Lunges Vs Squats

It is no secret that lunges and squats are some of the best exercises for the lower body, especially the buttocks and the thighs. Even though they target the same muscle groups in the body, not many people are aware of the differences between them, and many people mistakenly believe that doing one of the two exercises is sufficient. The truth is that both these forms of exercise need to be performed in tandem with each other, in order to tone the lower body.

The primary difference between the two is in the nature of the posture and the movement. While squats are performed with both the feet placed on a stationary spot, lunges require one leg to be stretched forward which is then followed by lowering of the upper body. Both lunges and squats for women and men can also be performed while holding free weights or dumbbells in order to increase their efficiency.

You must never perform lunges and squats in the same workout as this will place too much stress on your body. Instead, you should perform them on alternate days to increase the strength in your lower body. Lunges are more useful for people who play sports like basketball, since it increases the explosive power in the legs. Thus an individual who knows how to do lunges will have the ability to jump higher and faster. On the other hand, squats can be performed with heavier weights since your feet are placed firmly on the ground. This is beneficial for increasing the firmness of the thighs, and for toning the thighs and the buttocks.

When you perform lunges exercises, the muscle group that is targeted is known as the Gluteal Muscles, simply known as the glutes. This is a group of 3 muscles that form the composition of the buttocks, and these are the Gluteus Maximus, the Gluteus Minimus and the Gluteus Medius. Apart from lunges and squats, there are many more glute exercises that target this muscle group. The quads and the adductor muscles are also aided by performing lunges in the right manner. Squats also primarily target the same muscles worked by lunges, but the center of gravity is more central in this case since you are not shifting the position of the feet, thus making it easier to balance. Hence the stress on the spinal cord is increased. For these reasons it would be unfair to say that one of the two exercises is better than the other, since they are both beneficial in their own manner.

You must also remember that these exercises are useful for toning the muscles down. It is a misconception that by performing lunges and squats you will lose weight on the buttocks and the thighs. In order to experience weight loss in these areas you will need to focus on cardiovascular exercises like running, swimming, cycling, rowing or aerobics, and you will also need to optimize your diet and the kind of food you eat. Lunges benefits and benefits of squats will be visible after a few weeks of performing the exercises, as long as you stick to a proper regime.

Another key difference in the lunges vs squats comparison is that lunges are far more difficult to perform. Many seasoned exercise lovers know that one can easily perform around 50 - 100 squat exercises a day, but for most people anything more than 15 - 20 lunges per leg can cause excruciating pain the next day. While it is good to push yourself while exercising, there is a certain limit beyond which you must not force yourself. This will only lead to serious muscle damage and crippling pain the day after. This is why it is advisable to not perform lunges and squats on the same day. The knees are at a greater risk of damage if you perform excessive lunges. The following exercises are also useful for the lower body.

This information should be sufficient for most laymen. If you want toned thighs and buttocks, it is strongly recommended that you perform both exercises since lunges and squats benefits are visible soon. But you must space out the workout regime, and you must also consult a personal trainer for more details.