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When people say the word lunge at the gym, it's usually met with groans. It may not be your favorite exercise, but if there's one move that can really jump-start your weight loss efforts and target your legs and butt, it's the lunge. But before you start just lunging around all over the place, there are some variations to this great move that you'll want to try for faster results.
Curtsy Lunge
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Don't you just love it when a muscle-crunching move like a lunge is given a cute name like curtsy? Of course! You can try to smile as you grit your teeth through these reps, but it's better that you just focus on the form to ensure you get the best results. According to Kendall Wood, CSCS and co-author of Core Fitness Solution, "You'll get a lot more out of this move if you do it slowly and make sure of precise body alignment — your thighs should cross and your knees should bend, but don't lean forward so that your knee isn't in line with your ankle."
How to Do It:
Start from standing, and step your left leg behind you and to the right so your thighs cross, bending both knees as if you were curtsying. Make sure your front knee is aligned with your front ankle.
Return to standing, and switch sides to complete one rep.
Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
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Reverse Lunge With a Twist
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This one almost sounds like a cocktail, doesn't it? One look at this move and it doesn't seem that difficult and you'd be right. It's not the hardest move, but if done correctly, it can be a move that'll help you reshape your lower body in less time than you'd think. "It works your legs like any lunge, but it also targets your core," Wood told us. How to Do It:
Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Hold a five- to 10-pound medicine ball with both hands with your arms outstretched in front of you. You can do the move without the weight if it's too difficult.
Keep your core stable, and take a large step back with your right foot, planting your foot and then lowering your body until both legs are bent in right angles.
As you sink into the lunge, twist your torso to the left.
Bring your torso back to center, and exhale as you straighten your legs. Bring your feet back together, and then step back on your left leg, twisting to the right.
This completes one rep. Do 10 reps for a set, and do at least two sets.
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Glider Side Lunge
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Who wouldn't want to look graceful when they're in the gym training? Unfortunately, this move won't make you look like you can glide like a princess or an athlete while you're doing it, but it will definitely be the building block to honing your best body ever, specifically your inner thighs!
How to Do It:
Stand with your feet a few inches apart, with your right foot on the plastic lid, glider disc, or paper plate. Make a fist with one hand and cup your other hand over it. Keep your hands in front of your chest throughout the exercise to help you stay balanced.
Put weight into your left leg, and as you slowly bend your left knee and squat down, slide your right foot out to the side. Then as you slowly straighten your leg, slide the right foot back in. Most of your weight remains in the leg that's not moving. "You're not relying on your front leg to brace your lunging motion in this exercise, so take it slow," Wood told us.
