Side lunges are often misunderstood...they don't feel like lunges, nor do they feel like squats, but perhaps something in between. The great thing about side lunges is that they allow you to work your hips, glutes and thighs a bit differently than traditional squats and lunges while still targeting the major muscles of the lower body.

A side lunge can also be a good variation to try if your knees tend to hurt during traditional lunges....just make sure you use perfect form! That means the knee should stay behind the toe on the lunging leg as well as keeping the knee in line with the toe...if your toes are out at an angle, your knees should follow that angle. Last, make sure you sit back into the heel of the lunging leg (rather than going forward) to fully engage the muscles of the lower body.

Do it right:Begin with the legs wide, toes out at a comfortable angle. Holding a weight (or nothing at all), lunge to the right while keeping the left leg straight. Sit back into the heel of the lunging leg while bringing the weight towards the floor. Stand and repeat on the left side, alternating sides for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.