You might not think much about your balance until you get older and notice one day you’re slightly wobbly on your feet, but it’s an integral part of staying independent and aging well. More than one in four adults aged 65 and older falls each year, making falls the leading cause of injury and injury-related death in this age group. Strength training can help you stay on your feet as you age, but certain exercises also address skills like coordination and ability to react when you lose your footing. Take the lunge, for instance.
“Lunges not only build strength in the muscles you need to get up and down from the floor carefully, but they also improve balance,” says Adam Dobrez, personal trainer and owner of Red Fox Gym. “Better balance also makes you less likely to fall. With increased muscle volume, you can protect yourself during a fall to prevent injury and get back up when you need to.”
Lunges also challenge the tendons and ligaments around your hips, knees, and ankles while requiring you to control your body as you step forward and return to standing. Over time, this helps build the strength and stability needed to manage everything from climbing stairs to catching yourself after a misstep.
“Most falls happen when balance is lost, and the legs aren’t strong enough or fast enough to get a foot under the body in time,” says Peter Hoffman, personal trainer and founder of Platinum Gym Design. “The lunge trains exactly that moment. You step out, absorb your own momentum, and stand back up. That builds the quads and the small stabilizers in the ankle that position your foot, and it teaches your nervous system to catch you before you think about it.”
Both trainers recommend performing lunges three times a week for best results. Start with three sets of eight reps using just your body weight, focusing on control and form. For modifications, feel free to adjust the range of motion or hold on to a wall for support. As you become more comfortable with the movement, you can add weights to increase the challenge.
How to Do Lunges
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and step forward with one foot, lowering until both knees bend to about 90 degrees.
- Push through your front foot to return to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
Experts
- Adam Dobrez, personal trainer and owner of Red Fox Gym
- Peter Hoffman, personal trainer and founder of Platinum Gym Design
