Lunge Exercise: Benefits, 5 Variations, and How to Do It?

The lunge is an exercise that is good for your overall leg muscles. It also has many benefits as strengthening the core, weight loss, functional body, flexibility, and other benefits.

Here today, we will talk about lunge exercise in a proper manner and its benefits. Let’s start with the lunge, It is an exercise that will help you to strengthen your lower body which includes the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves; it will also strengthen the core and will give you the perfect butts you’ve always wished for. 

How to do a lunge?

• You have to start by standing up straight.
• Now, split your right leg forward and left leg back. Your feet should have a distance of about 2-3 feet, according to your leg length. If you are a beginner you should take some support from a chair or a wall because it’ll need a good balance. Keep your torso perfectly straight and your back foot heel should be up.
• Curve the knees and lower the body down until the back knee is a couple of inches from the ground.
• At the lower movement, the front thigh should be parallel to the ground and the back knee should be spotted above the ground. The weight between both legs should be distributed accordingly.
• Keep the weight on the front foot heel and, push back up.
• Repeat 10-12 reps on one leg, then switch to the other leg.

5 Different Variations of Lunges for different muscles:

1. Bodyweight lunge

This is the basic variation of the lunge exercise and is the main element for the rest of the lunge forms. 

You have to stand up straight with your feet together, your torso straighten up and the core should be tight. Lower your body toward the floor until the right upper thigh corresponds to the floor and the right knee structures around a 90-degree point. Fix up by pushing through the right heel to get back to standing.

This lunge strengthens the leg muscles including the quadriceps, calves, hamstrings, and glutes.

2. Walking lunge

The walking lunge will give your legs fire. So, let’s talk about walking Seize your core and maintain a proper straight posture, and always keep in mind that the front knee should never extend past the front foot and push up the back foot heel.

This lunge also strengthens the leg muscles including the quadriceps, calves, hamstrings, and glutes like the bodyweight lunge.

3. Lateral or side lunge

Lateral lunge works on good glutes, hamstrings, and quads, but this lunge also works on the inner thighs. It helps to improve your flexibility also. 

Stand tall straighten up, keeping the feet hip-width distant. Take a wide step to the right by engaging your core. Now bend your right knee by keeping in mind that it should not exceed past the right toes.

Keep your hips back sitting keeping the leg straight and both feet should be on the ground. Push off back to standing. Then, repeat on the other side. 

4. Torso-twisted lunge

Start with your right leg lunging first with a basic lunge. After you are done with the right leg basic lunge and feeling firm, twist your torso to the right and hold it for a few seconds. While doing a twist don’t move your legs. 

Now, bring your torso back to the center and stand back with your right leg. Switch to the left leg same as the right leg with 10-12 repetitions at a time. This lunge increases the flexibility of the hips and makes stronger glutes. 

5. Dumbbell lunge

Stand up straight with dumbbells in both hands hanging them at each side. Feet ought to be somewhat less than shoulder-width apart.​ Lunge forward to the extent that you can with your right leg, twisting your following knee so it nearly brushes the floor. Utilize the heel point of your right foot to push your chest area back to the beginning position. Rehash with the contrary leg.

This will burn your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and hips.

Now that you’re aware of how to perform lunges, then we should proceed to what benefits you’ll get by doing it.

We will discuss here some benefits of doing lunges every day. Come and let’s check the benefits of doing lunge exercises- 

• Strengthens core: Lunges capture your core and abdominal muscles. By doing a proper lunge posture your core will be strengthened and more stable. In this, you move your buttocks up and down which provides more stability. If you have a strong core you will have a good body posture and you’ll be able to deal with lower back pain.
• Flexibility in hips: Most people have sitting work more than active work so the hip muscles tend to become tight. So, by doing lunges the flexor muscles of the body can become flexible.
• Helps in weight loss: Mostly lunges are one of the exercises that capture the largest muscles of the body. So, it will need a lot more energy which will lead to the burning of more calories. In this, the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hips all function together which needs more output which leads to weight loss.
• Functional body: It is obvious that if you do some exercise and workout your body will be more functional. So, you should add some lunges to your daily routine so that your body will become more functional.
• Toning of the lower body: Lunges is one of the great exercises because it concentrates on the glutes, quads, hamstring, and hips altogether. This exercise is best for tight legs and hips. If you combine the right weights, reps, and calorie intake you’ll be able to gain lean mass through your legs.
• Spinal health: Lunges give your spine some relaxation more than other exercises that put a load on your spine. Lunges help your spine to take load less and make it painless and flexible.

Safety and precautions

You should elude and avoid the dumbbell lunges if have any history of ankle injury or any low back pain. If you notice any unusual pain in the joints in your lower body, stop the exercise. Holding the knee back from reaching out past the toe is basic to forestalling injury. If you have any hip or knee issues, do bodyweight lunges or light-weighted lunges; don’t do a heavily weighted lunge. Don’t do this exercise if you are pregnant as it puts pressure on the core and it will be a risk and can damage internally.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about lunge exercise

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