One Leg at a Time: Why Lunges Matter More Than You Think

The third movement on my list is one people love to skip: the lunge. A lunge is simply dropping a knee in the middle of a step — to pick something up, step under something, or keep your body low to the ground. It looks basic. It is not.

Try this quick test: do a lunge with each leg. Is one side noticeably harder than the other? Did you need to grab something nearby, or push off the ground with your hands to stand back up? Those are all signs your legs are compensating for each other instead of working independently — and that independence is exactly what keeps stairs, uneven ground, and getting up off the floor from becoming problems later in life.

The cue that fixes most people's form: when your back knee touches (or nearly touches) the ground, your ankles, knees, and hips should all form roughly right angles. To stand, press firmly through your front heel and squeeze the front glute and hamstring — don't let momentum do the work.

Start with 10 lunges per leg every morning and add reps or variations as it gets easier. Give it a couple of months and you'll notice something specific: you'll stop thinking about stairs. For the full case for lunges, and how they fit into the broader program, check out the Lunge page.