Alternatives to Lunges
In this article, we will discuss 5 alternatives to lunges.
Whether you hate lunges or they cause you pain, you can simply skip them for any of the five exercises included in this list.
What to do when you can’t do lunges?
Many people experience pain in the lunge, or they cannot balance in the lunge position. The lunge exercise requires you to step forward and decelerate, balance in a split stance, and use your wobbly leg muscles to stand back up.
If you cannot control your lunge, you may struggle with the movement or it might even cause pain in your front knee.
Fortunately, you can use a ton of other exercises that can substitute for the standard walking lunge. These exercises can help you bypass the pain or balance issues you may have from the walking lunge.
Let’s get started with 5 alternatives!
- Reverse Lunge
- Split Squat
- Single Leg Leg Press
- Single Leg Squat to Box
- Lateral Step up with Controlled Tempo Step Down
Reverse Lunge
Why not try a reverse lunge? You might find it easier to control and balance than the traditional lunge. This movement is easier on the knees and easier to balance too!
Try the reverse lunge with a controlled tempo on the way down. This will help you balance better and reduce stress on the knees too.
Split Squat
The split squat is an excellent alternative to the traditional lunge. Unlike the lunge, this movement requires no forward deceleration. You might find you can control and keep good alignment through your hips and knees with this exercise. Make sure you keep feet in line with hips and do not attempt to “walk the tightrope” with one foot right in front of the other.
Single Leg Leg Press
The single leg leg press is another single leg exercise that can be used in place of the lunge. You can slow down the lowering portion to make the exercise more difficult. If you have knee pain with lunges, you may find that placing your foot a bit higher on the platform reduces your pain.
Single Leg Squat to Box
The single leg squat to box is a super exercise to improve hip, knee and ankle stability. This move also recruits the medial glutes, which may play a role in knee control and stabilization. This exercise is such a good indicator of muscle control and stabilization that it is often used as a screening tool for injury prevention. You can start with a high box and progress to a deeper box as you get stronger and your knee control improves.
Lateral Step up with Controlled Tempo Step Down
The lateral step up with controlled step down is a great way to train each leg unilaterally. Facing to the side of the box instead of in front of it will improve hip stability and train the medial glutes to a greater extent than the front facing step up. Using a controlled tempo on the step down is a great way to boost eccentric stress on the muscles, improve control and proprioception.
You don’t need to Lunge
If you cannot do lunges due to pain, wobbly balance or you just hate them, never fear. There are tons of other exercises you can use to build strong, powerful legs. The exercises included in this article can be used to build single leg strength. You now have so many other options in your arsenal that are just as effective as the traditional lunge.
