Curtsy Lunge

Also known as: Curtsy Squat, Curtsey Lunge, Crossover Lunge

StrengthBalanceFunctional

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Body Part: Glutes

Description

A bodyweight lunge in which one leg steps diagonally behind the other, as in a curtsy, and you lower until the back knee is close to the floor. It works the quads and glutes of the front leg, and the outer hip works harder than in a regular rear lunge to keep the knee and pelvis in line.

How to Perform

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands clasped in front of your chest.
Brace your core and shift your weight onto one leg. This leg stays planted for the whole set.
Step the other leg diagonally back behind the standing leg, as in a curtsy, and land on the ball of that foot.
Bend both knees and lower until the back knee is just above the floor. Keep most of your weight on the front foot.
Keep your chest up, your hips facing forward and the front knee in line with your toes.
Drive through the front foot to stand up and bring the back leg forward without setting it down.
Go straight into the next rep. Finish all reps on one leg, then switch sides.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Lean your torso slightly forward from the hips. It puts more of the work into the glute of the front leg.
Look at a fixed point in front of you. It makes balancing on one leg between reps easier.
Take about 2 seconds to lower and pause briefly with the back knee just above the floor.
Squeeze the glute of the front leg as you stand up and finish fully upright before the next rep.
If you lose balance, touch the free foot down beside the standing foot between reps or rest one hand on a wall.
When 15 slow reps per leg feel easy, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest.

Common Mistakes

Letting the front knee cave inward as you lower
Stepping straight back, which turns the movement into a regular rear lunge
Crossing the back foot so far past the front foot that you lose balance
Turning the shoulders and hips toward the back leg instead of keeping them facing forward
Lifting the front heel and shifting the weight onto the toes
Pushing off the back foot to stand up instead of driving through the front leg
Rounding the back and dropping the chest toward the front thigh