How to Perform the Lunge With Twist
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What Is a Lunge with Twist
A lunge with a twist is a compound exercise that combines a traditional lunge with a torso twist. To perform this exercise, you step forward into a lunge, then twist your torso and arms to one side.
How to Do the Lunge With Twist
Begin in a standing position, step one leg forward and lunge as deep as your body allows. (Bring your back knee as low as you can to the ground). Maintain an upright posture. Hold the lunge for moment and rotate your torso in the same direction as the leg that is in a forward lunge. Adduct the opposite hand straight above the head, and place the other arm at your side next to the leg that’s in a lunge position.
Benefits of the Lunge With Twist
The lunge with twist is a great dynamic exercise for the lower body, specifically targeting the glutes, hamstrings and quads. It’s also great as it incorporates some spinal mobility and core engagement with the integration of the twisting motion generated from the midsection.
Lunge With Twist Muscles Worked
During this exercise the muscles that are worked are the glutes (gluteus maximus), quadriceps, hamstrings, core, spine, and hip flexors with each repetition.
The lunge with a twist is useful to incorporate into a dynamic warmup (before a workout preferably), and/or post workout cooldown. If you are tight on time the lunge with a twist is extremely efficient as you are strengthening, stretching and warming up multiple muscle groups within one movement (compound movement).
Some variations with this exercise would include adding in other forms of resistance such as holding a stability or medicine ball, dumbbells, and/or kettlebells. This will require more effort from the obliques and low back erectors while executing the rotation of the midsection.
