Lion Lunge

  • Strengthens legs (quadriceps and glutes)
  • Improves pelvic stability
  • Assists with balance walking (flat, incline, decline) and climbing up/down stairs or uneven surfaces safely
  • Helps children ‘use up’ excess energy by doing a physically demanding exercise
HANDOUT
PRACTISE JOURNAL
TECHNIQUE VIDEO

Uses

  • Do the Lion Lunge to transition between rooms or activities (at home or in the classroom), for an ‘on-the-move’ brain break

Instructions

  1. Start standing, with your feet hip width apart
  2. Take a long step forwards with your left foot, lifting your back heel off the floor
  3. Bend your knees to lower your back knee almost to the floor
  4. Push your feet into the floor and straighten your knees, to push yourself back up 
  5. Step your front foot back and switch legs
Child_boy_lion_lunge_1

Watch Points

  • Bending both knees (to achieve right angles in both knees)
  • Pelvis (hip bones) facing straight forward
  • Body upright (not bending forward)
  • Feet kept hip-width apart (i.e. like stepping forward/back with feet on either side of a train-track)
  • Front knee behind the front toes. To achieve this: take a large step forward, and keep your weight balanced on both the front and back foot.

Standing:

  • Step forward and then back again, without lungeing down. Focus on your balance and keeping your hips level.
  • Take a long step forwards with one foot, lifting your back heel off the floor.  Keep your feet glued to the floor while you lunge down and up 5 times.  Step your front foot back and repeat on the other leg.  

Seated:

  • Lift one leg off your chair, hold for 3 seconds, then lower. Switch legs and keep repeating.

Progress Tracker

  • How many lion lunges can you do in a row with your left foot forward?
  • How many with your right foot?