Human Movement Pattern: Lunge
Lunging is no different than walking, just at a different depth.
The second human movement pattern that we will take a closer look at is the lunge. This pattern is all too familiar in our lives and sometimes we forget that we do it every day. Every time you walk in one direction or the other you are completing a lunge. Now, it may not look like a lunge that you see in a workout class or during a training session, but the walking pattern is the exact same as a lunge. *mindblown* You actually probably already knew that but let's take a look at photos that show common problems in lunges. This could be you, but have no fear! This is why you are here so lets talk dysfunction and correction.
Funny story: I was talking to another trainer in the area who recently became a certified trainer. He mentioned that he recently started adding lunges back into his own personal routines. I thought, " hmm, that is odd. Why would he only recently be adding lunges back in?" So I asked. He said "it always hurt his knees or he was off balanced." Me being curious I asked a few more thought provoking questions to find out his knee pain. He was not sure. My guess is his lunge probably looked like one of those shown above.
Here are some common questions that I receive about our lunging pattern:
Why does it hurt my knees when I lunge?
Why do I feel off balanced?
Why do I walk so much easier than I do when I go into a lunge during a workout?
I hear these questions all the time when talking with a prospective client. There are a few different reasons for this. As mentioned back in my post about squatting, somewhere along the way we developed some kind of dysfunction that has changed or adapted our "walking" or lunge pattern. During a workout, when lunges have been added to your routine, the movement is slightly over exaggerated and deeper than when we walk. The reason for this is to lengthen and stretch the muscles so that they can be broken down and rebuilt stronger. Balance plays a huge role when it comes to the lunge pattern. Essentially you are trusting one foot to hold the majority of your weight during the movement. *How scary is that thought? Only one leg is doing the majority of the work. Hope you picked the right one*
Now building upon balance, most of our balance comes from our core. You know, the large section that runs from your shoulders down to your hips, the thing that connects all of your limbs together. Without a strong or stable core, our limbs become off balance. Your core is your center. It helps to establish your center of gravity. From here we could move into a lesson of physics, but I am no physicist. Anyway, if we put a focus on improving our core stability, our ability to lunge will significantly improve.
Stay tuned for my next post where I breakdown these common lunge dysfunctions and give you a few helpful tips. We will also answer those common questions to help give you a better understanding of how your legs function.
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