Drills › Lunge
General · Level 1
Lunge Drills
Free
7 teaching drills for Lunge — the progression to take an athlete from first attempt to clean and consistent.
Learning it — First exposures — slow, spotted, full support.
Lunge Position Check (5 Points)
Teach the lunge as 5 checkpoints: (1) front knee directly above front ankle, (2) front thigh parallel to floor, (3) back leg completely straight, (4) hips square (not rotated), (5) arms by ears. Check each point individually. The lunge is the entry and exit for almost every floor skill — a sloppy lunge means a sloppy skill.
Look for: Front knee over ankle · back leg straight · arms by ears — this is how every skill starts and ends
Lunge Walk (Dynamic Lunge Control)
Gymnast lunge-walks across the floor — each step arrives in a held lunge for 2 seconds before the next step. 3 lengths. Builds the dynamic hip control for lunge positions that occur mid-skill (cartwheel landing, front walkover exit, round-off entry).
Look for: Front knee over ankle · back leg straight · arms by ears — this is how every skill starts and ends
Lunge → Cartwheel → Lunge (Full Application)
Start in lunge → cartwheel → finish in lunge on the opposite side. 8 reps per direction. The lunge must be available as both an entry and exit for every skill. Practicing the cartwheel from lunge to lunge installs this pattern from the very first session.
Look for: Front knee over ankle · back leg straight · arms by ears — this is how every skill starts and ends
Building it — Reps and consistency once the shape is owned.
Lunge Hold (Front Leg Strength)
Deep lunge — hold 30 seconds. 3x per side. The lunge requires significant quad strength in the front leg and hip flexor length in the back leg. Both are built simultaneously in the hold. A gymnast who cannot hold a lunge for 30 seconds does not have the leg strength for clean cartwheel and walkover landings.
Hip Flexor Lunge Stretch (Back Leg Length)
Deep lunge, back knee on floor, press hip forward gently. Hold 30 seconds. 3x per side. The straight back leg in a competition lunge requires hip flexor flexibility — without it, the back leg always bends. Stretch daily.
Arms-by-Ears Overhead Press (Lunge Top)
In a lunge position, gymnast raises arms overhead and presses them firmly against ears. Hold 10 seconds. 3x. The lunge in competition always has arms pressed to ears overhead — building the shoulder flexibility and muscle memory for this position in the lunge specifically, not just in isolation.
Polishing it — Competition-ready cleanup and connections.
Perform the Lunge independently
Athlete performs the full Lunge on their own — spot only as needed. Goal: consistent, confident, competition-ready execution with the cue: "Front knee over ankle · back leg straight · arms by ears — this is how every skill starts and ends."
Look for: Front knee over ankle · back leg straight · arms by ears — this is how every skill starts and ends
Don't just read it — coach it.
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