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Overview
Lunges are great for developing the lower quad muscles as well as the gluteus maximus muscles. Secondary stress is placed on the hamstrings. This exercise can be performed by stepping forward across a large area or by alternating feet in one place. Whether you decide to use a weighted barbell or dumbbells for added resistance is simply a matter of preference. Either type provides essentially the same resistance to the leg muscles.
Setup
Place the proper amount of weight on an Olympic barbell on an angled rack. Step under bar so that the weight of the bar rests firmly on your upper shoulders/trap muscles. Place your hands at a comfortable distance on either side of the bar. Stand upright so that you are holding the bar on your shoulders and take a few steps back out of the racks.
Alternatively, take a dumbbell in each hand, and take a firm stance in an area with plenty of room for lunging.
Movement
Take a large step forward with your right leg and allow your right knee to bend until your left knee comes within a few inches of the ground. Both feet should be facing directly forward throughout the movement. Press the weight of your body directly upward with your right leg while stepping forward with your left. You should then be standing directly upright with your feet about shoulder width apart. Repeat this lunging movement with the other leg and be sure to do the same number of reps on each side.
Tips From the Trainer
As noted above, this exercise can be performed with either a barbell on your shoulders or with dumbbells held in your hands on either side. The effect on your muscles is essentially the same either way and which one you choose is merely a matter of preference.
For a variation in how the muscles are worked, try using a wooden block or one of the step aerobics steps to step onto. These steps should be readily available at most gyms. Using a step shifts the stress of the lunges more heavily to the buttocks and the hamstring muscles.
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