When it comes to injured or cranky knees, let’s not put the cart before the horse. “Work through the pain” is insanity. Fix yourself before resuming exercising via utilizing the RICE method: rest, ice, compression, elevation. Avoid stressing the knees while sitting (extend your legs rather than fold them). Never lock your knees, as most people do while standing. Do not make your knees do the stabilizing work for which your leg muscles are intended.
When you’re ready to get back to doing your lunges, stretch slowly and gradually for a good ten minutes before initiating the first lunge. Do not allow your knee to go forward of your foot.
Stationary Lunges In Place are an amazing butt/hamstring/ quad exercise: Here’s an illustrative example on YouTube:
I do it a bit differently. I get into a lunge position—others might first try a dry run without weights—with my bent knee not extending further forward than my foot. From this position I push upward and backward at the same time, using my heel rather than my sole to power up/ascend. I squeeze my butt hard at the apex of the movement. Then without pausing or un-flexing, I lower myself again to starting position placing all the stress on my heel rather than the entire foot. Then I repeat. I perform as many as I can. Not too many people can do this stationary lunge like this trainer in the video is doing without losing balance, so I hold a single dumbbell in one hand and perform it alongside a bench so that I can steady myself with my free hand as needed.
Pain is your body’s way of saying “stop.”
I decided that I was going to add lunges into my workout every week. I did 2 sets of 30 walking lunges carrying 15 pound weights. At the end I had the desired results, my legs were like rubber. What I didn't realize however is that I also pulled a muscle in my back pretty severely and am just now able to stand without pain. Something in my step was out of alignment. Maybe the stationary lunge is safer in terms of keeping your body in proper alignment.
ReplyDeleteYou make a really good point. Most likely in trying to maintain your balance as you performed walking lunges you naturally over-corrected - and that's how you pulled your back. The video shows unassisted stationary lunges which personally I find really difficult. I agree that improving our balance is essential, but not at the cost of a wrenched back, knee or something else, so that's why I hacked the exercise in the video: I do it holding a single dumbbell in only ONE hand, leaving the other hand free to steady myself on a bench I keep alongside myself as needed. Thanks for the input Duuuude.
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