Legs · None
How to do
Lunges
Single-leg work that exposes the strength and balance differences between your sides, which bilateral squatting hides. Quads and glutes, with a real stability demand.
| Movement pattern | Legs |
| Measured in | reps |
| Equipment | None |
| Effort weight in Alea | 1.1 per rep |
| Appears from | D6 exercise die upward |
How to do it
Setup
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, hands on the hips or held in front for balance. Look straight ahead rather than down at your feet.
The movement
Step forward far enough that both knees can reach roughly ninety degrees. Lower until your back knee is just above the floor, keeping your torso upright. Push through the front heel to return to standing, then repeat on the other side. Alea counts a rep as one leg, so alternate as you go.
Common mistakes
- Stepping too short, which forces the front knee far past the toes and loads it awkwardly
- Leaning the torso forward over the front leg instead of staying tall
- Letting the back knee crash into the floor rather than stopping just above it
- Rushing and losing balance instead of controlling the descent
Too hard? Scale it down
Do static split squats without stepping: set your feet in the lunge position and simply move up and down. It removes the balance challenge entirely. Holding a wall or chair with one hand also works while you build stability.
Too easy? Scale it up
Reverse lunges, walking lunges, or the Bulgarian split squat with the rear foot elevated, which sits further up the Alea pool.
Where this sits in the Alea pool
Alea draws exercises from an ordered pool of twenty, and the die size slices from the top of that list. Lunges is number 6 of 20, so it enters the draw once your exercise die reaches D6. Below that, you will never roll it.
Its effort weight is 1.1 per rep, which the app uses when it builds 100-rep sessions and tailored workouts, so a session containing lunges carries fewer total reps than one built from lighter movements.
Roll it now in your browser, or set your dice and let it come up on its own.
General information, not medical or fitness advice. Stop if you feel pain or dizziness, use the easier variation when in doubt, and see the full training disclaimer before starting.
Let the dice pick it for you
Alea draws lunges at random alongside nineteen other bodyweight movements. Free, no account needed.
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Related
Lunges FAQ
Do lunges count as one rep per leg or per pair?
Alea counts one rep per leg, so a draw of ten means ten total, alternating sides. If you prefer to count pairs, halve the number and expect a harder set.
Forward or reverse lunges?
Reverse lunges are generally kinder to the knees and easier to balance, because you step back into position rather than decelerating forward. Both train the same pattern.
Why is one side much weaker?
Side-to-side differences are normal and squatting hides them. Lunges expose them, which is one of the better arguments for doing them. Train both sides equally and the gap usually narrows.