9 benefits of lunges you should know | XpertsReviews.com

If you want to have a toned butt and strong legs, you can’t afford to overlook lunges. You might think that running, sprinting, or climbing can help you build muscle in your legs, but unfortunately, all of these physical activities can only help you lose weight. To gain muscle mass in your legs and strengthen your lower body, lunges are a great functional exercise that can help. They target your glutes, thighs, abs, and calves, and stimulate your core. Not only can they strengthen your lower body, but lunges can also be part of your weight loss routine. And what’s more? The benefits of lunges also include improved flexibility and range of motion, and improved posture and balance.

The benefits of lunges

Here are 9 benefits of slots you should know:

1. Helps with weight loss

For those trying to shed pounds, lunges engage multiple large muscle groups and increase your heart rate, which boosts calorie burning and fat loss. This dynamic exercise targets lower-body muscles, such as your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, which increases your metabolic rate. Notably, lunges not only burn calories during exercise, but also keep your metabolism elevated even when you’re resting. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health includes lunges as a weight loss exercise.

Read also : Squats vs. Lunges: Which Exercise is Best for Weight Loss?

2. Better balance

Lunges improve balance and coordination, which helps correct posture and body alignment. This is essential for everyday activities and becomes increasingly important as we age. Regular lunge practice can significantly improve balance by strengthening the muscles around the ankles, knees, and hips, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.

3. Increases muscle mass

Lunges are known for sculpting your legs and glutes, making them a great exercise for building muscle and maintaining bone density. Lunges also stimulate muscle growth and strength by targeting major lower body muscles, including your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. You may notice a positive change in the size of your muscles with regular practice.

4. Strengthens leg and glute muscles

One of the main benefits of lunges is that they help strengthen the muscles in your legs and glutes. This body resistance exercise effectively strengthens these muscle groups through its functional movements, which include walking, bending, and stair climbing. Stronger legs and glutes reduce the risk of injury during physical activities.

Read also : Don’t neglect your butt! Do these 5 glute exercises at home

5. Activate the kernel

Lunges aren’t just about your legs, they also work your core muscles. Your core needs to be stabilized while performing lunges in order to maintain proper form. As a result, your abdominal muscles will tighten, supporting and strengthening your core. Strengthening your core muscles also promotes spinal alignment and reduces the risk of lower back pain.

6. Improves hip flexibility

Hip flexibility is essential for maintaining mobility and preventing injuries, especially during physical activities that involve running, squatting, or even sitting. By stretching forward, you stretch your hip flexors, which helps increase the flexibility and range of motion in your hip joint. This helps reduce stiffness, tension, and discomfort, thereby improving hip flexibility.

7. Improves posture

Poor posture is a common problem among people due to a sedentary lifestyle and weak muscles and bones. Lunges can help increase your range of motion by helping to increase flexibility and loosen your hips and hamstrings. This can help improve posture and balance. Additionally, lunges help improve spinal alignment, which can correct poor posture and balance.

8. Good for cardiovascular health

While lunges primarily target muscular strength, they also offer cardiovascular benefits. Incorporating them into high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can elevate your heart rate and improve cardiovascular endurance. Better heart health can reduce your risk of other chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

9. Prevents spinal problems

The benefits of lunges extend beyond muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness to spinal health as well. Proper posture during lunges promotes spinal alignment and stability, which helps prevent spinal problems like chronic lower back pain. This exercise can promote natural spinal alignment and reduce strain caused by poor posture and sedentary habits.

How to do lunges?

Follow these 6 simple steps to perform lunges regularly:

• Start standing with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a step forward with one leg, keeping your spine straight and shoulders relaxed.
• Lower your body until both knees form a 90-degree angle and keep your hands on your waist.
• Push through the heel of the front foot to return to the starting position.
  Repeat on the other leg.
• Aim for three to four sets of 15 to 20 reps per leg.

Note: You can also hold dumbbells in your hands while performing lunges.

Mistakes to Avoid with Lunges

To reap all the benefits and prevent injuries, you should avoid these 3 mistakes when performing lunges:

1. Excessive extension of the front knee: Make sure that the front knee does not extend beyond the toes. Otherwise, this could cause excessive strain on the knee joint.
2. Bad posture: Poor posture can lead to injury. Keep your torso upright and your shoulders, back and core engaged to avoid straining your lower back, knees or glutes.
3. Forgetting to breathe: Do not hold your breath during the movement. This can increase physical exertion and reduce your oxygen intake, which can hinder your performance.

Lunge Variations

Here are the 5 most common but different ways to perform lunges:

1. Reverse lunges

• Step back with one leg and lower it until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Maintain good posture, keep your core engaged, then push through your front heel to return.

2. Walking lunges

• Step forward with one leg and lower yourself into a lunge position.
• Now push through the front heel to stand up and step forward with the other leg, and repeat.

Read also : Walking Lunges: Know How to Do Them Correctly and Its 6 Benefits

3. Dumbbell lunges

• Hold the dumbbells at your sides in both hands.
• Step forward with your right leg and lower into a lunge position.
• Push through your heel to return to standing and alternate legs.

4. Side lunges

• Step sideways with one leg.
• Bend that knee while keeping the other leg straight.
• Return to standing position by pushing through your heel.

5. Jumping lunges

• Start in a lunge position, then jump explosively.
• Switch legs mid-air, land in a lunge with the opposite leg forward and repeat.

Who should avoid lunges?

Although lunges are one of the safest strength training exercises, there are some people who should avoid them or perform them with an instructor. These include:

• People with knee problems such as arthritis or recent injuries. Performing this exercise may worsen discomfort and pain.
• Although pregnant women can perform this exercise, they should do so with caution, especially when someone is there to help them.

Make sure you perform the exercise the right way!