Lunges suck

[Maximum6]

I never did them and I'll probably never will,

I feel if the trainee has hit squats and legpresses hard enough they shouldn't even have strength to do a proper lunge.

And even when you're fresh its hard to do a lunge.

It makes it hard for you to focus on pushing with legs when trying to balance your body out.

Who else feels Lunge is not a very good exercise?

[Karrie]

I think lunges, especially walking lunges are a GREAT exercise, especially for women. They help nicely shape all areas of the legs and work the glutes as well. I think they are more than worth the effort!

[beckie]

It took me a while to master lunges but because of their dynamic function they force you to use your core as a stabiliser.If you have a weak core you won't be able to do them properly. I have done them LAST in a workout and even though my legs shake they still hit the quads and glutes really well.
I personally find them more effective than the leg extension which imo is useless except for rehabbing knee injuries.

[BAGS]

i agree beckie. I use to do overhead one legged lunges when training my core for football, worked great but felt like DEATH after sqts

bags

[youngblood]

You don't know squat, until you do lunges regularly.

[QuietBob]

Lunges are a great finishing exercise. Did legs yesterday and today my a$$ can attest to that!

[Intensity]

I like dumbels walking lunges!

And if you dont want your stabilizer muscles to get involved to much, you can try Smith Bar Lunges, which I believe is also very effective to work the entire leg (Glutes, Quads and even Hams)!

[RUBICON19]

WaddaryaNUTS! Lunges ROCK! One of the best, IMO

[RUBICON19]

www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1450802&cr=

[Hoopie]

If your not doing lunges then your not traiing your legs to the max. Lunges rock, plain and simple. I find that folks wont do them because they are so tuff and hurt so bad the next day. PLus they take a lot out of ya.

[youngblood]

maximum6 said:

I never did them and I'll probably never will,

That's the problem right there. You can't say something sucks if you've never tried it....

Ah, to be young and naive again....well, at least naive eh Tim?

[intenceman]

I personally don't do them- I don't do 'finishing moves' - after my preex leg ext- leg press quad workout followed by squats, I'm already finished. I hit hams with some kind of leg curl- usualy lying down. I don't need to do anthing else lol. I however I have used them for some of my female clients- if they liked them.. If not, we stick with the above exercises

[Karrie]

intenceman said:

I personally don't do them- I don't do 'finishing moves' - after my preex leg ext- leg press quad workout followed by squats, I'm already finished. I hit hams with some kind of leg curl- usualy lying down. I don't need to do anthing else lol. I however I have used them for some of my female clients- if they liked them.. If not, we stick with the above exercises

Prior to powerlifting I did lunges first, actually walking BB lunges. Alot of times I would do walking lunges and superset them with bb squats or leg press, talk about an AWESOME workout and pump in the quads, hamstrings and glutes. I would not categorize them as a "finishing move" but a way to start off the leg workout, just my opinion from my experience. And I do not think they are just for the females!

[RUBICON19]

I mostly use them as a power move, not a finisher. 4-6 resp as heavy as I can go at the time

[intenceman]

I personally don't do any ballistic movements- except power cleans at times. When I was 20 something itl was a different story. At 47, lunges just aggravate my knees, and that's not good. Also leg extensions isolate the quad better and alllow forced and negative reps. I don't kniow how you wouild do those on lunges. As to othe ballistic movement, Power cleans don't hurt my jointis, but I suck at them- can't get much past 200 lbs,, and don't feel them in my. back or traps anyway;

[nwtrnr]

Lunges are a great ! They are probably the most difficult to do properly, I find them easier to do with heavier weight . This stresses you to use your core more and forces balance. Extensions can blow your knees out too, if you use too much weight. I'm not knocking the extensions though they are one of my favorite leg exercizes they blast your quads, while lunges work your quads, hams, and glutes just like squats, they are an excellent exercize to incorporate into any leg day for warm up or finish they rock.

[Tim Wescott]

Took me a long time to start doing lunges.........thought they were for sissies and little girls.

I was wrong.................................once again!! LOL


Walking lunges are killer as are step-ups while holding dumbells.

Not for the weak willed or faint hearted!

[mrky03]

Lunges do ROCK! I also used to think that they were just a light finishing exercise or just for girls, man was I wrong! When I started doing Max ot training it was one of their prefered exercises and done with heavy weights for 4-6 reps! I feel that if I had been doing them early in my carreer I would have better leg development today!

Plus I feel like they definitely work your legs in a way that you cannot duplicate with squats and leg press.

[deang]

While prepping for shows, I always use lunges. Very, very unpleasant, especially after squats, leg presses, extensions etc; I always hated them, and walking lunges with a vengeance!!

[EBA84]

Lunges are absolutely the number one exercise for legs when preparing for a contest. They bring out tons of detail and are irreplaceable. I wouldn't do too many in the off season though if you are trying to build good leg mass. Not a good mass builder.