This Is A Tough One, But It's Essential

Practically everyone over the age of 40 has trouble with Lunges. True of men and women.

This week we're going to dive deep into this essential movement pattern. We'll explore why it sucks for so many people, how we coach our members to master proper form, some common movement flaws we observe and how to correct them, and then progressions and regressions that should help you make consistent progress.

Let's begin by exploring what makes Lunges "essential?"

In our eyes, it's because they mimic a basic movement that we must retain to enjoy optimal healthspan. Why??

The eccentric phase of the Lunge, the negative aspect of the movement when we are lowering ourselves down, is all about deceleration. It is a controlled fall. We use our lower body and core muscles to absorb our body weight and then come to a controlled stop before hitting the floor or stumbling forward.

This part of the movement mimics walking downstairs or downhill. That controlled deceleration is also similar to how we catch ourselves when we stumble. Both can be challenging for midlifers and can become hard to impossible as we age.

The concentric phase, the positive aspect of the movement when we raise ourselves back to an upright position, is critical to retaining the ability to get up from the ground unsupported.

So, you can see that retaining our ability to control our body weight through a full range of motion (ROM) with the Lunge translates to key functional abilities that are important to our healthspan.

We'll post more on this topic on our social media channels throughout the week. You can follow us on any of these:

Our Purpose is to coach busy midlifers to optimal healthspan so they can live long, vibrant lives doing all the stuff they love to do with the people they love for as long as they live.

We know that when we work it and live it, we'll get to keep it.

MidStrong is for life.

Paul Reilly