Exercise movement reviewed by:Cody Lockling, MS, CSCS

How Iridium Programs This

Iridium programs this movement to target the glutes and adductors when your sub-muscle fatigue scores indicate the quadriceps need a break from standard sagittal plane loading. Since the resistance is internal, Iridium tracks your repetition performance relative to your current body weight to accurately calculate progressive overload. The AI monitors your RPE trends to ensure this accessory work contributes effectively to your volume landmarks without exceeding your lower body recovery capacity.

Form Cues

Keep your chest lifted and torso upright throughout the movement
Step your back foot diagonally behind your front leg
Ensure your front knee tracks directly over your toes
Keep your hips square to the front as much as possible
Drive through your front heel to return to the starting position

Don't

Don't let your front knee collapse inward past your big toe
Don't rotate your entire torso to the side
Don't slam your back knee into the ground
Don't round your upper back or shoulders
Don't take a step so shallow that you lose balance

Common Mistakes

Allowing the front knee to cave inward (valgus)
Twisting the pelvis instead of keeping it square
Taking a step that is too short or too wide
Rounding the spine forward
Relying too much on the back foot for balance

Muscles Worked

This exercise primarily targets the glutes and quadriceps, with a specific emphasis on the gluteus medius due to the cross-body angle of the lunge. It also heavily recruits the adductors (inner thighs) for stability and engages the core to maintain an upright torso during the lateral shift.