Primary muscles: Glutes, quads, hamstrings
Secondary muscles: Abs
Equipment: No equipment
LUNGES INSTRUCTIONS
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, keep your back straight, your shoulders back and your abs tight.
2. Take a step forward and slowly bend both knees, until your back knee is just above the floor.
3. Stand back up and repeat the movement.
4. Alternate legs until set is complete.
PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN
When doing lunges, keep your weight in the front heel and make sure that when you’re bending your front knee, your thigh and leg form a 90-degree angle. Maintain your feet hip-width apart throughout the entire exercise, don’t put one foot in front of the other. Breathe in as you lunge, and maintain a smooth and steady rhythm.
EXERCISE BENEFITS
Lunges are one of the most effective lower body exercises you can do. They help tone, strengthen and shape your legs and glutes, and improve the flexibility of the hips. The lunge works several muscle groups simultaneously, speeds up the metabolism and helps with weight loss.
DEMONSTRATION
SETS AND REPS
Start with a basic lunge and try to complete 1 set of 8 to 12 repetitions. Focus on keeping proper form and, once you’re comfortable, you can increase the resistance by holding a set of dumbbells. You can also mix it up and do some front and back lunges, or you can add some extra challenge and do jumping lunges instead.
CALORIES BURNED
To calculate the number of calories burned doing lunges, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:
RELATED LOWER BODY EXERCISES
Try these other lower body exercises to strengthen, sculpt and tone your thighs, hips, legs and glutes:
Single leg bridge
Curtsy lunge
Fire hydrant
Standing leg circles