What is a walking lunge?

Walking lunges are lunges done by alternating your stance as you walk across the floor via a lunging motion.  Most of us have done them at one point or another, but I'm betting most of us don't really know all the benefits they provide.

Breaking Down The Benefits of Walking Lunges

1. Better Balance

Walking lunges force you to work your balance, to become more in tune with your placement.  As you move through the exercise you are positioning the body over a stance that, if balance is not maintained, could cause you to lean to a side and fall out of step.  This maintaining of your positioning is working your balance consistently throughout the entirety of the exercise.

2. Repair Physical Imbalance

Your ability to simply balance is not the only symmetry being maintained in this exercise.  Walking lunges are one of the exercises used to fix imbalances in muscle development brought on by repetitive motion or previous exercise.  Overdevelopment of one side over the other can cause a lot of issues, but walking lunges make it possible to notice any under or over-development since you work your left and right sides separately.  

3. Improved Hip Mobility

Joint mobility is critical to your overall health, but when we think of hip mobility most people think of static stretching.  In reality, dynamic stretching and movement can be some of the best ways to maintain and improve hip mobility.  Walking lunges are one of those movements that greatly improve hip mobility and in turn hip function.

4. Strengthened Glutes

Squats are the most common go-to for getting the booty of your dreams.   However, lunges can be a great alternative to squats.  You get the booty benefits of squats while also benefiting from everything else on this list.

5. Stronger Core

When performing walking lunges we try to remember to engage our core, but trying not to engage it might be even harder.  We use our core to walk and balance, so not using your core for walking lunges would be near impossible.  This is why walking lunges make an excellent exercise to gain core strength in addition to glute and leg strength.

6. Cross Over With Other Activities

By nature, the walking lunge is far more functional than a lot of exercises.  It can cross over into improving many other activities, including running, walking, working on your feet, climbing, lifting with your legs, and more.

8 Lunge Variations