8/6/2019 Charles Poliquin - Don’t Forget the Lunges

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Tip 134: Don¶t Forget the Lunges - Train with Jump and Walking Lunges To Protect Your

Hamstrings and Get Faster

Charles Poliquin

Lunges are crucial to counteract muscle imbalances and avoid injury. Research shows that

they also help develop sprint speed and provide the ideal ratio of muscle activation betweentwo commonly unbalanced quad muscles. With an array of lunging options (forward, reverse,

rear-foot elevated, jumping, static«), it¶s critical to train the right type to match your goals.

A study using junior soccer players compared walking lunges, jumping lunges, and a control

group. The walking forward lunge group improved hamstring strength by 35 percent after six

weeks. Researchers note this surprisingly large strength development was likely due to the

young age of the participants²the commonly used Nordic eccentric hamstring exercise has

yielded strength increases of 11 percent in a previous study of older participants.

The jumping lunge group also increased hamstring strength but the increase was not

statistically significant. Both groups improved 30-meter sprint speed: the jumping lunge

group got significantly faster (by 2 percent), while the walking lunge group did improvespeed, but not significantly.

Take note that if you add walking and jumping lunges to your program, the eccentric nature of  both exercises will probably result in considerable delayed onset muscle soreness and fatigue

after training.

Another benefit of lunge training is that they develop structural balance in the quad and can

decrease patellofemoral pain. A study from the University of Plymouth, England, found that

static lunges (also called split squats) require the optimal ratio of muscle activation between

the vastus medialis oblique and the vastus lateralis, the two principle muscles that stabilize the

 patella during knee extension. Be aware that imbalances among the quad muscles can lead to

the patella tracking incorrectly, which creates pain and degeneration of irreplaceable cartilage.Static lunges can be used for beginning trainees, to protect the knees, or as a warm up exercise

for the more advanced walking and jumping lunges.

Read more about adding lunges to your program or using them for rehabilitation with TheValue of Spit Squats. 

 References: Jonhagen, S., Achermann, P., Saartok, Tonu. Forward Lunge: A Training Study of Eccentric

Exercises of the Lower Limbs. Journal of Strength and Conditioning . 2009. 23(3), 972-978.

Irish, S., Millward, A., Wride, J., Haas, B., Shum, G. The Effect of Closed-Kinetic chainExercises and Open-Kinetic Chain Exercise on the Muscle Activity of Vastus Medialis

Oblique and Vastus Lateralis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning . 2010. 24(5), 1256-1262.