Fitness Advice for a Healthy Lifestyle

Proper Lifting Techniques For Squats and Lunges

drawn with squat

There are proper lifting techniques for Squats and Lunges that will NOT hurt your knees! So many times I see people in the gym trying to do a squat or lunge and their form is horrendous. It’s no wonder everyone has knee issues when they get older.


I like to start teaching proper lifting techniques for squats and lunges using the stability ball. That way, they can get a feel, for the way a squat or lunge should be.

  • Take the ball and place it in your lower back as you lean against a wall.

    • squatting with ball

  • Feet are hip width apart, toes face forward.
  • Slowly lower yourself down the wall (ball behind you) till your legs are parallel to the floor, and knees are at 90 degrees.
  • Push yourself up slowly to your start position.
  • Repeat this a few times and get a feel for the move.

When Wall Squats successfully executed, they can add weight, by placing the barbell on the “meaty” part of the back, without the ball.

  • Push the hips and butt back,smith machine squat then bend the knees and go down.
  • Knees should not go past the toes.
  • Squeeze butt together and push yourself to an upright/starting position.
  • Repeat for 12 repetitions.

You could also use the Smith Machine to illustrate a safe Squat.

Proper lifting techniques for Squats and Lunges are basically the same. That is, the front knee in a lunge does NOT go past the toes. This too can be illustrated by using a stability ball against the wall.

    lung with st ball


  • Place the ball in the lower back, with one leg in front, and the other foot against the wall behind you.
  • Bend the back and front knees and go straight down the wall, with the ball behind you.
  • If you try to lean forward, like so many like to do with a lunge, the ball will fall from the wall.
  • Keep the back straight, bend the knees and sink straight down into the lunge.

This is an excellent way of drawing of lungeshowing people how to execute a lunge properly and without knee pain. Finally, add the barbell or dumbbells and you should have good form with the lunge. Don’t forget to do both legs.

When you are doing Walking Lunges, it is a little bit more difficult to maintain proper alignment. It can be and should be done correctly.

As you can see, proper lifting techniques for squats and lunges are very important for eliminating knee injuries and pain. Plus, you will get the desired results quicker!