Stretch of the Week: Bosu® Ball Lunge

For the month of May we are adding a stability component to our weekly stretch. This month we will be using a Bosu® Ball! If you don’t have one available, you can still do all of these stretches without one. The Bosu® Ball will just be adding a bit of core strength to the stretches.

The first week is a Bosu® Ball Lunge Stretch. If you have knee problems or difficulty getting up and down from the floor please skip this week.

How to perform:

1. Place the Bosu® Ball with the flat side on the floor. To help your balance, place the Bosu® Ball near a wall so you can use it for stability if needed. With the right foot in front of the Bosu® Ball, place your left knee on the middle of the dome. Make sure your right foot is slightly to the right of the back knee so your knees aren’t lined up directly. This positioning will help your balance.

2. Using the wall for support, scoot the right foot forward until the ankle is under the right knee as shown in the top photo marked “simple lunge.” From here, draw your belly to the spine to activate your core. Keep hanging onto the wall for support unless you feel very stable here. The left foot is right behind the left knee, and toes are curled under to help support your balance. Reach the crown of your head to the sky to keep the spine tall and long. Do not hunch forward.

3. If you find this position easy and want more stretch, then move on to the advanced lunge. Bend your left knee, then reach back with your left hand to grab the foot and bring it toward the left hip (shown in the bottom photo). Again engage all muscles as above for stability. If you feel stable enough you can place your right hand on your right thigh and not at the wall. This will increase the use of your core muscles.

*If you don’t have a Bosu® Ball then place a blanket under your back knee to cushion it and perform the stretch the same way. It will still challenge your core.

4. Stay in either position for 30-60 seconds. Then slowly rise back up, turn around, and perform the same stretch on the right side.

Interested in learning more? Email me at rachel.lackowski@athletico.com

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