Setup & Positioning
"Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms extended in front of your chest. Brace your core and keep your posture upright."
Key point: “Think tall—your spine stays long while your legs and torso move under control.”
Execution (Bodyweight Version)
"Step forward into a lunge, lowering until both knees are about 90 degrees. As you stabilize at the bottom, rotate your torso toward the side of your front leg, keeping arms extended. Return your torso to center, push through the front heel, and step forward into the next lunge. Continue alternating legs."
Execution (Weighted Version)
- Medicine Ball / Dumbbell / Plate: Hold weight close to your chest or extended slightly in front of you. Perform the same lunge and twist, keeping movement slow and controlled.
- Overhead Variation: Hold a lighter weight overhead while twisting—this increases demand on core and shoulders.
- Anti-Rotation Challenge: Hold a single dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest and resist over-rotating as you twist.
Body Alignment Cues
- Head/Neck: Neutral, gaze forward.
- Shoulders: Stay stacked and level.
- Hips: Drop straight down, not forward.
- Knees: Track over the toes—avoid caving inward.
- Rotation: Twist from your torso, not your arms.
Where You Should Feel It
- Quads and glutes powering the lunge
- Core and obliques engaging during rotation
- Hip stabilizers working to maintain balance
Where You Shouldn’t Feel It
- Sharp knee pain (often from stepping too shallow or letting the knee collapse inward)
- Lower back strain from over-rotating
- Shoulder discomfort from holding weight improperly
Breathing
"Inhale as you step forward into the lunge, exhale as you twist and push back up to standing."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Letting the front knee drift far past the toes.
- Twisting only the arms instead of the torso.
- Losing posture—rounding shoulders or leaning forward.
- Rushing the movement without stabilizing at the bottom.
