Lunge and single leg exercise
Lateral Lunge
Load the frontal plane: strength moving side to side, not just forwards and back.
- Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Sides
- One leg at a time
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 30X1
Setup
Standing with dumbbells, enough space to step wide to either side.
How to do it
- Step wide to one side, push your hips back and sideways and let the loaded knee bend while the trailing leg stays straight.
- Keep the loaded knee tracking over that foot and your torso up, then drive back to the middle.
- Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 per side.
Coaching cues
- Push the hips back and sideways
- Loaded knee tracks over the foot
- Trail leg stays straight
Common mistakes
- The knee collapsing inward, which is the exact position you are trying to train out of
- Torso dropping so the load goes into the lower back
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Moderate dumbbells | 3 | 6 to 8 per side | 90 sec |
| Size | Moderate dumbbells | 3 | 8 to 12 per side | 90 sec |
Tempo 30X1: Take 3 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, hold for 1 second at the end of the lift.
Related exercises
- Copenhagen AdductionBuild eccentric adductor strength to protect the groin.
- Rear-Foot-Elevated Split SquatBuild heavy single-leg strength with almost no spinal load.
- Split SquatLearn the single-leg pattern and expose side-to-side differences.
- Walking LungeLoad the legs eccentrically while moving, which is closer to how rugby actually loads them.
- Step-UpBuild concentric single-leg drive for the first step off a standing start.
- Back SquatBuild maximal bilateral lower-body strength, the foundation of scrum drive and contact.