Dumbbell lunges...you think they are worth it?

[HY45]

I noticed in my gym at least the times I go, nobody does weighted lunges, or lunges period. I try to get at least 4 sets weekly, of one or another of lunges. Imo hits quads, hamstrings and glutes so well, very underrated. Yes I know they are considered, not a important exerscise, but I am so sore every time the next day, especially quads and glutes. Still do my squats and leg presses, but lunges gives you that balance and depth like no other exerscise. Imo....And that cardio is a added bonus, sucking air towards the end of the set. Just wondering why not much interest? Ty's for feedback....

[raynerd]

I do lunges often, as well as BSS and stepups. These are in addition to squats of course. My opinion is that people don't do single leg work because it is damn hard.
Single leg work is very important to balance out the hips and knee stability and has been an integral part of my injury prehab and rehab.

[DuracellBunny]

Not a fan of DB lunges; I will do BB lunges in the squat rack though. All one leg and then the other, as opposed to walking lunges. I can make sure that stride length is fixed for every single rep this way. Not many people actually do lunges when you see them walking around, they tend to do 1 legged squats.

[HY45]

I do lunges often, as well as BSS and stepups. These are in addition to squats of course. My opinion is that people don't do single leg work because it is damn hard.
Single leg work is very important to balance out the hips and knee stability and has been an integral part of my injury prehab and rehab.

Yep that's kind of my take on it lol....and yes that knee stability is very important. Ty's for the knowledge and feedback Ray.

[CementHead99]

hello everyone.

[HY45]

Not a fan of DB lunges; I will do BB lunges in the squat rack though. All one leg and then the other, as opposed to walking lunges. I can make sure that stride length is fixed for every single rep this way. Not many people actually do lunges when you see them walking around, they tend to do 1 legged squats.

Have done that also, either way is personal preference. Very rare I do walking lunges, they seam to hit my glutes primary, when I do them like you said. Works me good, standing in place going forward one step and back, and doing other leg. Yeah I like the fixed stride length also...great feedback bro...

[MissHolly]

I do the BB static lunges like DB. Also love to hate Bulgarian Split Squats. Damned hard, but so good.

[Palmac]

I do lunges often, as well as BSS and stepups. These are in addition to squats of course. My opinion is that people don't do single leg work because it is damn hard.
Single leg work is very important to balance out the hips and knee stability and has been an integral part of my injury prehab and rehab.

I agree, they are a very good compound leg movement, really hit my hams and glutes! And the reason most don't do them and they are BLOODY hard! If you have knee issues they are probably not ideal, but if knees are good, then I say yes to weighted lunges.

[HY45]

I do the BB static lunges like DB. Also love to hate Bulgarian Split Squats. Damned hard, but so good.

Very nice, Miss Holly...yes definitely a love and hate relationship lol....but I think we'll worth it. Ty's

[EjnarKolinkar]

My opinion is that people don't do single leg work because it is damn hard.

Lol x2

[HY45]

I agree, they are a very good compound leg movement, really hit my hams and glutes! And the reason most don't do them and they are BLOODY hard! If you have knee issues they are probably not ideal, but if knees are good, then I say yes to weighted lunges.

Spot on, yes good healthy knees is a priority! One day I went a little to heavy, without proper warm up, any warm up actually being honest, after first set I noticed slight pain in left knee...I was like oh no, I didn't finish them that day, just a feeling or a warning? Since then, I always warm up knees for lower body, and elbows for upper body. Not a spring chicken anymore..ha ha Ty's

[Partyrocking]

I used to do them every week, but I recently (about 6 weeks ago) replaced them with front squats. I haven't noticed any downside to not having them in my program, so I guess I would say do them if you like them and have time for them. If not, meh.

[briney11]

I hate them. But they always have done my body good...except for not being able to get up from a seated position very easy the next day.

[HY45]

I used to do them every week, but I recently (about 6 weeks ago) replaced them with front squats. I haven't noticed any downside to not having them in my program, so I guess I would say do them if you like them and have time for them. If not, meh.

Front squats are nice, personally I love that balance on one leg you get. Don't take that much time, except sucking air in between sets. Lol...

[HY45]

I hate them. But they always have done my body good...except for not being able to get up from a seated position very easy the next day.

I know right? I do them on different days now, than as other leg work. So I know exactly where they hit on me, i.e. everybody has different leg strides...

[AbuDina]

I usually perform 4 sets - 10 reps of DB lunges (started out with 5KG dumbbells - now on 17.5KG) towards the end of my leg workout. Of all exercises I seem to feel the soreness a couple of days after especially in my gluteus and hip abductors. Not sure if that's normal or I'm doing them wrong.

[ironwill2008]

Lunges will hit places that other leg exercises miss; they stress muscles and attachments you didn't even know you had.

I started out using dumbbells back in the day, but eventually advanced to a point where I could Lunge more weight than I could grip. At that point, I switched to a barbell, and never looked back.

[Jtbny]

Lol x2

This is me. I also don't have any meniscus in either knee but I mostly avoid them because they are hard

[x-trainer ben]

At my gym we have these long areas where you have to avoid people lunging. It can be so crowded it is like traffic lanes and people are lunging in different directions.
Still very popular at certain locations.

I never ever see people working forearms at any of my gyms.

[melDorado]

Maybe noone does them because they gave them up like me, I find them utterly exhausting and on that basis I would say yes they must be worth doing

[HY45]

Lunges will hit places that other leg exercises miss; they stress muscles and attachments you didn't even know you had.

I started out using dumbbells back in the day, but eventually advanced to a point where I could Lunge more weight than I could grip. At that point, I switched to a barbell, and never looked back.

Very nice, thinking about switching myself.....I agree they hit places I never knew I had..

[HY45]

At my gym we have these long areas where you have to avoid people lunging. It can be so crowded it is like traffic lanes and people are lunging in different directions.
Still very popular at certain locations.

I never ever see people working forearms at any of my gyms.

Me neither except me, as in working forearms directly....but again it could be timing I go early in mornings. Love doing barbell wrist curls off end of bench...quit reverse curls was giving me tendinitis in elbows.

[HY45]

Maybe noone does them because they gave them up like me, I find them utterly exhausting and on that basis I would say yes they must be worth doing

I alternate back squats, leg presses, lunges, hacks, whatever is open that morning....I just know I have to do slow and controlled, them lunges easy to overload knees. But that extra cardio....

[canjad80]

Weighted lunges are definitely my nemesis. It's more due to an old injury than a dislike of them though. I'm always sore for days after doing them and I love that feeling.

Left leg forward is a cake walk. It's my dominant leg, so easy-peasy. Right leg forward though - forget about it. Right quad is weaker for a start. Plus, I broke the big toe on my left foot several years ago and it never healed well. I'm physically unable to push off that foot from the bottom of a weighted lunge (unweighted I can *just* manage), which means I either fall over or I end up doing a bastardized one-legged squat instead.

Up until now, I've been sucking it up, but I've reached the point where I'm going to have start subbing something else for the lunges - can't keep doing unweighted forever!! I'll probably start doing more BSS and/or step-ups instead.

[blue9steel]

Lunges will hit places that other leg exercises miss; they stress muscles and attachments you didn't even know you had.

I started out using dumbbells back in the day, but eventually advanced to a point where I could Lunge more weight than I could grip. At that point, I switched to a barbell, and never looked back.

^This

I do barbell reverse lunges in the rack. I feel like the reverse ones give me the same good results while avoiding some of the negative impact issues. Overall I've felt that my knees have been healthier since I started doing lunges rather than worse off. It seems like it works the stabilizer muscles, tendons and ligaments quite well as long as you don't get stupid with the loading. (going up too fast being the main thing to avoid as many of those tissues have long growth times)

[Flounderbout]

Before I got a squat rack I used to do Bulgarian Split Squats (or to give them their proper name, Bulgarian Bastards) because I used to have to press whatever I squatted over my head.
Now I don't do any single leg work, because it is hard and I am lazy.
But from what non lazy people tell me, they are very good for you.

[DrFlexologist]

A little trick I like to do is rest the heads of the dumbells on my shoulders and hold them that way as opposed to holding them at my sides which eliminates some of the work the upperbody has to do.

[MissHolly]

Before I got a squat rack I used to do Bulgarian Split Squats (or to give them their proper name, Bulgarian Bastards)

Hm, that's funny because I fondly refer to them as Fukin Bitch as I crank out the last few reps.

[Mark1T]

Hm, that's funny because I fondly refer to them as Fukin Bitch as I crank out the last few reps.

I've heard that a few times in the gym

[anonymous]

not at all a fan of doing them with a DB in each hand, but done goblet style (and reverse rather than forward) seems to be gentler on my knees.

I've trained with a pro bber a few times who loves 'bulgarian' (back leg elevated) lunges done John Meadows style but those just seem awkward as hell to me vs the goblet style.

Need to do them more often I think!