Three variations of lunges to tone your thighs, build strength and get firmer legs


Tamara Villa

The reality is that your legs do a lot of the heavy lifting during your day, so it’s important to take good care of them and make sure they’re up to the task. The
thigh muscles, including the hamstrings and quadriceps, along with the abductor and adductor muscles on the outer and inner thighs, are some of the largest muscles in your body and you need to take care of them. and nothing better than
some good ones lunges to tone and shine to that area of ​​the body.

When you do exercises to strengthen your thighs, you are helping
build the foundation for daily movement, ensuring they are fit and strong enough to walk (or run, jump and climb) at their best. It is not only strength, but also balance, coordination and security. And who doesn’t like to have nice and toned thighs?

Because the thighs are involved in so many daily movements, choosing
exercises that shore up and tone these muscles it’s quite easy. It’s usually best to select compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups, and lunges are always one of the best options. Are
three variants will help you have enviable thighs.

walking lunges

Walking lunges, like squats and step-ups, challenge all
major muscle groups of the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Walking lunges can be performed with or without additional weight to make the exercise more or less challenging.

To do walking lunges well,
stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and the engaged torso. He takes a wide step forward with his right foot. It should be larger than a normal step, but it doesn’t have to be excessively large.

Plant your right foot securely on the ground (heel down). Your torso should be evenly spaced between your front and back feet.
Avoid leaning forward from the hips or waist. Bend both knees (let your left heel lift off the floor as needed) and lower your back knee toward the ground until both knees
knees are bent at 90 degree angles.

Press through your feet to begin the rising phase of the lunge, and as you do so, lift your left foot off the ground and take a large step forward, using the
right leg to help propel you up and forward while extending the right knee and hip. Continue the exercise by performing the lunge to the left side.

Woman exercising/PEXELS

Complete a set for time or repetitions. If you go for time, consider doing
2-3 sets of alternating walking lunges for 60 seconds. If you’re going to do reps, complete 2-3 sets of 10-12 lunges per leg. The last 2-3 reps should be challenging, but not impossible.

side lunges

Like other types of lunges, lateral lunges work all of the major muscle groups in your lower body. But, due to the lateral movement of the lunge, it also
target the adductors (inner thighs) more than most other types of lunges. Begin the exercise without additional weights to
focus on techniquebut when you’re ready for a challenge, try adding dumbbells or kettlebells to the move.

put
standing tall with feet together or a few centimeters apart. Engage the core, making sure you have good posture. Your torso should remain upright throughout the entire exercise. give a
wide step to the right with the right footplanting the foot securely some distance from the left foot with the toes slightly angled to the right.

Press your hips back and bend your right knee, keeping it in line with your right toes as you move to your right side. The left leg should remain straight. When you have lowered your hips as far as you can comfortably, stop the movement.
Push off with the right foot and extend the knee and right hip as you step your right foot back to the starting position. Continue doing a single set to the right side before switching sides.

Complete a set for time or repetitions. If you go for time, do
30 to 60 seconds of lunges to the side before switching sides. Complete 2-3 sets total. If you’re going to do reps, do 2-3 sets of 10-12 lunges per leg. The last 2-3 repetitions should be
challenging, but without great effort.

curtsy lunges

Curtsy lunges are another great variation of lunges that
focus on the entire lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. But just as side lunges help target the inner thighs, reverent lunges work on the
outer thighs.

Woman exercising/PEXELS

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart,
knees slightly bent and core contracted. Step back and diagonally with your left foot to bring your left foot behind and to the outside of your right foot. Bend both knees, lowering the left knee towards the ground.

keep the
torso upright and looking forward and make sure that the knees are in line with the toes. Stop the movement when the back knee is a few inches off the ground and the knees are bent at approximately 90 degree angles.
Press down with both feet and step back with your left leg back to the starting position as you return to standing. Do a full set on one side before switching sides.

Complete a set for time or repetitions. If you go for time, do
30 to 60 seconds of lunges to the side before switching sides. Complete 2-3 sets total. If you’re going to do reps, complete 2-3 of 10-12 lunges per leg.
The last 2-3 repetitions should be demanding.