Correct vs. Incorrect: Segment #2

Lunge/Split Squat Variations

By: Coach Kristen

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Let’s talk “CORRECT vs. INCORRECT” in the world of Sports Performance/ Strength and Conditioning/ Fitness in general; there are so many conflicting opinions, so many coaches who will argue for hours over correct vs. incorrect on almost every aspect from form to programming to everything in between. This is where I interrupt with my input – This week’s topic: lunges and their variations.

I am 100% so passionate when I say IM SO TIRED OF HEARING “Don’t let your knee pass your toes, your shin has to be vertical…blah blah blah.” YOUR KNEES CAN PASS YOUR TOES, as long as your heels are still on the floor and I will even go as far to say, as hovering if you are actively putting pressure there. ONE – range of motion is important... ankle mobility and strength in different positions is incredibly vital for athletes. How do you get stronger and gain mobility in your ankle? BY CHALLENGING its position.

Stacked Position with a Positive Shin Angle - Quad Driven

Stop telling your athletes to “take a bigger step” on their lunges or “move your front foot out farther” on their Bulgarian split squats or regular split squats. An athletes strongest and most mechanically correct position is when their core is stacked. What I mean by this is that you could draw a straight line from their shoulder to their hip and their hip to their knee on their back leg – their core is upright/ stacked/ and tight. The athlete is now using their quads as the driver of the movement, (which can really help your jumping athletes especially) when it comes to being stronger in those positions and preventing knee/tendon issues and pain. So, if your reasoning for having a vertical chin on your split stance exercises is because anything else is “bad for your knees”. I will challenge you all day…

NOW, taking a long step or lengthening your stance to get a vertical shin, CAN BE useful IF you are using the movement as a glute/hamstring dominant movement. WHATEVER your objective, making sure that you can draw a straight line from the shoulder joint to the hip joint is really important in terms of engaging the core and protecting the spine.

Shoulder to Hip in Line - Glute Driven

Perpendicular Shin

(Now there is a way to train knee over toe with a really long stance BUT these positions are advanced and should be consistently progressed.)

I’m specifically talking the “classic” ways of doing a lunge or split squat. I am a big advocate of the stacked, angled shin, quad driven split squat. – If you are using it as a posterior chain exercise – then that’s a different story. For me I would use different exercises to target that area but to each their own.

Also, as I will always say, what you do with an athlete will always depend on that athletes, ability, training age, limits, weaknesses, and individual characteristics. Be adaptable as a coach. That will be your greatest asset.