Move of the Week: Crossover Lunge

Move of the Week: Crossover Lunge
The crossover lunge is great for balance, coordination, moderate flexibility, and developing nice looking legs. (Henry Chan/The Epoch Times, Space Courtesy of Fitness Results)
4/1/2009
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Crossoverlunge2.jpg" alt="The crossover lunge is great for balance, coordination, moderate flexibility, and developing nice looking legs.  (Henry Chan/The Epoch Times, Space Courtesy of Fitness Results)" title="The crossover lunge is great for balance, coordination, moderate flexibility, and developing nice looking legs.  (Henry Chan/The Epoch Times, Space Courtesy of Fitness Results)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1829125"/></a>
The crossover lunge is great for balance, coordination, moderate flexibility, and developing nice looking legs.  (Henry Chan/The Epoch Times, Space Courtesy of Fitness Results)
Most of us are familiar with lunges and squats. It is relatively easy to concentrate on these straightforward exercises, but we must be sure to incorporate exercise movements that bring us across our center lines and out of the straight forward planes of movement. After all, we don’t just spend our days moving from sitting to standing without ever stepping off to the side to reach for something, or lunge across ourselves to quickly change directions or catch ourselves from falling.

You commonly spot a crossover lunge on a hockey rink. Those players have to build speed while turning. If you watch them carefully, you will see the crossover lunge movement pattern frequently.
 
Another athlete who must often utilize the crossover lunge is an offensive lineman. In order for them to effectively stall the defense, they often lunge across one foot in order to provide extra support in blocking the defense as the ball carrier rushes past.

Instructions:


1. Stand with feet parallel to each other and shoulder-width apart.
2. Step your right foot over your left and lunge as far to the left as you can. Depending on your body, you can keep both feet pointed forward or land your right foot at a 45-degree angle. If you land at the 45-degree angle, you will feel less pressure on your knees.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat the action to the right. This completes one repetition.
4. Perform two to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between each set.
5. Optional: Hold a pair of dumbbells to make this more challenging.

Primary Muscle Group: Hamstrings and glutes

Secondary Muscle Group: Calves, inner thighs, quadriceps

Crossover lunges are very good for balance, coordination, and moderate flexibility.

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