Running is a repetitive activity in the sagittal plane–the plane of motion in which you move forward and backward. So, at first thought, it may not make sense to slot side-to-side exercises How to Do the Dead Bug Exercise strength work If you want to build strength and muscle, adding extra resistance to this move with a?

How to Best Combine Strength Training and Running all planes of motion is crucial if you want to be a stronger, more resilient runner. Doing so targets more muscles and challenges your body in ways that pay off on the road. And one easy way to get more well-rounded movement? Lateral or side-to side moves that work in the frontal plane. Choose some that work the lower body, you have a recipe for strong running Shoes & Gear.

We tapped two certified personal trainers for must-know intel on lateral squats, including form tips, benefits, variations, and how to incorporate this move into your routine. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know.

How to do lateral squats, the right way

To do a lateral squat safely and correctly, follow these steps. Natascha Grief, certified personal trainer and owner of Inner Shift Fitness says DeRienzo. She suggests starting with the.

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  • Stand tall with your feet planted about three to four feet apart, toes facing toward, heels planted firmly on the ground, arms by sides. This is the starting position.
  • Bend right knee as you sink weight into right hip and push hips back like you’re sitting in a chair. Keep left leg straight and chest up. As you sit back, clasp hands together in front of chest.
  • Sit back as far as your mobility comfortably allows. You should feel an inner thigh stretch in the left leg and activation in the glutes, hamstrings, and inner thighs of the right leg. Don’t allow right knee to extend beyond toes.
  • When you’ve reached the limit of your mobility, push through right foot to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
  • Repeat on the other side.

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Are there any common mistakes people make when doing lateral squats?

A Part of Hearst Digital Media Kaila DeRienzo, a certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach in Orlando, Florida. To avoid this mistake, which can overly stress your knee joint, sit back into your heel and keep an eye on your knee to make sure it stays behind and in line with your toes. You also don’t want it to point out or inward, which can also stress the knee joint.

Another mistake is placing your feet too close together—or conversely, too far apart. If your feet are too close together, you won’t feel all your muscles working as they should, explains DeRienzo. And if they’re too far apart, then the hip that you’re lunging into will probably start turning outward and your torso will then likely turn outward as well, explains Chris Travis, certified personal trainer and owner of Seattle Strength and Performance. The right amount of distance between your feet will vary person to person, but aim for three to four feet as a general rule of thumb, he says.

As you perform reps, ensure your hips and torso are square forward, your squatting knee is directly over that ankle, and your toes are pointed forward, he adds. If your squatting knee is out of alignment with the ankle, then that’s yet another sign that your stance may be too wide or narrow, Travis says.

Lastly, some people incorrectly bend both legs when doing the lateral squat, instead of sinking into one hip and keeping the other leg straight, says Travis. You want to focus on CA Notice at Collection, so by keeping that opposite leg straight, you’re better able to target the moving leg.

To avoid common form mistakes, perform the move in front of a mirror, suggests DeRienzo. This will allow you to keep an eye on form and adjust your positioning as needed.

What are the benefits of lateral squats?

The biggest benefit of a lateral squat, according to DeRienzo, is that it gets you working in a different plane of motion. So much of daily life happens in the sagittal plane–whether we’re walking the dog, biking to the grocery store, or tackling a training run. But the more we train movement in different planes of motion, the better we’re able to respond to our surroundings, says DeRienzo. For runners, this can come in handy when you have to cut sideways to dodge an obstacle in your path, like a puddle, rock, or pedestrian.

Effective Core Exercises All Runners Should Do glute medius, glute maximus, hamstrings, and inner thighs (or hip adductors)—muscles that are super important in running, but sometimes neglected. “You see a lot of runners with really strong quads, but we have to round out the rest of the leg, too,” says DeRienzo. That’s because proper running form involves the lower-body muscles working together as a team, instead of just one muscle group—like the quads—taking on the majority of the work.

By regularly working not just your quads but your other lower-body muscles with moves like lateral squats, you can run stronger and reduce your risk of injury.

How often should you do lateral squats?

Do lateral squats once a week as part of your lower body strength work, says DeRienzo. She suggests starting with the bodyweight version of the move and doing three sets of eight to 10 reps per side. If/when that feels easy, amp up the difficulty by doing one of the progressions described below.

How do you modify or progress lateral squats?

First things first: The side-to-side motion of lateral squats is probably not going to feel natural the first few times you attempt this move, cautions DeRienzo—especially if you typically spend most of your time in that front-to-back plane. You may also notice that your mobility feels limited, like you aren’t able to sit back that far. That’s ok—just focus on doing the move correctly within your range of motion. “Slowly, you will notice that range of motion start to improve a little bit,” says DeRienzo.

How to Best Combine Strength Training and Running:

Lateral Squat With Support

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Other Hearst Subscriptions: If the bodyweight lateral squat feels too challenging, add stability by holding onto a stick, racked barbell, TRX straps, or side of a bench for balance, says Travis. You can also hold onto a foam roller Other Hearst Subscriptions.

How to do it: Stand tall with your feet planted about three to four feet apart, toes facing toward, heels firmly on the ground, hands resting on a support Other Hearst Subscriptions. This is the starting position. Bend right knee as you sink weight into right hip and push hips back like you’re sitting in a chair. Keep left leg straight and chest up. Keep hands on the support. Sit back as far as your mobility comfortably allows. When you’ve reached the limit of your mobility, push through right foot to return to the starting position. Repeat, then switch sides.

Lateral Lunge

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Other Hearst Subscriptions: Take your lateral squat to the next level by adding some movement to it with this lunge variation.

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step right foot out about three to four feet, bending knee as you sink weight into right hip and push hips back like you’re sitting in a chair. Keep left leg straight and chest up. Clasp hands in front of chest. Sit back as far as your mobility comfortably allows. When you’ve reached the limit of your mobility, push through right foot to return to the starting position. Repeat, then switch sides. Continue alternating.

Weighted Lateral Lunge

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Other Hearst Subscriptions: If you want to build strength and muscle, adding extra resistance to this move with a kettlebell or dumbbell will help you do just that.

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell at your chest. Step right foot out about three to four feet, bending knee as you sink weight into right hip and push hips back like you’re sitting in a chair. Keep left leg straight and chest up. Sit back as far as your mobility comfortably allows. When you’ve reached the limit of your mobility, push through right foot to return to the starting position. Repeat, then switch sides. Continue alternating.

Glider Lateral Lunge

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Other Hearst Subscriptions: This turns up the stability challenge, while also hitting those inner thigh muscles a little more, considering you have to fire them up to move the slider back in, Travis explains.

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, right foot on a glider. Bend left knee as you sink weight into right hip and push hips back like you’re sitting in a chair, and at the same time, drive the right leg out to the side, keeping it straight. Clasp hands in front of chest. Sit back as far as your mobility comfortably allows. When you’ve reached the limit of your mobility, push through left foot and squeeze inner thighs to bring right foot in and return to the starting position. Repeat, then switch sides.

Lettermark
Jenny McCoy
Contributing Writer

Jenny is a Boulder, Colorado-based health and fitness journalist. She’s been freelancing for Runner’s World since 2015 and especially loves to write human interest profiles, in-depth service pieces and stories that explore the intersection of exercise and mental health. Her work has also been published by SELF, Men’s Journal, and Strength Training Boosts Performance, Study Says, among other outlets. When she’s not running or writing, Jenny enjoys coaching youth swimming, rereading Harry Potter, How to Best Combine Strength Training and Running.