If you’re thinking that lunges are only an accessory exercise, you’d be mistaken. Lunges are a functional exercise that directly targets your legs. In this edition of Exercise Breakdown: Lunges, we’ll take a closer look at this great exercise, muscles worked, and common variations and present an example routine. And of course, we’ll give you some 5% Nutrition supplement suggestions as well.

What Are Lunges?

Lunges are one of the most effective exercises you can add to your leg routine. Many leg exercises involve pushing a weight up. Not the lunge! Instead, you’re stepping forward and down and then pushing back up to a standing position. You work one leg at a time either standing in place or walking.^(1,2)

Muscles Worked

Lunges directly target the quads. Secondary muscles include the hamstrings, calves, and glutes. The lunge helps build functional strength, helps develop size, and can help correct muscle imbalances. The lunge is also often used in rebab situations.

Lunge Variations 

A common variation is the Reverse Lunge. Instead of a forward motion, you’re bending one knee in a backward motion. An advantage of this variation is less impact on the knee because the emphasis changes more to the hamstrings and glutes with less quad emphasis. 

Dumbbell lunges may be the most common, but you can use a barbell instead. Plus, you can also use kettlebells, the Smith machine, cables, or resistance bands. Other variations include a lateral lunge and walking lunges. Every hardcore lifter should experience doing walking lunges across a parking lot with a barbell on their back!⁽³⁾

How To Use Lunges In Your Routine

This is a leg workout in the style of Rich Piana. Rich had knee problems so he usually started his workout with hamstrings. He believed doing hamstrings first was better for his knees. If you do not have knee problems, start this routine with leg presses (or squats), then move to lunges and the leg curl variations. 

Lying Leg Curls - 5 sets - 30, 25, 20, 15, 12 reps 

Seated Leg Curls - 5 sets - 20 reps each set

If you don’t have access to a seated leg curl machine, you can do any variation possible. 

Leg Press - 5 sets - 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps

Feel free to substitute squats. 

Dumbbell Lunge - 5 sets - 10-12 reps each set 

Keep this exercise light and focus on strict performance. 

Standing Calf Raises - 5 sets - 20-25 reps each set

Performance Tips

The lunge is a somewhat difficult exercise because you have to support yourself with one leg while the other leg bends down. This requires stability and balance. This becomes even more pronounced if you do walking lunges. You have to focus on your form, rep performance, and balance. Use a light to moderate weight and use an even rep tempo. 

When you perform this exercise, keep your lead knee and foot pointing in the same direction. Also, your lead knee should not go past your toes. Don’t allow your rear knee to touch the ground. If your balance is less than optimal, you can hold on to any available fixed object and do one leg at a time. In this situation, barbell lunges of any type are not recommended. 

It’s Leg Day - Don't Forget 5% Nutrition!

When Leg Day comes around, most lifters reach for a hardcore pre-workout. Rich did, and it was 5150 with 400 mg of caffeine from 8 different sources. Or, reach for a Kill It RTD and you’ll get the energy of 400 mg of caffeine and the power of 10g of glycerin (glycerol). From there, add All Day You May to drink during your workout. You can also mix Core Creatine or Crea-TEN into your pre or intra-workout. Finally, mix up 1-2 servings of  Real Carbs with 1-2 servings of Shake Time immediately post-workout. Now you’re set up for success with 5% Nutrition! So stop by and stock up today - then hit the gym and torch those legs!

References:

1. https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBLunge
2. Cronin, J., McNair, P. J., & Marshall, R. N. (2003). Lunge performance and its determinants. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21(1), 49–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000070958
3. Goulette, D., Griffith, P., Schiller, M., Rutherford, D., & Kernozek, T. W. (2021). Patellofemoral joint loading during the forward and backward lunge. Physical therapy in sport: official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine, 47, 178–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2020.12.001