Strong Legs & Better Balance With Lunges

Doing lunges helps you strengthen your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Lunges also help you develop a better sense of balance, as all of these muscles must work together to keep you from falling over while in the lunge position.

To properly do a lunge, start off with your feet shoulder-width apart, then step forward, heel first. Bend your leg until your knee is at a 90-degree angle and your thigh is parallel to the floor. Your back leg can be bent while in the lunge position, but do not let your knee touch the floor.

Now lunge with the opposite leg by standing up, returning to the starting position and extending that leg outward and repeating the steps above. You can perform “walking lunges” this way, if you have enough room.

To make lunges more difficult, you can add weight to the exercise by holding a dumbbell in each hand, or holding a barbell across your shoulders.