September Challenge: The Lunge

September is Lunge Month in Strength & Balance!

In August, we tried something new with our first monthly challenge: the plank. Throughout the month, we revisit the challenge exercise in each class, giving everyone a chance to practice the movement, explore different variations, and gradually increase the challenge.

So why repeat the same exercise throughout the month? As many of our members have been training with us for a while now, the monthly challenge creates more opportunities to build on that progress. Revisiting an exercise gives you time to get familiar with the movement, work on your form, and then see what else you can do with it. Instead of starting fresh every class, you get to build on what you did last time and see how the exercise changes as you get stronger and more comfortable with it.

Why Lunges?

Lunges are especially useful because they combine lower-body strength with balance and stability. Unlike exercises where both feet stay planted evenly, a lunge asks each leg to do more work independently while you control your body through the movement.

That matters outside the studio, too. Walking, climbing stairs, stepping over an obstacle, getting down to the ground, and catching yourself after an unexpected step all require you to shift your weight and rely on one leg at a time. That’s why you’ll regularly see exercises like lunges, step-ups, sliders, and other single-leg movements in Strength & Balance.

Your September Challenge

There isn’t just one way to lunge! Throughout September, we’ll explore different variations—including forward, reverse, and lateral lunges—as well as ways to adjust the movement to make it more accessible or more challenging.

Wherever you begin, the goal isn’t to perform the “hardest” version by the end of the month. It’s to find the right level of challenge for you and build from there. That might mean improving your range of motion, relying less on support, feeling steadier, adding resistance, or progressing to a new variation.

Pay attention to how your lunges feel at the beginning of September, and see what changes after a few weeks of practice. You may be surprised by just how much progress you can make in a month.

Here’s to a month of stronger legs, steadier steps, and lots of lunges!