- Stand with your torso upright holding two dumbbells in your hands by your sides. This will be your starting position.
- Step forward with your right leg around 2 feet or so from the foot being left stationary behind and lower your upper body down, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: As in the other exercises, do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint. Make sure that you keep your front shin perpendicular to the ground.
- Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.
Caution: This is a movement that requires a great deal of balance so if you suffer from balance problems you may wish to either avoid it or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a fixed object. Definitely never perform with a barbell on your back if you suffer from balance issues.
Variations: There are several ways to perform the exercise.
One way is to alternate each leg. For instance do one repetition with the right, then the left, then the right and so on.
The other way is to do what I call a static lunge where your starting position is with one of your feet already forward. In this case, you just go up and down from that starting position until you are done with the recommended amount of repetitions. Then you switch legs and do the same.
A more challenging version is the walking lunges where you walk across the room but in a lunging fashion. For walking lunges the leg being left back has to be brought forward after the lunging action has happened in order to continue moving ahead. This version is reserved for the most advanced athletes.
Lunges can be performed with dumbbells as described above or with a barbell on the back, though the barbell variety is better suited for the advanced athletes who have mastered the exercise and no longer have balance issues.
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Review: Dumbbell Lunges
Jan 31, 2012 5:37 PM: "6o percent of the time, it works every time" I flashed back to Paul Rudd in anchor man with this guys voice. Holy crap.
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Jan 10, 2012 2:42 PM: Bwaaahahahahhahahhahahhahahhahahahhahah
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Review: Dumbbell Lunges
Dec 9, 2011 11:41 PM: oh my goodness, what was UP with that voice?? hahahaha can't stop laughing
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Oct 6, 2011 3:48 PM: Curious as to why all women were saying how the dude talking sounded creep, I signed off and switched the exercise to be viewed with a female. Now I understand. LOL. Guys, check it out. Hacked?
As for the exercise. Try not to sway from side to side. Your torso really should be stationary...+See More
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Review: Dumbbell Lunges
Oct 2, 2011 7:49 PM: OMG!! That voice over SCARED me! Whats up with the guy?!
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Review: Dumbbell Lunges
Sep 10, 2011 6:25 AM: This is harder than it looks but it is so worth it...
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Review: Dumbbell Lunges
Aug 9, 2011 1:02 PM: The best leg exercise for people training at home!
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Jul 26, 2011 3:19 PM: really gets to the quads when done properly so be sure to go slow and pause in the reps
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Review: Dumbbell Lunges
Jun 8, 2011 12:16 PM: Wow what was up with that video voice.
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Review: Dumbbell Lunges
May 16, 2011 6:24 AM: this is a great exercises for the quads and butt, doing this with a lot of weight!! uff! you will feel the pain yeah!!!!