Squats and lunges are the bread and butter of bodyweight lower-body training.
But that doesn’t mean they go down as easily as well, bread and butter! If your balance, strength, or other limitations are holding you back on these exercises, there’s a simple technique that can make them far easier and more effective.
Ready? Here it is: Just hold onto something!
No, to be clear, this isn’t cheating. In fact, it might make the exercise better! You’ll be able to get lower, do more reps, and accomplish more overall work. What’s the downside? Really, there isn’t one.
Variation 1: Supported Squat
Ever feel like your squat just doesn’t look or feel right? Holding onto something can make it instantly cleaner and stronger. It can be anything that can hold your weight: a beam, a hefty chair or table, or suspension straps hanging from a doorway.
Use in place of: bodyweight squats, squat pulse, jump squats
Variation 2: Supported Reverse Lunge
For many people, it isn’t strength that holds them back from being able to do single-leg exercises like split squats or lunges. It’s balance!
If that sounds familiar, you need to know this: It’s absolutely OK to support yourself during these movements. Doing so will allow you to perform each rep with better form and, in many cases, less potential of joint pain.
Use in place of: forward lunges, reverse lunges, jump lunges
Variation 3: Supported Split Squat
The split squat is like the lunge’s sibling movement, offering lots of benefits… and a couple of drawbacks. Namely, that whole BALANCE thing again, and the potential for some people to feel knee pain. Luckily, the solution is also the same: hold onto something!
The only downside to supported split squats? Having better technique also means your muscles will be on fire! Sorry, not sorry…
Use in place of: split squat, lunge pulse
Never run out of exercise options!
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