LUNGES

Woodchops

Lunges
Lunges focus on the back of the legs - your hamstrings.  
They can be performed  dynamically, stepping out for each lunge, or statically by staying in a lunge position and just raising and lowering the body and in particular, the back knee. Your choice but mixing up the sequence minimizes the effect of your body training to a particular exercise sequence.

Cautions

• Back is flat.
• Core is on, supporting the lower back. 
• Front knee is NOT past the toes. Keep the knee over the ankle. Take a longer stride when lunging if necessary.
• Back knee should be at the same height as the back ankle in the down position.

If you want more

• Twist over either side
• Pulse at the bottom and/or the top.
• Put the back foot flat aganist a wall, limiting the motion possible with the back leg.  This lunge is VERY difficult. 

If you want less

• Do a static lunge by staying in the lunge position and just moving vertically.

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Lunge orbits
An interesting active recovery when lunging is to remain in the lunge position and rotate the kettelbell around the leg that is out.  
Cautions

• Back is flat 
• Keep the head up, shoulders back and down
• Try to get the back knee to the same height as the back ankle. 

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Side Lunges
Working the thigh abductors and adductors in addition to the hamstrings are side lunges.   
Start in set position or a little narrower, take a wide step  to the side and carry the kettlebell so that it ends up over the toe. Your toes are pointed slightly out. 
A slower but intense modification is to add a J (for JOHN!) to the side lunge which twists over the leg that is out with that same hand and then comes back to standing.

Cautions

• Keep the knee over the ankle, not past the toe
• Minimize the swing of the kettlebell when standing 

If you want more

• Add the J 
• Pulse in the extended position for any of the exercises.

If you want less

• Lighter or no weight 

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Woodchops
Taking the intensity of lunges up a LOT are woodchops. 
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Combining lunges with a ballistic upper body motion and twisting the core, woodchops are a unique kettelbell exercise.
 
To perform a woodchop, stand in set position as with a dynamic lunge but holding the kettlebell in rack position as shown in the picture.  In rack position, the kettlebell is resting aganist the back of the wrist which is holding the kettlebell.  Bring the other hand over and clasp the top of the fist which is holding the kettlebell. Keep the elbows in tight to your sides and the core on.
I usually warm-up with 8-12 lunges and then, literally, throw in the woodchop by throwing the kettlebell out, preferably past the knee that is in lunge position and then pulling it back as far as you can, preferably back to the hip or even behind the hip as you gain experience and flexibility.  
To complete the exercise, step back while bringing the kettlebell back to rack position, maintaining the straight wrist-forearm alignment when you are standing.

Cautions

• Back is flat 
• In rack position, the back of the wrist MUST be in line with the forearm.  Letting the wrist bend back puts all the weight on your wrist joint - NOT GOOD.
• Back knee should be at the same height as the back ankle. 

If you want more

• Twist over either side
• Pulse up and down at the bottom of the wood chop.

If you want less

• Stay in a static lunge and just add the woodchop.  Typically I sink lower into the lunge when I am chopping so your torso tends to still move up and down in static woodchops.