Why Side Lunges Are an Essential Part of Every Leg Workout

 Break out of your forward-and-backward box and reap the lateral benefits.

So many of your everyday developments are in one plane of movement: the sagittal plane (progress ahead and in reverse). Consider it: strolling, running, sitting, trekking, and going up steps each makes them push ahead constantly. The thing is, moving in various planes of movement is the thing that keeps you portable, solid, and ready to execute further developed developments. (You know, such as destroying the dance floor or snatching your bag out of the plane's overhead canister.) 

To join those different planes of development into your life, sure, you could stroll around sideways the entire day—yet it checks out to fuse them into your exercise center schedules. That is the place where side jumps, or parallel thrusts, (shown here by NYC-based coach Rachel Mariotti) come in. It'll bring your body into the front-facing plane of movement (side-to-side) and take your exercise to a higher level. 

Side Lunge Benefits and Variations

"The side lunge is a great exercise because it works the sides of the glutes (the gluteus medius), which are important stabilizer muscles for the hip joint, and are often under-appreciated," says Mariotti. Moving in a different direction also helps you work your quadriceps muscles from another angle, she says. (Great news: There are a zillion lunge variations to work all the other angles of your lower body too.)

Mastering the side lunge (along with the forward lunge) will help you build strength and stability in each leg individually as well as improve your balance. Progress by adding a kettlebell or dumbbell, racked in front of the chest. To scale back, either 1) don't squat as low, or 2) place a slider under the straight leg, sliding it out to the side while you bend the lunging leg.

How to Do a Side Lunge (or Lateral Lunge)

A. Stand with feet together and hands clasped in front of the chest.

B. Take a large step out to the right, immediately lowering into a lunge, sinking hips back and bending right knee to track directly in line with right foot. Keep left leg straight but not locked, with both feet pointing forward.

C. Push off the right foot to straighten right leg, step right foot next to left, and return to starting position.

Do 8 to 12 reps. Repeat on the other side. Try 3 sets per side.

Side Lunge Form Tips

• Sink into the hip of the lunging leg, activating the glute to stand.
• Be sure not to drop the chest too far forward.
• Don't allow the knee to push forward over toes.