How to do a Lateral Lunge Stretch
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Lateral Lunge Stretch
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Lateral Lunge Stretch is a mobility exercise that targets your hip flexors, adductors (inner thighs), and hamstrings. By stepping to the side and lowering your hips, you can deeply stretch these muscle groups. This exercise helps to improve flexibility and range of motion in your lower body, making it a great addition to warm-ups or cooldowns.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Laterally step out to the side with your right leg as far as you can and plant your foot so that your toes are slightly angled outward.
- Keep your left leg straight as you bend your right knee overtop of your toes allowing your torso to lean slightly forward and your hips to be pressed backward.
- Press off of your right foot to return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite side.
Alternative Exercises to Lateral Lunge Stretch
1. Butterfly Stretch
3 mSCORESWAPPED 1,109 TIMESButterfly Stretch is an essential flexibility exercise that targets the inner thighs, groin, and lower back. By sitting upright with your feet together and knees bent outwards, you gently press your knees toward the ground. This stretch helps improve hip mobility and can alleviate tension in the lower back. It’s excellent for maintaining flexibility and reducing the risk of injury.
- Beginner
- Adductors
2. Side Lunge
79.4 mSCORESWAPPED 198 TIMESSide Lunge is a variation on the more standard Lunge. Similar to other Lunge variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your quadriceps. By stepping to the side instead of forward or backwards, you can further recruit smaller muscles around your hips like your Adductors (the muscle that brings your legs together).
- Beginner
- Quads
3. Frog Stretch
4.1 mSCORESWAPPED 174 TIMESFrog Stretch is an excellent exercise for improving hip mobility and flexibility. This stretch primarily targets the hip adductors and can help alleviate tightness in the groin and inner thigh areas. By positioning your knees wide apart and lowering your hips towards the ground, you can achieve a deep stretch that enhances your range of motion. This is particularly beneficial for those who perform a lot of squats or lunges, as it can help improve overall lower body mobility.
- Beginner
- Adductors
4. Fan Stretch
9.1 mSCORESWAPPED 131 TIMESFan Stretch is a flexibility exercise that targets the muscles in your legs and lower back. By slowly reaching forward and sweeping your arms in a fan-like motion, you can effectively stretch out these muscle groups. This is a great way to improve overall flexibility and mobility, especially for athletes who need a full range of motion in their lower body.
- Beginner
- Adductors
5. Standing Hip Adduction
61.4 mSCORESWAPPED 83 TIMESThis isolation exercise primarily targets the adductors. By targeting each side individually, you can more easily identify and address imbalances between sides. This exercise can help improve lower body strength and hip stability.
- Intermediate
- Adductors
6. Lateral Bound
61.9 mSCORESWAPPED 48 TIMESThis explosive plyometric exercise is a lateral variation of the bound. This exercise can help improve lateral explosiveness, lower body strength, and balance. This exercise primarily targets the lower body muscles.
- Beginner
- Adductors
7. Cable Hip Adduction
41.6 mSCORESWAPPED 35 TIMESThis exercise is a cable variation of Standing Hip Adduction. The use of a cable machine allows for greater resistance as well as giving you more control over the exact direction your resistance is coming from. This exercise can help improve lower body strength and hip stability.
- Beginner
- Adductors
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
8. Machine Hip Adductor
96.9 mSCORESWAPPED 35 TIMESAn isolation exercise targeting the adductors. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and forces you to move the weight along a set path. This helps add stability to the movement allowing you to focus your efforts on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Adductors
- Thigh Adductor Machine
9. TRX Lateral Lunge
54.7 mSCORESWAPPED 34 TIMESEnhancing lower body strength and mobility, the TRX Lateral Lunge specifically targets the glutes, quadriceps, and inner thighs. The lateral movement, supported by TRX straps, allows for a greater range of motion and stability, making it an effective exercise for improving functional movements and lower body strength.
10. Loop Band Standing Hip Adduction
50.7 mSCORESWAPPED 33 TIMESThis exercise is a loop band variation of the Standing Hip Adduction. The loop band allows for greater resistance than the bodyweight variation. This exercise primarily targets the adductors, and is an effective way to help improve lower body strength and hip stability.
- Beginner
- Adductors
- Loop Bands