By Aaron Boike, B.S. Kinesiology, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, USECA Certified Running and Ultrarunning Coach

Lunges are considered by many to be the ultimate lower body exercise. They incorporate every muscle group in the lower body and hips, and are simple and easy to perform with a wide variety of variations to keep your workouts interesting. In this article we discuss five of our favorite lunge variations for strength, tone, and injury prevention.

The Carpet Slider Reverse Lunge 

Reverse lunges are a favorite of the 3CLICK Fitness team because they engage more of the muscles of the “Posterior Chain.” The posterior chain includes the glutes, hamstrings and the calves. Reverse lunges help increase the strength and mobility of the hips while still providing an intense burn in the legs. We highly recommend this exercise for runners and hikers, as they help prevent injury by improving gait mechanics.

The Functional Patterns Pendulum Lunge

This fun explosive variation on a lunge incorporates gait mechanics for a lunge that is perfect for athletes or anyone who is looking to move better. The best part? This lunge variation can be done with minimal equipment, so you can do it at home or at the gym.

Unilateral Kettlebell Lunge

Did you know that just by adding weight to a single side of a given exercise you automatically engage more of your core musculature? The core works during unilateral movements to stabilize the spine against the offset resistance. In additon, the hips are forced to play a bigger role in stabilizing the offset weight, making the unilateral kettlebell lunge a fantastic and functional lower body exercise.

The Jump Lunge 

Plyometric exercises are all the rage right now in the athletic world. They produce greater power, speed and quickness, and research shows the strength gains realized in doing plyometric exercises are well translated into improved performance in many athletic endevours. That said, plyometrics like the Jump Lunge are not just for pro athletes. These exercises are fantasic for improve strength, power, and reducing the risk of injuries.

The TRX Sprinters Start

While not a true “lunge” per say, the Sprinters Start is a TRX movement that borrows the basic mechanics or a reverse lunge for a powerhouse movement. This exercise can be done as a plyometric or stand dynamic exercise, and is appropriate for people of all fitness and ability levels. Want to do this exercise at home? Just link up a TRX door anchor to any sturdy door and perform them anywhere!