Static Lunge

The act of lunging is not only a Primal Pattern® movement, it is a common part of many compound movements performed on the field and off. The static lunge is the most basic form of lunging, and if there is difficulty performing it, multi-directional lunges or any lunges under load or against external forces will prove inefficient and potentially dangerous.

The movement is performed shoeless so we can see how the ankle and arch responds without support or orthotics.

Back to the Static Lunge test. The platform being stood upon has measurements built in. You should be able to lower the back knee vertically within the space measured from the floor to the bottom of the knee while keeping the front heel down, your upper torso erect or vertical and maintaining three points of contact with the dowel .

The dowel is held behind the back and should remain in contact with three points, between the glutes, between the shoulder blades and the back of the head throughout the movement. The top hand matches the back leg to maximize the stretch placed upon the quads and hip flexors. You do know that the latissimus doors muscle is the only muscle that directly attaches the arm to the pelvis. Tight lats can have a detrimental impact on movement and control of the hip. In this instance, the head and upper back remained in contact but the glutes did not. This offers information different from if it were the head that pulled away. There are many opportunities for compensation It is important to know what to look for and how to interpret it.

A surprising number of individuals will have difficulty, especially considering the feet are placed in line with each other, not side to side. This can really throw off lateral stability.

If this test is performed with flying colors, it can always be progressed to multi-directional lunging. Adding weight will not offer any major insights. If this proves challenging, you have your starting point to progress from along with information as to what needs to be corrected.