How To Do An Elevated Lunge

By: Chris Freytag, CPT


Chris Freytag demonstrating an Elevated Lunge

An elevated lunge is a great version of a lunge that focuses on strengthening your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. Elevated lunges let you stay in a stationary position to help really focus your attention on shaping your booty and sculpting your thighs. Elevated lunges can be done with body weight alone or with added weight. And bonus – they are low impact! If you are looking for killer thighs and an awesome rear end, you should learn how to do an elevated lunge.

Lunges are amazing. If go to a gym, work with a trainer, or watch any number of fitness videos, you won’t escape doing lunges! However, lunges that add more forward motion can be challenging for those that have knee injuries or other knee problems You see, when you step forward into a traditional lunge you end up putting pressure on your knees. It’s just part of the move. For many people this isn’t an issue, but for those that it bothers, you don’t need to give up lunges altogether. Elevated lunges are done in a stationary position so your foot is not hitting the floor with body weight behind it putting pressure on your knees. Lifting and lowering in a stationary position keeps the focus on the squeezing of your glutes and thighs.

Lunges of all kinds are amazing. One of the best things you can do when working out is to add variety to your exercises.

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    How To Do An Elevated Lunge

    The most important tip for practicing any type of lunge is to MAKE SURE you do it with proper form! Move slowly and get a full range of motion before you add a barbell or dumbbells.

    1) Begin by standing a few feet in front of a step and reach left foot back so toes are on the bench and heels lifted.

    2) Bend the right knee, lowering your body toward the floor until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. If your right knee extends in front of your ankle when you lower, move your right foot farther forward.

    3) Squeeze the glute as you press yourself back to start, keeping the weight in your right leg. Continue moving down and up for desired number of reps and switch sides.

    Watch in the video below as Chris explains how to properly perform an elevated lunge.

    [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”o9M5uPOi” upload-date=”2019-02-24T20:14:27.000Z” name=”Elevated Lunge” description=”1) Begin by standing a few feet in front of a step and reach left foot back so toes are on the bench and heels lifted.

    2) Bend the right knee, lowering your body toward the floor until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. If your right knee extends in front of your ankle when you lower, move your right foot farther forward.

    3) Squeeze the glute as you press yourself back to start, keeping the weight in your right leg. Continue moving down and up for desired number of reps and switch sides.”]

    What Muscles Do Elevated Lunges Work?

    Elevated lunges are an awesome lower body exercise that works your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core.

    Benefits of Elevated Lunges

    There are many reasons you should incorporate elevated lunge into your workouts. Here are just a few:

    Tone And Shape Your Butt

    Ready for a butt lift. This move will do it like no other. A nice strong, shapely rear end is the envy of all. If that’s what you’re looking for, look no farther than the elevated lunge. In essence you are performing a single leg squat because most of the power and strength should be coming from the front glute and leg. Push through your heel and activate your bottom. You’re going to feel this one in your backside the next day!

    Strengthen And Sculpt Your Legs

    Elevated lunge is one of the most specific exercises for strengthening and sculpting your legs. It is also great because it is low impact. Use your glute to press through the movement but keep your legs tight and squeeze your thighs to help lower and lift with control.

    Improve Core Stability

    Elevated lunge has a balance element to it. Balancing on your back toes and moving up and down is a challenge. Not only do your leg and butt muscles burn but you also need to tighten your core to keep you in alignment and stabilize your body.

    How Many Calories Do Elevated Lunges Burn?

    People often ask how many calories they are burning in their workouts. Most exercises will generally burn about 100 calories for every 10 minutes you are working hard. Want to burn more? Add weights to your elevated lunge. Bottom line – the harder you work, the more calories you burn.

    Other Exercises Similar to Elevated Lunges

    If you like elevated lunge and the results you get from it, here are a few more exercises you might want to try.

    How To Do Plie Squats

    How To Do Glute Bridges

    How To Do The Perfect Stationary Lunge

    Incorporating Elevated Lunges Into Your Workouts

    An elevated lunge is an excellent strength training exercise all on its own! However, you could also incorporate elevated lunges into other workouts to mix them up. Here are some ideas to make that happen.

    Use Elevated Lunges In A Leg Workout

    Leg workouts can be done in just a few short moves. It’s called supersetting! Just take these 4 simple moves. We promise you WILL feel your work the next day.

    Leg Blast Workout: Do a brief 3-minute warm up including a light jog, about 12 basic squats and 4 inchworms. Then try these for 12 reps each going through the series three times.

    Elevated Lunge – 12 reps

    Cross Behind Lunge – 12 reps

    Forward Lunge – 12 reps

    Single Leg Hamstring Bridge – 12 reps each leg

    Complete this series 3 times.

    Use Elevated Lunges In Your Circuit Training

    Circuits are a fun way to exercise and get your strength and cardio in all at the same time. The idea behind circuits is to go from one move, or one “station”, to the next with little or not rest in between. Check this out.

    Fat Blasting Circuit Training Workout: Move directly from one exercise to the next with little to no break in between. Rest for 1 minute at the end, then repeat the sequence.

    30 seconds side lunges

    30 seconds high knee run

    30 seconds push ups

    30 seconds split jumps

    30 seconds elevated lunges

    30 seconds bear crawl

    30 seconds modified army crawl plank

    30 seconds crab walk

    Rest 1 minute. Repeat. Stretch.

    Use Elevated Lunges In Your Full Body Strength Workout

    Leg day is great. Upper body day is fantastic. But FULL BODY day is the best! Take one workout and get it all done at once. This one gets it all done and includes elevated lunge as well as a bunch of other basic strength moves. Grab a pair of dumbbells and let’s do this.

    Full Body Basic Move Strength Workout: Warm up for about 2-3 minutes using a light jog in place, 20 jumping jacks and 15 deep squats. Then do between 10-15 of each of the following moves.

    Elevated Lunge

    Push-Up

    Side Lunges

    Tricep Dips

    Reverse Curl With Lateral Raise

    Bicep Curl

    Plank To Upright Row

    Hip Dips

    Repeat the sequence.

    Also, try our workout:  7 Squat and Lunge Variations For Toned Legs.

    Targets: glutes, quads, hamstrings



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