The racked lunge not only lets you load more weight onto the movement, but it may also provide an additional challenge for your core — especially if you’re using two different size weights. You’ll know it when you feel it.
And, yes, you can use two different size weights for just about any exercise, and from time to time, you should do just that. Rarely in life do you pick up anything that’s perfectly even in weight. So it doesn’t need to be that way inside the gym either.
Here are the steps for the racked lunge:
Clean the weight into the rack position and assume your squatting stance.
Keep your stance approximately shoulder-width throughout the lunge to keep your balance.
Step back into a deep lunge.
You may plant your hind knee on the ground; just don’t bang it.
Push hard from both your front and hind legs to stand up out of the lunge.
Be sure to keep your back toes planted (not pointed) so you can push off the ball of your foot (rather than your instep) when lunging.
