How to Do Dumbbell Lunges Perfectly

Here’s how to do dumbbell lunges using perfect form. I will take the time to demonstrate in a detailed video. It looks like a simple exercise, but there are some fine points to keep in mind to get the most out of this.

“How to Do Dumbbell Lunges” Video

Let’s discuss what the perfect lunge looks like. Lunges can be done in many ways, so let’s talk about three of them.

First, the static lunge. Your feet should be hip-width apart, or just slightly wider than that. Many people do the lunge exercise where both of their feet actually form one line, one in front of the other. This makes it harder for you to balance and can cause injuries. What if you lose your balance in this vulnerable position? Muscle strain, a tear, or worse, tendon problems might happen. Make sure that the feet are wide apart horizontally, this is not too much of an exercise for balance. Having to balance happens on other exercises like yoga poses, deadlifts, squats, and others.

Place your feet hip width apart before you step back or forward to get into the starting position. Have only your toes touching the ground for your back leg. Lean a little forward and move the majority of your weight on your front leg. Slowly drop down, bending your front knee and then go back up by clenching your butt muscle.

Second variation – the reverse lunge. When doing a reverse lunge, not much weight is leaned on the leg that you kick behind. After you kick back, come down and then back up, not putting too much weight on your back leg. Use the butt muscles of your front leg to go back up, and step forward with your back leg so that you are standing straight again. Don’t rotate your trunk. Keep your core engaged and tense to stabilize yourself. The lower back and the abs play a huge role in any movement. The lunge doesn’t just target your legs, it really engages and stimulates your core for your overall strength. Remember, tighten your core, touch your toe behind you, then use the glutes to bring yourself back up. Here’s one secret to this exercise, though. Squeeze both glutes on the way up and drive your pelvis forward, this makes you super stable and works out your muscles more.

For the front lunge, step forward, putting most of the weight to the front leg, then push back to standing position. A huge mistake here is when people’s knees go too much forward, making them susceptible to injuries. What gets damaged is the patella tendon and/or the quadriceps tendon. If your knee goes past the toes on the front foot, imagine concentrating your body’s weight on that one small tendon on the knee. Make sure that your knee doesn’t go past your toes, and don’t think of shifting your weight forward as in the other variations. A forward lunge is difficult to control because you have to regulate the amount of weight you shift forward. Slowly move forward, and then press back up with your heel, not your toes. Lifting yourself by your heel in a lot of exercises, not just the lunge, will ensure you huge gains in leg strength.

The lunge is often regarded as a lady’s exercise, but mastering it will give your legs a new dimension of strength. Asymmetric or single-sided exercises really engage your core, and give your muscles a different kind of stimulation which strengthens it so much more than double-leg or side movements. So hopefully the question of how to do dumbbell lunges was answered here.