Exercise Month-Lunge

The Lunge is an excellent exercise to develop lower body and unilateral leg strength as well as hip and core stability. Too often athlete have a deficit where one leg is stronger than the other, which is why it is important for a Strength Training Program to place an emphasis on unilateral movements to bridge that gap between legs. In terms of skating, being able to stand up from the bottom of the lunge position is very similar to the drawing back of the take-off for the flip and lutz.

As a final note, this exercise should first be done with one’s own bodyweight; then increase to dumbbells and finally with a barbell.

Explanation of:

•Start by placing a bar on your back while standing with feet about shoulder width apart.
•With your right leg, step forward as the right heel touches the ground, then the whole foot. The left foot will roll up to the ball of the foot as the ankles, knees and hips of both legs start to flex as you descend towards the ground.
•Once in the bottom position of the lunge, both knees should be at a ninety-degree angle while the trailing leg is just a couple inches from the ground.
•Drive yourself back up by pushing through your right leg while the weight transfers to the left leg as you extend the lower body.
•Upon returning to an upright position, immediately step with the left leg.
•With your left leg, step forward as the left heel touches the ground, then the whole foot. The right foot will roll up to the ball of the foot as the ankles, knees and hips of both legs start to flex as you descend towards the ground.
•Once in the bottom position of the lunge, both knees should be at a ninety-degree angle while the trailing leg is just a couple inches from the ground.
•Drive yourself back up by pushing through your left leg while the weight transfers to the right leg as you extend the lower body.