Lunges and Squats

Lunges and squats make for a great lower body exercises. They help to strengthen and tone muscles. However, if you want to shed off some weight from your buttocks and your thighs, then along with these leg exercises, you will also have to include cardiovascular exercises in your workout schedule. Some doctors recommend lunges and squats during pregnancy. However, it is best to talk to your health care professional, before you do these bodyweight exercises. One of the many lunges and squats benefits is that they are compound exercises, which means, they work more than one muscle group. Hence, the lunges and squats calories burned are much more than other exercises.

Lunges and Squats Exercises

Doing lunges and squats with weights is also possible. However, before you switch to weights, it is recommended, that you perfect your pose, to avoid any injury. There are many lunges benefits. Lunges are weight training exercises, which can be used to strengthen and tone the quadriceps muscles, gluteal muscles, the hamstring muscles, etc. If long lunges are done, they work the gluteal muscles more, whereas the short lunges work the quadriceps. To increase the intensity of the exercise weights, either dumbbells or barbell can be used. On the other hand, squats exercise helps to train and strengthen the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks and also strengthen the bones, ligaments of the legs. They are said to be a vital exercise for increasing the strength of the legs and buttocks. Squats for women are often recommended, that they tend to have a heavier lower body.

Lunges Vs Squats
A lot of people have the lunges vs squats debate. Both lunges and squats target the same muscle groups, but there is a totally different movement pattern, when these exercises are done. On one hand, squat is an extension exercise, where both the feet are firmly on the floor. On the other hand, the lunge is a stepping movement, where the base of the support changes from the initiation of the movement to the mid stance to end phase. The center of gravity is difficult to control, while doing the lunges as compared to squats, when the person is moving away from the trail leg. However, both the daily activities, that we do, require the use of both the movements up to a certain extent.

How to do Lunges and Squats Correctly
It is important to do, both the lunges and squats correctly, to avoid injuries. To do the lunges exercise correctly, stand in a split stance by placing your right leg in front of you and left leg behind. Slowly bend your right knee and lower into a lunge, but keep your left knee locked. The right knee should make an angle of 90 degrees. Hold the position for sometime and then come back into the starting position by pushing your weight back into your heels. Repeat this exercise for 10 to 12 counts on the right leg, before you switch legs and repeat the exercise on the other leg. When you are doing the exercise, it is important to note, that you keep your front knee behind the toe, when you lunge. The best test is to look down and check if you can see your toe. At the same time, it is important to engage your core and keep your torso upright, and not lean forward.

The correct squats technique is as follows.To do the squats without weights properly, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Your toes should be at an angle of 45 degrees pigeon toeing in for better effect. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body, as if you are about to sit on a chair, till your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold the position for a few seconds, then push your weight into your heels and come back to the starting position. When you lower your torso, it is important, that your knees do not extend over your toes. At the same time, engage your core and back straight. It is recommended, that you do this exercise in front of a mirror, till you get used to the correct posture. Many times, it is observed, that people bend forward, when they do this exercise, due to which their knees extend beyond their toes and cause injuries. You can also do squats with dumbbells, once you are comfortable with this exercise.

Although both lunges and squats exercise the same muscle groups. However, it is important that you have both of them are included in your exercise regime. Before you do these thigh exercises, it is important to do some warm up exercises, to gain maximum benefits and avoid any injuries.