Lunges; You will come across them in most training schedules. For many this is a well -known sport exercise. It is a classic for training the legs and buttocks. The ideal fitness exercise for both beginners and advanced athletes. In this blog we tell you everything you need to know about the performance of Lunges, about the different variations on this and about the usefulness of Lunges.

What are Lunges?

Start the beginning: what are Lunges? This is the practice for tight buttocks and well -shaped thighs. The big advantage of Lunges is that you do not need any equipment for this. This way you can easily perform them at home and in the gym. In short, take a big step with this exercise where you then bend through your knees. How you perform the exercise exactly and what you should pay attention to specifically, we will explain that later!

Which muscles do you train?

The exercise seems simple, but does not underestimate this. With lunges you can let your legs burn well. Lunges focus on the buttocks and hamstrings. The primary muscles that you train with this exercise are the large buttock muscle and the leg pullers. In addition, the secondary loaded muscles are the hamstrings, half -vibrate muscle on the back of your thigh and the calf muscles.

The version of Lunges

For performing lunges, you take a big step Ahead and bend through your knees. You ensure that your rear knee just doesn’t touch the ground. You keep your upper body straight with the weight above your front foot. Then you push yourself up again and repeat this with the other foot. In the video below, Kelly demonstrates the exercise!

Click here for the video

The right version is very important to increase the effect of the exercise and especially to prevent injuries. This way you have to prevent a hollow back at Lunges. You do this by tightening your trunk and abs firurks firmly when performing the exercise. An additional advantage is that when you do the exercise, you immediately take a few other muscles!

Your breathing is a second factor which It is important to keep an eye on. When performing lunges, you breathe in when you get out. This is because the part of the exercise that takes the least effort. Then you breathe out during the rise, this takes the most effort. Is this not possible? In any case, make sure that you continue to breathe well during the entire exercise and you do not unconsciously content your breath.

Lunges expand and variations

do you have the ’ Standard ‘Lunge under the knee? Then you can expand the exercise by adding weight. For example, take a dumbbell in both hands and let it hang past your body. Then perform the lunges in the same way and make sure you keep your chest forward and your shoulders backwards. Do you prefer a barbell? You can also perform the lunges with this by placing it in your neck. In addition to adding weight, there are also various variations. We mention a number of it for you:

• reverse lunges

A well -known variant is the Reverse Lunge, where you the Performs Lunges by walking backwards instead of ahead. Then perform the lunges in the same way.

• side lunges

At the side lunges you put instead of forward Or behind, just a step aside. Your feet continue to point forward. Then bend one of the two legs at an angle of 90 degrees and keep your other leg stretched. Keep your hands in front of your body. Then turn your bent leg back to go back to the starting position.

• Jumping Lunges

To your legs Just that little bit extra to burn, you go for the Jumping Lunges. You can jump in the Lunge, as it were. This way you can keep jumping around and always changing the side. With this active movement you can choose to keep your arms past your body or to move with your arms. With the Jumping Lunges, make sure that you do not touch the ground with your knee.

• Walking Lunges

to Slot de Walking Lunges. For this you need a little more space, but apart from that these lunges can be easily performed. As the name suggests, you do the lunges while you walk. Kelly already did it in our video!