Leg strength exercise variations, progressions, regressions, and leg exercise myths: squats, step-ups, lunges, and more.

Leg Exercise Progressions

Start torching calories with this quick and easy video and learn how to do a wobble lunge! This quick and simple exercise targets your quads and core and will help you bust through any plateau.

Note, the form of this lunge and the potential progressions do not change for this variation; however, the addition of unstable loads is a large increase in difficulty.

Start with the client or patient assuming good standing form/posture:

2nd toe pointing forward and under the ASIS

Pelvis neutral (absence of anterior or posterior pelvic tilt)

Torso, scapula, and head in neutral alignment

Have the client or patient take a step back, with the intent that the front leg (target leg) will bear the load.

Note, before performing any progression of a reverse lunge, it is recommended a few reps of a static or dynamic lunge are performed to determine the step width that results in ideal alignment in the bottom position.

Cue the client or patient to maintain the tibia and torso angle parallel.

Once the client or patient has achieved the bottom position, have them perform the drawing-in maneuver, squeeze the glute of the target leg, and attempt to thrust that hip forward to attain the original standing position.

Have the client or patient perform a “form/posture check” and make any necessary adjustments.

Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

 Increasing load, unstable loads, or unstable surfaces.

 This exercise can be performed with the non-target foot returning to the starting position between repetitions, or the non-target foot can be elevated with 90 degrees of hip and knee flexion, with the intent to stabilize at the top of each repetition (in this variation the non-target-foot only touches the starting position at the beginning and end of a set).

 This exercise can be performed as a static lunge, a dynamic reverse lunge, a dynamic reverse lunge to balance, walking a lunge, a walking lunge to balance, a forward lunge, and a forward lunge to balance.

Wobble Lunge

Wobble Squat

Depth Jump

Box Jump

Tuck Jumps

Resisted Walking

Psoas Integration (Reverse Lunge to Resisted Triple Flexion)

Lateral Lunge with Front Rack Resistance

Single Leg Squat to Bilateral Cable Pull Down

Single Leg Touchdown with Anterior to Posterior Pull

Deadlift with Posterior Pull

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