Exercises don’t need to have a singular focus. Take the 180-degree jumping lunge, for example. By combining the lunge (a move that strengthens your quads, glutes and hamstrings) with a vertical jump (an excellent exercise for building raw lower-body power), you double up on the benefits. And that’s exactly why two-in-one moves, like this one here, should be in your training arsenal.
In addition to developing power and strength, exploding up from a lunge and then rotating 180 degrees also challenges your balance and coordination, which will carry over to everything from lifts like the squat to your weekly game of basketball with the boys.
It’s easy to work these lunges into your program, too. Wear a heavy weight vest and make them the first move of your routine, superset them with a heavy squat exercise to bolster your power output, or end your leg day with them for a brutal finisher.
Any way you spin it (pun intended), there’s no reason not to give these a go.
How to: 180-degree Jumping Lunge
Start in a lunge, with your front leg parallel to ground.
Explosively jump up and rotate 180 degrees, switching your legs in midair so that you land in a lunge with the opposite leg facing forward. That’s one rep.
