30-Day Lunge Challenge || Monthly Workout Calendar

Are you looking to tone and tighten your rear and legs just in time for shorts and swimsuit season? You’re looking in the right place, because this month we are offering a free 30-Day Lunge Challenge! Lunges are a great exercise to strengthen and shape your lower body. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned lunger, this workout calendar will be beneficial to you in many ways and can be modified to suit your individual fitness level. Finish all 30 days and your butt and legs will be looking better than ever!

The Exercises:

Obviously, this is a lunge challenge, so the fact that we are doing lunges is a no-brainer! But, do you know how many different kinds of lunges there really are? We could fill an entire monthly workout calendar with a different type of lunge for every day! This time around, we are going to stick with 5 types of lunges:  the basic forward lunge, reverse lunge, lunge kicks, side lunges and jumping lunges. You don’t need any special equipment or workout gear -these lunges can be done anywhere, using your own body weight, so that means NO EXCUSES! Lunges boast a whole range of benefits; they improve balance, strengthen muscles, enhance core stability, and help you gain hip flexibility. LET’S LUNGE!

Forward lunge: Start by standing with your feet together, shoulders back, and core tight. <—- Always keep your core engaged! Lift your right leg off the ground and take a big step forward. Lower your body toward the ground until your right upper thigh is parallel to the floor and your right knee forms about a 90-degree angle. Straighten up by pushing through your right heel to return to stand. Repeat with left leg.

Reverse lunge:  These lunges place less strain on your knees than your standard forward lunge. Start by standing tall with your hands at your hips. Take a large, controlled step backward with your right foot. Lower your hips to the floor until your front (left) knee forms a 90-degree angle. Engage your glutes and push up through the heel of your front foot to return to standing. Repeat with other leg.

Lunge kicks: See forward lunge above, but instead of returning to a standing position right away, kick your back leg up at an imaginary target. Picture your mother-in-law annoying co-worker. Return to standing position and repeat on other leg.

Side lunges: Stand upright with your feet together. Take a large step out with your right leg, engage your glutes, keep your back straight, and lower your hips towards the floor, being careful to not let your knees extend beyond your toes. Your left leg should remain fairly straight. Push through your heel to return to a standing position. Repeat with left leg.

Jumping Lunges: Begin with the standard forward lunge, with front leg at a 90 degree angle in the squat position and back leg behind you. Squat body explosively up into a jump. Switch your feet in the air, moving back leg in front, and front leg in back.
From that position, go straight into lunge with opposite legs. Keep chest and torso upright and engaged throughout entire movement. If you have weak knees, it’s probably best to avoid jumping lunges until you build your strength.

Remember, good form is the key to getting the most out of each lunge, as well as preventing any injury. Don’t let your knees push out in front of your ankles. Engage your core throughout the exercise. Focus on the quality of each and every rep -not the quantity! It’s better to do 10 perfect-form lunges than 20 crappy-form lunges! If you feel pain at any time, stop! If this lunge workout isn’t for you, we have dozens of other 30-Day Challenges you can try!

Modifications:

To make the lunges more intense:

• Hold dumbbells in each hand during your workout.
• Hold an exercise/medicine ball out in front of your chest.

To make the lunges less intense, or if you have knee problems:

• Hold on to a wall or chair for balance. This will help you really focus on good form.
• Use a smaller range of motion. Maybe you can only lower down halfway -that’s okay! You will still see benefits!
• Split the total reps up throughout your day. You don’t have to do them all at once. 10 in the morning, 10 at lunch, 10 before bed… you get the idea.

Watch the video below for a full demonstration on each type of lunge.

Eating Right:

Along with our 30-Day Lunge Challenge, we are also starting a Whole30 eating challenge. Cut the crap out of your diet and you will look and feel so much better! Plus, you will have a great group of people supporting you along the way! The Whole30 challenge will begin on June 1st, but feel free to jump in anytime! We will be sharing healthy, clean recipes and a mega-dose of motivation in our closed challenge group! Click here for all the details!

 

The Monthly Workout Calendar:

The total number listed on the calendar is for EACH leg. You can pick one type of lunge and stick with it for all 30 days, or you can get a little crazy and mix it up! My suggestion would be to do assign a different lunge to each day, like this:

Monday: Forward
Tuesday: Side
Wednesday: Lunge Kick
Thursday: Reverse
Friday: Jumping Lunge
Saturday: Your Choice
Sunday: Rest

We have an entire library of 30-Day Fitness Challenges for you! All fantastic, all free!

Stay Connected:

We’ve started a Facebook page solely devoted to our Fitness Challenges! We will have daily check-ins and plenty of motivation!

Like our 30-Day Fitness Challenge Facebook Page!

Of course, we still have our tried-and-true Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans page for daily motivation, helpful tips and advice, weight loss support, and healthy recipes.

Add this calendar to your Google Calendar!

You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletter -new challenges, inspiration, delicious recipes and more, delivered straight to your inbox!

For best results, use this fitness calendar in conjunction with your regular workout and eat a healthy diet. Please consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine.