These days, bowing isn’t a thing in everyday life, but it should be in the gym. Bowing lunges, we mean. While classic lunges are still great, this elegant variation works the muscles in your lower body that normal lunges don’t target as effectively.
With this variation of the lunge, you’re not just targeting your gluteus maximus [which is the largest, outermost gluteal muscle] like a standard lunge does. The bow lunge also engages your stabilizer muscles, your inner and outer thighs, and your hip abductor muscles, ” says Taylor Gainor, co-founder of LIT Method, a Los Angeles-based gym that focuses on low-impact training.
” Activating the stabilizer muscles helps balance and strengthen the core ,” adds Gainor, and targeting the smaller muscles in the glutes will help build strength and more definition. Plus, you know, you’ll master the art of the perfect bow.
Instead of alternating sides like you would with a regular lunge, it’s best to do all your reps on one side before switching to the other. ” This is so you can focus on your stability first, and then your range of motion ,” Gainor explains. These elements help ensure that you receive the full benefits of this lower body movement.
Check out how to do a kick curtsey lunge below: The kick to the side adds a little extra thrust to the hip and outer thigh at the end of each rep.
Bowing lunge with kick
Whitney Thielman in Self.
- Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your left leg off the ground and step diagonally back, bending both knees to lower your butt toward the ground. Make sure to keep your chest up and your spine straight.
- There are a couple of bugs to watch out for. ” The most common mistake we see with the bow lunge is that most people place their feet too close together ,” says Gainor. Also, make sure your front knee doesn’t go past the toes of your right foot.
- Driving through the right heel, return to standing. Kick your left foot out to the left side and go straight into the next rep without placing your left foot back on the ground.
- This is one rep, do 15 to 20. Make sure you keep your pace slow and controlled, says Gainor. Switch sides, and do three sets total on each side.
