Diagonal Lunge

Description

How to do Diagonal Lunge

1. 01
   Setup

   Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, shoulders back, and core engaged. Keep your gaze forward.

2. 02

   Step your right foot diagonally forward and to the left, aiming for a 45-degree angle from your starting position.

3. 03

   Lower your hips until both knees are bent at approximately a 90-degree angle, ensuring your front knee is aligned over your ankle and your back knee hovers just above the floor.

4. 04

   Maintain an upright torso and keep your weight evenly distributed between both feet as you descend.

5. 05

   Drive through the heel of your front foot and push off the floor to return to the starting standing position.

6. 06

   Alternate legs for each repetition, or complete all desired reps on one side before switching to the other.

Tips

• Focus on maintaining an upright chest and engaged core throughout the entire movement to protect your spine and enhance stability.
• Control your descent into the lunge; avoid letting gravity pull you down quickly to maximize muscle activation and prevent injury.
• Ensure your front knee tracks directly over your second toe and does not collapse inward, which protects the knee joint.
• Experiment with the diagonal angle to find what feels most comfortable and effective for your hip mobility and glute engagement.

Common mistakes

• Over-reaching or under-reaching with your diagonal step compromises balance and knee alignment; adjust your step length so both knees form a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the lunge.
• Allowing your front knee to cave inward (valgus collapse) places undue stress on the knee joint; actively push your front knee slightly outward to align it with your second toe.
• Rounding your back or leaning too far forward reduces core engagement and stresses the lower spine; maintain a proud chest and engage your abdominal muscles throughout the movement.