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Lunges - More Lunges for the Hips, Glutes and Thighs

By , About.com Guide

Updated September 28, 2011

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Side Lunge
Side Lunge Paige Waehner
Side lunges are a great way to vary your lunges and put more emphasis on the inner thighs along with the glutes, quads and hips. Side lunges also help you work on balance and stability and are perfect for building strength for sports that involve lateral movement like tennis, racquetball or handball.
  1. Step out to the right, keeping the left leg straight and both feet pointing forward.
  2. As your right foot hits the ground, bend at the hips and push your glutes back as you shift all the weight to your right leg.
  3. Lunge down until the shin is vertical to the floor and the right knee is in line with your toes, both heels flat.
  4. Push into the heel back to starting position and repeat on the other side for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.

Form Pointers

Avoid stepping too far out, which can compromise your form and cause you to twist the knee inward. You should step far enough that the shin is straight and the knee is in line with the toes.

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