How to Do Back Foot Bench Lunges

Lunges can enhance your leg strength and stabilize your knees. They're easy to do, and they'll give you great results using just your body weight. To make them more challenging, rest your rear foot on a bench. This allows you to go deeper in your lunge and makes staying on balance more of a challenge.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Adjust the height of the bench so you can comfortably rest your back foot on it. Experienced athletes usually perform this exercise on a standard weight training bench, but lower benches also work.
2. Hop forward on your front foot until your center of gravity is situated away from the bench. The distance you move depends on your height, but you'll need enough space to comfortably drop down into the lunge.
3. Bend your front knee to perform the lunge. Allow your body to descend in a smooth, controlled motion.
4. Drop down as far as you can go, then push against the ground with your front foot to come out of the lunge. Use the large muscles of your hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes to perform this movement.
5. Repeat the lunge as many times as you can. You can do many reps with just your body weight providing resistance, or hold a pair of dumbbells and do just a few.

Tips & Warnings

• Trainers and athletes also refer to the back foot bench lunge as a "Bulgarian Split-Squat." They usually do this exercise with heavy weights and a medium-height weightlifting bench.