Lunges are a great addition to any workout regiment, but adding a dumbbell workout to them will kick things up a notch. As COVID-19 continues to bring restrictions to gym access, or people are just more comfortable working out at home, now is a great time to incorporate an at home dumbbell workout into your routine.
Dumbbell lunges are simply lunges with the added weight of dumbbell workout. This is a great way to start increasing your flexibility and strength without changing too much of your current workout routine. Lunges are easy to do at home, and as long as you have dumbbells you are good to go. So, let’s look at how to do dumbbell lunges and the benefits you’ll gain from them.
What are Dumbbell Lunges?
To start, a dumbbell lunge is a regular lunge with the added weight of the dumbbells. The great thing about incorporating the weight into your lunge is you can choose the right weight for you, and no matter what you will get a result. Not everyone is going to want to start with the heaviest dumbbells on the rack.
How to do Dumbbell Lunges
If you already do regular lunges, you’re one step ahead. If you already have dumbbells, you are set to add lunges to your at home dumbbell workout. Lunges are a fairly common workout move, so odds are you know how to do them but let’s review.
Before you start, it’s important to remember that dumbbell lunges are going to give you muscle soreness and shouldn’t be done everyday. Don’t worry, the soreness is a sign that you’re doing them right! It means your at home dumbbell workout is, well, working!
- To get started, you’ll need to pick out your dumbbells.They should be of the same weight, of course. Choosing dumbbell weight will be based on preference and your experience level. It’s fine to start out with light weights and work your way up, you dont want to push yourself and tear a muscle or have another injury from the weights being too heavy.
- Once you have your dumbbells, stand straight up with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Hold your arms at your side gripping the dumbbells with your palms facing your thighs
- On an inhale, take a large step forward with your right foot and place it down firmly on your heel
- Your thigh should be parallel to the ground and you should feel the stretch in your quadricep
- Your rear/left leg should be bent and the calf should be parallel to the ground but not on the ground
- Do not let your knee stretch past the tip of your toes
- On an exhale, step your foot back so you’re upright again
- Repeat with the opposite leg
Pretty easy, right? You should be struggling by the time you get to the last set of dumbbell lunges and you will feel it the next day. Once you feel it starting to not be as challenging, you can up your weights for dumbbell lunges. There are many benefits to adding lunges to your at home dumbbell workout.
Benefits of Dumbbell Lunges
Having a good dumbbell workout will result in many benefits. Not only is it good for strength, but dumbbell lunges also increase stability, balance and flexibility. The muscle areas targeted are:
- Quadriceps
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Calves
These are the areas you will feel the burn in after a set of dumbbell lunges. Working on your quads is going to help you with balance and mobility. They are an important muscle to keep strong as you use them for most daily activities like walking. Dumbbell lunges are also an exercise great for targeting the buttocks and strengthening the gluteus maximus.
Flexibility
Increasing strength is important, but another benefit of dumbbell lunges is that you will greatly increase your flexibility. The large steps you take during each rep activate your hip flexors, which will help increase range of motion.
Balance
Adding the dumbbell workout to your lunges will also help you improve your balance. The extra weight provided by the dumbbells forces you to increase your balance on the leg you are leaving in place while you take the step forward. You will feel a difference in difficulty from a regular lunge to the dumbbell lunge with the added weight.
Things to Look Out For
When doing dumbbell lunges, it’s important to pay attention and make sure you are completing each step properly to avoid unnecessary injury or strain. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when doing dumbbell lunges.
Don’t Lean Forward
Make sure that you are not leaning forward when doing your at home dumbbell workout. Keep a good posture and stay upright without hunching your back. If you are unable to hold the dumbbells you’ve chosen without leaning forward, start with a lighter weight.
Watch Your Knees
Pay attention to your knees at all times during dumbbell lunges. Your back knee should be in a straight line with your body. If you aren’t careful, your knees could be pointing out in another direction which can cause knee pain later.
Pay Attention to Your Stance
Remember to make sure your legs are shoulder width apart. If they are too close together, you will not be working your thighs as much. This will also decrease the stability of your stance and you could lose balance. It may take some time to get it right, and never force a position if it is causing you pain or discomfort.
Conclusion
To sum it up, dumbbell lunges are a great addition to any at home dumbbell workout. If you are already a fan of lunges, adding the weight is a great way to increase the benefits of the stance. Be sure to pay attention to your knees and your form, as the added weight is another increased risk for injury if you are doing something improperly.
Starting out with a smaller weight is totally fine, and you can work your way up to heavier weights the more you practice. Happy lunging!
