How to Do a Crossover Lunge

The best way to think of doing a crossover lunge is by thinking how women used to curtsy back in the old days. This is a great exercise to help tone and develop the gluteal muscles, the quads, hamstrings and calves. This is a modified version of the traditional lunge that focuses on the sides of the gluteal muscles through the addition of the crossover movement.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Dumbbells (optional)

1. Stand with the feet flat on the floor and hip bones apart. Keep the body weight on the heels.
2. Contract the abs and keep the hips and shoulders squared to the front of the room.
3. Lift the right leg and step back diagonally towards the left back corner of the room. If your body was standing on a large clock facing the 12, you would step back and crossover the right leg toward the 7.
4. Imagine doing a curtsy, and slowly lower the right knee until it is just above the floor, with the left thigh parallel to the ground, as if you were doing a traditional lunge exercise.
5. Exhale. Press through the left heel, squeeze the glutes and push back into the starting position.
6. Repeat with the left leg. Step diagonally backwards towards the five on the clock. Keep the abs contracted and chest up throughout the crossover lunge exercise.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not let the knee go over the front toes. This will help to prevent knee joint injuries.
• Keep eyes forward to help with balance.
• Keep shoulders square over the hip bones.
• Do not to twist the upper body during this movement.