How to do Dumbbell Lunges Correctly

Why do we recommend the dumbbell lunge so strongly? This exercise is one of the best self-loading options that exist; that is, it allows you to tone the body without any equipment. It is a high-impact activity that will allow you to work a large number of muscles, the most important of which are:

Read also: How to Tone Your Quadriceps

• Erectors of the spine
• Buttocks (especially the gluteus maximus)
• Femoral biceps
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Twins
• Adductors

Benefits of Dumbbell Lunges

Now you know the muscles involved in dumbbell lunges, but how can training those muscles benefit you? We explain it to you in detail:

• Improves stability and balance: By exercising the upper part of the lower body, specifically the hamstrings and quadriceps, better stability of the body is developed with each stride.
• Reduces back pain: if done correctly, this exercise can activate the erector spine muscles and thus enhance their stability and resistance.
• Prepare muscles for loads: lunges are a complete exercise that allows you to quickly strengthen the muscles of the lower body. Thus, the rapid toning of these muscles prepares them for heavy loads and other efforts.
• Tones and helps burn fat: this activity increases muscle mass in buttocks and legs, so if your goal is to burn fat in these areas and make them look leaner, dumbbell lunges are ideal.

Before showing you a dumbbell lunge exercise routine, you should know that it is essential to start with some warm-up exercises to avoid injury. In this other article, we explain how to warm up for a fitness session. Once the warm-up is done, you can start!

By doing lunges or dumbbell lunges, you are adding load to the exercise, thereby activating more muscles during execution. To perform this exercise correctly, you must perform the following steps:

1. Take a dumbbell in each hand, of a weight that suits your physical condition, and place your arms down, close to your body.
2. Stand with your feet together, keep your back straight, chest out, and contract your abs.
3. Take a long step forward and bend both knees to lower your body. The back knee should touch the ground and both should be bent at a 90-degree angle.
4. Get back up, straining with your front leg, and pushing off with the toe of your back leg.

Remember to keep your trunk and arms straight during the entire exercise. Do ten repetitions on one leg, and repeat the exercise with the other leg after resting for ten seconds. Do one or two more sets, depending on the routine you decide to do.

Then repeat the previous steps but without making up and down movements and with a deeper stride:

1. Take a dumbbell in each hand, place your arms close to your body, and extended downward. Do not let go of the dumbbells throughout the exercise.
2. Bring one leg back and bend your knees until your rear calf is parallel to the ground. Count to five in this position and switch legs.
3. Bring your hands to the front and repeat the same step, counting to five before switching legs.
4. Extend your arms up and do the same.

Although it seems simpler than the previous exercise, the combination of these movements with the previous ones will work your legs and glutes intensely.

The lateral strides are mandatory when developing good routine strides with dumbbells. To do the exercise correctly, follow these steps:

1. With your back straight and straining with your abdomen, stand up.
2. Hold the dumbbells (or just a heavier one) with both hands in front of your chest.
3. Direct your body to one side, bending the knee on that same side 90º. Your chest should be slightly inclined, and you should not forget to force yourself.
4. The other leg should be well stretched so you can keep your balance.
5. Get back up straight, pushing your bent leg back to the starting position.

We advise you to do 30 seconds of this exercise by bending one leg, and then do an additional 30 seconds by bending the other leg to work both sides.

To continue, do a new routine with strides forward, backward, and sideways. For this exercise, the neck must be aligned with your spine, which must be straight:

1. Place your hands close to your body, holding the dumbbells, and step forward with your left leg, such that your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Count to five slowly.
2. Return to the starting position and take a step to the left (with the same leg). In this position, the leg that pulls to the left must be completely straight, and the one that is supporting it must be bent forward. The hands will be at chest level, and the body will lean slightly forward. Count again to five slowly.
3. Return to the starting position and step back so that your knee sinks almost to the ground. Count to five again.
4. Repeat this circuit one more time before switching legs.

Take the following steps carefully to avoid injury. That is, do not make sudden movements with your knees or bend your back at any time. Remember that before doing the jumping lunges and dumbbells, you will need to learn how to do them without dumbbells.

1. Stand straight, with your legs spread at shoulder height, and the dumbbell (or both dumbbells) placed in front of your chest.
2. Jump up, bending your knees a little to propel yourself.
3. When in the air, bend your right leg forward and your left leg back.
4. Land on both legs simultaneously, while lowering your body, such that your back knee almost hits the ground.
5. Push yourself up again and when you are in the air, now bend the left leg forward and the right leg back.

The strides walking with dumbbells also called lunges with dumbbells walking, are exceptional to work your glutes, arms, and quadriceps at a time. Hold the dumbbells in front of your chest or down with your arms straight out if you're carrying a lot of weight. Now follow these steps:

Also read: How to Gain Muscle in the Legs

1. Standing with your back and neck straight and your abdomen taut, step forward.
2. Just one foot forward, bend the knee 90º, and make sure that the other knee, that is, the one that is extended behind, sinks until it practically touches the ground.
3. Push yourself up with your bent knee to get back on your feet and now move forward with the next leg, doing the same process.

The goal is to walk for 30 seconds and then rest for another 7 seconds. After the rest seconds, repeat another series of dumbbell walking strides.

Adapted and translated by The Cop Cart Staff

Sources: Uncomo