Keeping balance while lunging

Do you engage your core? If you don't, I suggest you start as it will help with the balance. Also taking a wider stance will help, as you progress and improve your balance you can shorten the stance.

Engaging the core is good advice. Also, you may be trying to go too fast. Slow down and focus on your form and balance. This actually makes for more effective results as well. If you are still having issues, try holding the back of a chair for balance. Are you using weights?

Rear step lunges should allow you to have better balance. Keep working both to improve.

I struggled FOREVER with balance on lunges and eventually decided it wasn't worth it. Now I do squats and weighted step-ups instead. Do you have to do lunges?

jbee27 wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

Hold onto a chair or table as a start. Then work to hold onto it less and eventually not at all.

Also, you might want to try split squats at first. Not Bulgarian splits squats (back foot elevated.) Just regular split squats. Do them without dumbbells. Taking the lunge motion out allows you to focus on the balance needed going down and back up. Once you've mastered that, add back in the lunge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHa6aCpFndo

I think this is actually the more accurate name for the move they have you do in Body pump classes. Sorry, should have been more specific. I teeter all over the place, and I feel like I'm never getting very far down. also trying to focus on making sure I'm not tipping forward (I know that knee past ankle is bad).

I would say just slow down. I've never gone to Bodypump but is the idea that you're doing this to a certain beat? I'd say ignore that and go at your own pace. People tend to try to do a movement faster when their balance is bad because it means getting it over with quicker. The better thing is to slow down and be deliberate. I do split squats like the above on one of my leg days. I always have to start with a set with no weight just to kind of get in the groove of doing them. I'm not at the point yet where they feel really natural. (Not sure if that makes you feel any better but I thought I'd mention it )

If you're doing stationary lunges, make sure your feet stay at approximately hip width. Some people step back and put one foot directly behind the other, which is unstable. If you imagine a line on the floor directly beneath you, you'd want one foot on either side of the line (as they would be if you were standing with your feet at hip width), NOT with both feet on the line.

I have balance issues (inner ear problems) so yes, slowing down, lighter weights and practice helps. I've gotten much better than when I first started, but I still have to focus and sometimes still lose my balance on alternating leg lunges, mainly stepping backwards. But, I just use lighter weights and focus on my form in the mirror.

I find single leg deadlifts to be helpful for balance. A different movement entirely, but you just asked about balance. This is a nice progression for learning the movement since you may not be able to do the final version right off the bat (I couldn't).

It was an idea that made all the difference in the world for me with a bit of patience.