Practicing the curtsy lunge can help grow your glutes, fight off muscle imbalances, and keep you injury-free.
Here’s how to do it with perfect form.
And while those moves will surely help your glutes grow, you shouldn’t overlook otherbutt-strengthening exercises.
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And that includes the curtsy lunge.
I would definitely call the curtsy lunge more of an intermediate to advanced move, she adds.
For a better understanding of what the curtsy lunge entails, watch Henry demonstrate the lower-body exercise below.
A.Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart, hands clasped in front of chest.
Engage core and draw shoulders down and back.
Left knee should be in line with or to the right of right foot.
Gently tap left knee to floor (optional).
And thats why the curtsy lunge can be beneficial.
And any slip-ups can compromise joint positioning and ultimately up your risk of injury.
Your glute medius is responsible for hip stability and hip neutrality when your feet are on the ground.
Modification: Reverse Lunge
Struggling to stay upright and balanced as you step your foot backward?
Id use a two- to four-inch platform, she advises.
This technique slip-up can put additional stress on your knees, she adds.
How far you lower into your lunge also matters.
That said, you definitely dont want to be resting the knee on the ground, says Henry.
When you [do that], youre taking out part ofthe muscular tensionthat youre building through the movement.
In turn, you may not get all the strength-building benefits the curtsy lunge has to offer.
And remember, bigger isn’t always better.
There’s no need to sweep it out far like you would during a round of speed skaters.
But even if you’re not a star athlete, the exercise is worth your while.
Its a more difficult movementandyou get a lot of bang for your buck.
