Plyo Side Lunge Stretch

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, and core braced.
2. Hold your hands together at chest height or out in front for balance.
3. Ensure you have a wide, clear space to your left and right.

How to do it

1. Take a wide step to one side, shifting your weight onto that leg while keeping the other leg perfectly straight.
2. Inhale as you hinge at the hips and lower into a deep side lunge, keeping your chest up and back flat.
3. Exhale and explosively drive through the mid-foot of the bent leg to propel yourself back to the starting position.
4. Immediately transition into a lunge on the opposite side in one fluid, continuous motion.

Form checklist

• Keep the heel of the lunging foot glued to the floor throughout the movement.
• Ensure the knee of the working leg stays aligned with the toes and does not cave inward.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid rounding the lower back at the bottom of the stretch.
• Keep the stationary leg fully extended to maximize the stretch in the adductors.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pushing the floor away' as hard as possible to maximize the plyometric power of the return phase.
• Engage your obliques and core to prevent your torso from collapsing or rotating toward the lunging leg.

Make it harder

• Incorporate a 'skater jump' transition, leaping from one side directly into the lunge on the other side without a middle pause.
• Increase the speed of the eccentric lowering phase to challenge your muscles' ability to decelerate and stabilize.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the plyo side lunge stretch work?

The plyo side lunge stretch primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the plyo side lunge stretch?

The plyo side lunge stretch requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the plyo side lunge stretch good for beginners?

The plyo side lunge stretch is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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• Air Pillow Balance Counterbalanced Skater SquatAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps