Lunges are good for your thighs and butt but if you are looking for a bountiful booty, they simply won't cut it. Lunges are not particularly exciting and tend to only work your butt from one angle. Not cool. Spice things up a little by adding these lunge variations to your routine!
The following moves will challenge your balance, working both sides of your body at the same time or force your to change your plane of motion, working your thighs and butt in new ways and from new angles. Pick two or three of these variations to add to your regular routine. Aim for three sets of 10-12 reps a side.
1. Reverse Lunge
How to do it: Stand up straight with both feet together. With your left foot, take a large step backward. Bend both knees about 90 degrees, keeping your shoulders over your hips and your right knee behind your toes. Press into your front heel and squeeze your butt and thighs to return to the start position. Repeat on the opposite side, continuing to alternate.
2. Side Lunge
How to do it: Stand up straight with both feet together. With both feet facing forward, take one big step to the left with your left foot. Bend both knees, sit your hips back, keeping your knees behind your toes (like a squat). Press through your heels and come back to the start position. Repeat on the other side.
3. Around-The-Clock Lunges
How to do it: Stand up straight with both feet together. Take a big step forward with your left foot and bend both knees to 90 degrees, keeping your shoulders over your hips. Return to the start position and squeeze your butt. With both feet facing forward, step your left foot a few feet to the side. Keep your chest high and bend both knees to 90 degrees. Come back to the start position and squeeze your butt. Step left foot back into reverse lunge. Again, bend both knees to 90 degrees making sure your shoulders stay over your hips. Return to start and squeeze your butt. Repeat the front, side and reverse lunge on the other side, continuing to alternate.
4. Lunge And Twist
How to do it: Stand up straight with feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward with your left foot, bend both knees to 90 degrees, keeping your shoulders over your hips. Twist at the waist, turning your upper body to the right as far as you can without tipping your balance. Twist back to center and step back to starting position. Repeat on the opposite side, this time twisting to the left. Come back to start. That counts as one rep.
[bctt tweet="11 Butt Moves That Are Better Than Basic Lunges"]
5. Curtsy Lunge
How to do it: Stand up straight with feet hip-width apart. Keep your shoulders over your hips and take a diagonal step backward, toward the right, with your left foot. Bend both knees to 90 degrees. Push into the front heel and return to the start position. Repeat on the other side and continue to alternate.
6. Lunge With Curl
How to do it: Hold one 5-10 pound weight (
get your weights here!) in each hand with palms facing forward and feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward with your left foot, keeping your shoulders over your hip. Bend your knees to 90 degrees while you bend both elbows, curling the weights toward your shoulders. Extend your elbows, returning the weights to your sides, while pressing through your back heel to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Continue to alternate.
7. Lunge With Press
How to do it: Hold one 5-10 pound weight in each hand, bend your elbows so the weights are in front of your shoulders, palms facing forward. Stand with your feet together. Take a big step forward with your left foot, bend both knees to 90 degrees, keeping your shoulders over your hips. As you lower your torso toward the floor, extend your elbows, pressing the weights overhead. Press through your back heel to return your left foot to the start position while you simultaneously lower the weights to start position. Repeat on the other side, continue to alternate.
8. Balance Trainer Lunge
How to do it: Stand a few feet behind the balance trainer on a non-slip surface (need a balance trainer?
Find one here!). With your left foot, take a big step forward onto the center of the balance trainer. Keep your shoulders over your hips, bend both knees to 90 degrees. Engage your butt and thighs to help you stay stable. Press through your back heel to return to starting position. Repeat on the opposite side and continue to alternate.
9. Stability Ball Lunge
How to do it: Stand a few feet in front of the stability ball on a non-slip surface. Stretch your left leg back and place the top of your foot in the middle of the top of the stability ball. Keep your shoulders over your heels and bend both knees until the front thigh is parallel to the ground. Press through your front heel to come back to standing. Do as many reps as you'd like without dropping the back foot, then switch to the other side.
10. Reverse Lunge Kick
How to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. With your right leg, take a big step backwards bending both knees to 90 degrees. Make sure your shoulders are over your hips. Press into your left heel and kick your left leg straight out in front of you, lifting your leg as high as you can. With control, lower your left leg and return to reverse lunge position. Complete as many reps as you'd like and then switch to the other side.
11. Switch Leg Lunges
How to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward with your left foot. Keeping your shoulders over your hips, bend both knees to 90 degrees. In a single explosive movement, extend both legs and jump straight in the air, landing with your right leg in front and your left leg behind. Bend both knees to 90 degrees, and repeat the jump, reversing lead legs again.
What are your favorite lunge variations?
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Source:
Cosmopolitan
