We’ve got a great new feature on the blog here at Womens Fitness Clubs of Canada: the Move of the Week! Each week, personal trainer Jana McDermid – who trains clients at our Pickering club – will teach you a great new move for your repertoire. (Feel free to contact the club if you’d like to book a private training session with Jana!)
This week, we’ve got the Basic Lunge. Like it says on the tin, it’s basic… but like your favourite white T-shirt, it’s an important foundation for everything else you put together!
Lunges are an amazing lower body exercise; you can do them anywhere and you’ll see the effects very quickly, in the form of shapely, toned legs and backside. If you’re planning on incorporating lunges into your routine, however, make sure you’re not doing more harm than good. It’s very important to do lunges properly so you don’t put unwanted strain on your joints.
Here’s how to perfect your form:
- Keep your upper body straight, with your shoulders back and relaxed and chin up (pick a point to stare at in front of you so you don’t keep looking down). Always engage your core.
- Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle, not pushed out too far, and make sure your other knee doesn’t touch the floor. Keep the weight in your heels as you push back up to the starting position.
Check out the photo at the top of this post to see how your body should be situated at the bottom of the lunge.
Enjoy, and keep an eye out next week for our next move!
