Exercise #5

The next exercise I do in the “Bombshell Body Workout” series is described as “Lower Body Builder” I do each exercise in the series in three sets.

• This exercise targets all the major muscles of the lower body.
• Building these muscles helps balance the bulk of the upper body,
  giving you more feminine proportions.
• Grab the stick you used in your waist exercises and put it on your
  shoulders for balance.
• Lunge back with your left foot and lower your hips until both knees
  form 90 degree angles.
• With your right leg, pull yourself back to standing as you raise your
  left leg until the thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Balance on right leg for 1 second and repeat on other side.
• Contract gluteus and look straight ahead to help keep your balance 
• Do 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps.

This exercise is also known as a Barbell Lunge and has many variations,

1.This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack just below shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
2.Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
3.Step away from the rack and step forward with your right leg and squat down through your hips, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint. li>
4.Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
5.Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.

Caution: This is a movement that requires a great deal of balance so if you suffer from balance problems you may wish to either avoid it or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a fixed object. Definitely never perform with a barbell on your back if you suffer from balance issues.

Variations: There are several ways to perform the exercise.

Dumbbell Rear Lunge

1.Stand with your torso upright holding two dumbbells in your hands by your sides. This will be your starting position.
2.Step backward with your right leg around two feet or so from the left foot and lower your upper body down, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Tip: As in the other exercises, do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint. Make sure that you keep your front shin perpendicular to the ground. Keep the torso upright during the lunge; flexible hip flexors are important. A long lunge emphasizes the Gluteus Maximus; a short lunge emphasizes Quadriceps.
3.Push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale. Tip: Use the ball of your feet to push in order to accentuate the quadriceps. To focus on the gluteus, press with your heels.
4.Now repeat with the opposite leg.

Variations: There are several ways to perform the exercise. You can do what I call a static lunge where your starting position is with one of your feet already forward. In this case, you just go up and down from that starting position until you are done with the recommended amount of repetitions. Then you switch legs and do the same. A more challenging version is the walking lunges where you walk across the room but in a lunging fashion. For walking lunges the leg being left back has to be brought forward after the lunging action has happened in order to continue moving ahead. This version is reserved for the most advanced athletes.

Lunges can be performed with dumbbells as described above or with a barbell on the back, though the barbell variety is better suited for the advanced athletes who have mastered the exercise and no longer have balance issues.

1.One way is to alternate each leg. For instance do one repetition with the right, then the left, then the right and so on.
2.The other way is to do what I call a static lunge where your starting position is with one of your feet already forward. In this case, you just go up and down from that starting position until you are done with the recommended amount of repetitions. Then you switch legs and do the same.
3.A more challenging version is the walking lunges where you walk across the room but in a lunging fashion. For walking lunges the leg being left back has to be brought forward after the lunging action has happened in order to continue moving ahead. This version is reserved for the most advanced athletes.