Lunge Ahead
Strength and balance is the name of the game for these lower-body additions to your workout. While squats have a broader base of support, the split stance in lunges forces you to constantly re-adjust your weight. They can also challenge your mobility, and put your hip, foot and ankle stability to the test. From plyos to lateral to curtsy, these lunge variations fire up your glutes, quads, thighs and calves for superior leg strength.
14. Plyometric Lunges with Figure 8s
If you think plyo lunges are hard, wait ‘til you try this one. Grab a ball to double-team coordination and endurance in one move.
15. Drummer Lunges with Battle Rope
Got some aggression you need to take out? These reverse lunges with battle ropes get your arms moving, increasing your heart rate and full-body burn. And they feel pretty good for stress relief, too.
16. Parallette Lunges
Using parallette bars gives your lunges some incline so you can improve the depth of the movement. You can also work with a pair of dumbbells to add some weight for an even better butt lift.
17. Lateral Lunge to Clean
Our bodies aren’t meant to move in one plane of motion, and this combination exercise will help you break outside the box. Be sure to recruit your glutes, hamstrings and core (and not your arms) to pop the pair of kettlebells up to chest height.
18. Lunge to Plyo Hop
Break through any exercise plateau with this childhood favorite. The trampoline adds fun — and extra height — to basic plyo lunges. Don’t have your own launchpad? Use a step or box.
19. Diagonal Lunge A-Step
Combining strength and speed, this box lunge will help improve your agility and endurance. A true calorie scorcher, this exercise will make you engage your abs and arms to help you jump onto the box as you start to lose steam. The bigger the movement, the better.
20. Overhead Lunges with Slam Ball
These forward lunges will strengthen every facet of your booty. Even better: Holding resistance overhead also sculpts your abs and arms.
21. Predator Split Jacks
Turn up the cardio, while building strength in your lower body. In this split jack variation from BJ Gaddour, you’ll use your arms, shoulders and back to help you create max force.
22. Pendulum Lunge
Sometimes you need to slow things down to tone things up. In a controlled movement, this pendulum lunge takes balance to a new level, as your gluteus maximus works in overtime to help stabilize your stance.
23. Curtsy Lunge with Towel
Curtsy lunges may look like a simple dance move, but these butt burners also sculpt your inner thighs and quads. Holding the towel taut also strengthens your core and arms.
24. Lateral Lunge with Burpee Walkout
If improving functional movement patterns is your goal, this exercise is a big step in the right direction. From the lateral lunge position, you’ll sit into a squat position before stepping your feet back into a plank.