To engage your inner thighs during a walking lunge, "imagine you're driving your knee inside of a small space," says Henderson. "The wall on the inside is the inner thigh, the wall on the outside is the outer thigh. We're hugging them toward each other so that it keeps the placement of the knee." To scale down, try a forward lunge and return to standing rather than immediately stepping into your next rep.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointed forward, and shoulders rolled down and back. Hold a moderate-weight dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Engage your core by bracing as if someone is about to punch you in the gut.
- On an inhale, step your left leg forward, then bend your left knee to about a 90-degree angle, lowering your body toward the floor. Your right leg should simultaneously bend to about 90 degrees. Keep your chest lifted and core engaged, and try to keep your left knee stacked with your left ankle.
- On an exhale, press through all four corners of your left foot to rise up out of the lunge and bring your right foot to meet your left, placing your right toes on the ground and keeping your right heel lifted.
- On an inhale, step your right leg forward, then bend your right knee to a roughly 90-degree angle, lowering your body toward the floor. Your left leg should simultaneously bend to about 90 degrees. Keep your chest lifted and core engaged, and try to keep your right knee stacked with your right ankle.
- On an exhale, press through all four corners of your right foot to rise up out of the lunge and walk forward, bringing your left foot to meet your right, placing your left toes on the ground and keeping your left heel lifted. That's one rep.
Do 10 to 12 reps.
