skiptoMainContentCallMeToday!(805)962-5144FacebookInstagramOctober21,2018jimgourleyOver-50Fitness,UncategorizedChefsalwayssayyoucan’tproducegoodfoodwithoutgreatingredients.Thesamegoesforgoodfitnessdevelopment–youneedgreatexercisesasessentialingredients–andit’sreallyimportanttoavoidriskyandtime-wastingexercises.That’swhyI’vepostedonsometime-wastingexerciseshereandhere,aswellasapopularbutdangerousback-breakingexercisehere.ThispostI’mcoveringariskyknee-breaker,thecurtsylunge(CL).TheCLisavariationofastepbacklunge(SBL)*withthetrailinglegsteppingbackandacrossliketheheadlinephoto(videohere).TheCLisquitepopularwithwomenbecauseit’sperceivedasbeingamoreeffectiveconditionerforthebutt/hipscomparedtoastandardSBL.TheextraeffectivenessoftheCLisanurbanmyth,butitdoeshaveanelementofdangerthattheSBLdoesn’thave,sothat’swhyit’sourknee-breakerofthemonth.OthershavealsocalledouttheCL’sriskyqualitiesaswell–seehere,hereandhere.ViewtheheadlinephotoorCLvideoandfocusonthefrontleg:notehowfartothesidethethighendsupcomparedtotheknee/lowerleg.Ifyouwantedtodesignaknee-breakingexercise,theCLwouldbeidealsinceyou’reusingyourupperleglikeatorquewrenchonyourknee.Thistorqueingpushesthekneeintoavulnerable/dangerousvalguspositionwhichisawell-knownmechanismforseriouskneeinjuries–particularlyforwomen. VALGUSSTRESSASAMECHANISMFORKNEEINJURYValguspositionalstress–aninwardkneepositionoraforcethatcausesaninwardkneeposition–isawell-establishedandacceptedmechanismforseriouskneeinjury,particularlyforwomenandgirls.Ifyouhavebadluckwithvalgusstress,ittypicallyblowsoutthekneewitha“terribletriad”injury–simultaneousdamagetoanteriorcruciateligament,medialcollateralligamentandmeniscus–itsoundsreallybadanditisreallybad.Almostwithoutexception,onceyoudamageyouranteriorcruciateligamentyourkneeisneverthesame.Althoughmodernorthopedicmedicinehasgottenreallygoodatsurgicalrepair,early-onsetarthritisisalmostacertaintyandwillleadtofurtherpain,dysfunctionand,often,kneereplacementatarelativelyyoungage.Theinabilitytocontroldysfunctionalval