The Lunge

Another well-known exercise for firming and toning the muscles of your legs and butt is the lunge. Your feet should be positioned shoulder width apart at the same time the feet should be pointed straight ahead. Use a pair of dumbbells or a barbell (if you want to first learn the right movement without the dumbbells), with knees bent so that your back won’t be strained. To start with the exercise, place one foot forward, making sure to keep the forward leg at the center above the ankle. It is vital not to place your knee beyond your toes or extreme tension will be placed on the tendons on your knee. To keep the balance, your heel should be the one to push off and not your toes. When positioning back at the beginning, concentrate on leveling your knee and hip.

Concentrate on your front leg even if there is tension in the back leg. Keep in mind that the back leg is the balancer while the front leg is the primary mover. It is much better to focus working one leg as to alternating between the two legs.