Lunges - Side Lunges, Dumbbell Lunges & Bodyweight Lunges Exercise
How to do Proper Lunges, benefits of lunges, muscles worked & variations of lunges exercise like side lunges, dumbbell lunges, barbell lunges and Kettlebell Lunge & Squats exercise.
In this article I will show you how to do Bodyweight Lunges to build leg strength, flexibility and stamina.
Then we will move on torenegade or side lunges.
And Finally we will add weights and complete a killer leg workout with barbell and dumbbell lunges.
Bodyweight Lunges or Free Weight or No Weight Lunges
Stance: Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed forward. Look straight ahead. Do not bend your neck.
Step 1: Take a big step forward {say right leg} while simultaneously bending your knee and hips.
This will make your left leg bend forward too.
Step 2: Move as forward as possible but not more than 90 degree bend at both the knees.
Step 3: Once you reach the low position, push up with your right leg and get back to starting position to complete one rep.
Finish as many repetitions as possible before moving on to the other leg.
Variation
1. Back Lunges - These are done exactly like front lunges which you know by now.
Instead of a step forward, take a step backwards. You do this by bending your knee and hips until the thigh of the leading leg is parallel to the floor.
2. Walking Lunges - These are similar to front lunges but instead of getting back to starting position, you bring your left leg forward up to your right one.
You then take your left leg forward and continue lunging. This will lead to walking across your room. If the room is small you need to move sideways after a few lunges. Check the side lunges too.
3. Side Lunges or Renegade Lunges
In this variation, you stand with a stance wider then regular one. You can place your hands either in front of you or on your hips, near your knees.
Now with your toes pointing slightly outwards take a wide step {say right leg} to the side.
Once your right foot is in complete contact with the floor, shift your entire body weight on to the right leg.
Your left leg should stay extended and not bent during the exercise..
Note: You body can move only slightly in the forward direction. Shifting the weight forward defeats the purpose of the exercise.
Imagine and concentrate on moving sideways and not forwards..
How to get body balance in side lunges?
If you cannot do side lunges with wide stance, move to s narrow stance and build from there.
Ready to move on to next level? You can add bags, sandbags or barbells, dumbbells or even kettlebells for extra resistance.
| Barbell Lunges - Once you master the bodyweight lunges, you can progress to barbell lunges exercise. Its a great muscle builder for your leg muscles {quadriceps} and glutes. |  |
| Dumbbell Lunges - A cool way to add variation to weighted barbell lunges is to use dumbbells. They are easier than barbell variety because the weights help you balance better. |  |
Also check out otherbodyweight exercises likebodyweight squats,push ups and pull ups for total body workout.
If you want to have the best Body Body you want using Bodyweight Exercises then there is no better expert than Eddie Lomax. He describes excellent Bodyweight Exercises and Workouts in his Wonderful new e-book.Back to Top of Lunges Exercise article.
Back from Lunges to Weight Training home