Few exercises target multiple muscle groups at once. Push-ups are one (and I’ll save that for another post). Lunges are another.

The standard, forward lunge engages the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, abdominals, and to a smaller degree, the calf muscles. This alone is exciting. Not riot-causing exciting, but for fitness peeps, it might entice a, “Wow! I didn’t know that exercise gave me so much bang for the buck!”

But, it gets even better – lunges can be modified a number of ways in order to target specific muscles in the legs and hip, to challenge balance, strengthen the core, and in some cases (i.e, when we add a weighted ball, for example), the upper body. Can you beat that with a stick? You’d be hard-pressed to try.

Let’s revisit the “standard lunge.” This is the lunge we all remember learning from early fitness videos like Jane Fonda and The Firm. By itself, it is a super good exercise for the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. The fun escalates from there as you change directions, or as I like to say in training terms, “working the hip in all planes of motion.” By varying the direction you lunge in, how deeply you lunge, the amount of resistance you add via dumbbells, a weighted ball, bar, or band, you engage other muscles (inner thighs, calves, hip abductors/adductors, the core, and upper body).

Let’s break this down. First, a quick review of how to do the forward lunge correctly:

Description: Use bodyweight, or dumbbells, a body bar or weighted medicine ball if you want added challenge. Start with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up and abdomen pulled in — take a long step forward. The heel of your trailing leg will come off the floor as you settle into your lunge. The thigh of your lead leg should be parallel to the floor, your shin perpendicular to the floor (assuring that the knee is aligned over the front heel rather than forward over the toes).

Tips: Try to keep your chest high and eyes forward to prevent tipping forward. As you return to the starting position, keep your core tight (this will help with alignment on the return movement and assist with balance). Push through the front heel (you’ll feel your glutes engage here) and return to the starting position. Notice also how the glute of the trailing leg has to “pull” you back (you’ll feel this in the hamstring and glute of the trailing leg). Repeat with opposite leg.

Side Lunge: Though this move may leave you a bit ouchier the following day, it is extremely effective for strengthening the glutes and inner thighs. You don’t need any equipment for this exercise, but you certainly could use a weighted ball…more on that in a minute. First, the how to…

Description: Begin with feet facing forward, hips squared to the wall or mirror in front of you, and abdominals engaged (i.e, “zipped up.”)  Beginning with the weaker (or less dominant) leg, take a large step to the side and gently lower the hip so that your quadricep on the leg you are leading with is parallel, or nearly parallel, to the floor. This is called “loading” the glute, and when you do it, you’ll feel it. Keep your body weight distributed over the lowered hip for a count of 3, making sure to keep your knee above foot (not over the toes.)

Keep the non-leading leg straight or slightly bent, foot remains facing forward. To return to the starting position, engage the abdominals and push off of the lead foot, using the opposite hip and abductors to do as much of the work pulling you back to the starting position as possible.

Progression: I like to use weighted balls for this particular lunge. I simply hold and 8 or 10lb medicine ball with both hands, and as I lunge to the side and load the glute, I lower the ball slowly to the toe of that same foot, as if placing it on the ground.

I saved the best for last…the Curtsy Lunge!

Description: You can perform this exercise without any additional resistance, or add dumbbells, a weighted bar, or a medicine ball to increase the load on the hip joint. Stand with feet about hip-width apart, then take a sizable step back behind the other leg in a crossing motion (just like a curtsy). As you cross behind, bend your knees and lower your body over the targeted hip until your quadricep is almost parallel to the floor. Be sure to keep your abdominals engaged throughout the exercise. Hips should stay squared. Return to the starting position by pushing off the back foot and also fully extending the targeted hip before bringing the back foot to the starting position.