MAKE YOUR BODY Age-Proof

AT FIRST BLUSH, the ability to do lunges may not seem like a good way to measure functional fitness. But when you consider how many times a day you bend forward, climb stairs or reach for something on the floor, it's clear that it is.

- STACEY COLINO

"To do lunges, you have to have leg strength and glute strength," says fitness pro Chris Freytag, CPT, founder of Get HealthyU.​com. "Lunges work nearly every lower-body muscle. They're more challenging than squats, partly because they require more balance." They also call for mobility in the hips, ankles and knees.

Doing lunges improves balance and enhances core stability Core stability can lead to better posture, help prevent lower-back pain and make daily activities like stair-climbing easier.

To assess your ability to perform lunges, try the test at right.

"By lowering and lifting your body in a fixed position, you'll work every leg muscle, including your quads, hamstrings and calves," Freytag explains.

THE TEST

Stationary Lunge Challenge

1 Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then take a large step backward with your right foot, until it's 3 to 4 feet behind you and parallel to your left foot.