Side Lunge (Bodyweight)
The Bodyweight Side Lunge is a functional lower-body exercise that targets the quadriceps, glutes, and adductors by moving in the lateral plane. It improves hip mobility, balance, and leg strength without requiring any equipment.
While this is a bodyweight movement, AI coaching optimizes your results by tracking RPE and recovery data to ensure you aren't overtraining your adductors or hips. If you log knee discomfort, the app can instantly recommend regressions like the TRX Lateral Lunge to reduce joint load. Additionally, by analyzing your daily fatigue and HRV, the AI can adjust volume in real-time, suggesting fewer reps or a reduced range of motion on days when your recovery scores are low.
Form Cues
- Keep your chest lifted and spine neutral
- Hinge your hips back as you step out
- Keep the trailing leg completely straight
- Ensure both feet remain pointing forward
- Push firmly off the bent leg to return
- Don't let the heel of the lunging foot lift
- Don't round your lower back
- Don't bend the knee of the trailing leg
- Don't let your knee collapse inward past your toes
- Don't look down at the floor
Common Mistakes
- Bending the non-working leg
- Lifting the heel off the ground
- Rounding the back forward
- Knee caving inward (valgus collapse)
- Not sitting hips back enough
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the quadriceps and glutes while heavily engaging the adductors (inner thigh) to stabilize the lateral movement. It also recruits the hamstrings and core for balance, making it excellent for developing lower-body strength in the frontal plane.
Primary
Secondary
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