than anywhere else, unless I do something *really* different, but ALL of the Asians around me feel it in their thighs. It's the same exercise, done in the same manner, but due to different bodypart ratios and leverages, we feel it in different places.

The point of all this is: yes, do be concerned with "proper form" (so as not to injure yourself - if you get the wrong kind of pain, STOP, no matter what a video might show), but don't be concerned if you happen to do something a little differently than someone on an exercise video you see somewhere. Your body is as individual as your fingerprint.

[fairy]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are lots of different ways to do pretty much every exercise out there. Another is to remember that two people can do the same exercise and get different results.

For example, I feel squats in my ass more than anywhere else, unless I do something *really* different, but ALL of the Asians around me feel it in their thighs. It's the same exercise, done in the same manner, but due to different bodypart ratios and leverages, we feel it in different places.

The point of all this is: yes, do be concerned with "proper form" (so as not to injure yourself - if you get the wrong kind of pain, STOP, no matter what a video might show), but don't be concerned if you happen to do something a little differently than someone on an exercise video you see somewhere. Your body is as individual as your fingerprint.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Nice post!!