I hate lunges page

[AmyMac703]

...so what are some good alternatives? Ideally, I'm looking for something either bodyweight based or that uses minimal freeweights -- i.e. something I can do at home.

[RichMahogany]

Objection. If you hate lunges, the solutions is to do more lunges. I hated deadlifts once. Now they're my favorite. I hated squats. Squats are my fucking religion now.

Can you do step-ups anywhere? They're kind of like a lunge but better. You can use a couple dumbbells or a weight vest. No barbell/squat rack needed.

[seaweed]

i used to hate lunges as i couldnt see the point. either i was doing them wrong or i didnt have enuf weight as they felt like nothing. what i found helps is to add some interest in. i dont know the technical name but if you have no dumbells or kettle bells to carry you can lunge somewhere reaching over and touching the opposite foot each time you come up, then crab walk backwards back. which is i think like a walking backwards sumo squat? you can lunge and twist places. reverse lunge with weights if you have them and so on. it also helps to focus on technique and where you should be feeling them.

[primalrob]

i'm not wild about lunges either, but that's because i find them boring unless it's 100 yards of walking lunges. but, jumping lunges are a good challenge. and, i agree with rich about step ups. i have a sturdy coffee table i do mine on, plus i'll throw on a weighted back pack and hold my sandbag to add a little difficult. sandbag thrusters with a step up are also a killer workout.

[Goldie]

Squats while holding weights (dumbbells/gallon water jugs/kettlebells) are also an option.

[PureFunctionalFitness]

Lunges are one of the foundational human movements, you see them, or at least part of the movement in loads of different things, so avoiding them is not the right way to go.

I run kettlebell classes and MOST of the participants can't lunge at the start, it takes ages for them to improve. Shows just how disfunctional we are as a society.

I would work on them, Forward, backward, walking lunges, side lunges etc. Then add some weight if you want to. Ignoring something you 'should' be able to do as a human being is not ideal, unless of course you have some genuine injury or issue that stops you doing them safely. Good luck

[primalrob]

Lunges are one of the foundational human movements

i remember having a discussion about this once. are they really a foundational human movement? other than rising from a kneeling position, i can't think of a time where a lunge has ever felt like the natural thing to do. i'm not disagreeing with the idea; it's just not something i've encountered. i climb things, so step ups make sense. i rise from a supine position, so turkish get ups and squats make sense.
i think they can be a great exercise, and i work them into my routine from time to time, but i wonder about the natural movement part.

[not on the rug]

Objection. If you hate lunges, the solutions is to do more lunges. I hated deadlifts once. Now they're my favorite. I hated squats. Squats are my fucking religion now.

Can you do step-ups anywhere? They're kind of like a lunge but better. You can use a couple dumbbells or a weight vest. No barbell/squat rack needed.

agreed. do more of them. think of it like an arranged marriage.. you'll learn to love each other. or do some step-ups.

i used to hate working my shoulders, and now they are my favorite muscle group to work

[Leida]

Lunges. Normally, if you hate it, it's worth doing.

[EvRevFit]

i remember having a discussion about this once. are they really a foundational human movement? other than rising from a kneeling position, i can't think of a time where a lunge has ever felt like the natural thing to do. i'm not disagreeing with the idea; it's just not something i've encountered. i climb things, so step ups make sense. i rise from a supine position, so turkish get ups and squats make sense.
i think they can be a great exercise, and i work them into my routine from time to time, but i wonder about the natural movement part.

I agree. They're definitely useful and safe as functional movements (and really good for the older crowd), but moving in a crouched position would be more functional than lunging. If I pick something up from the ground, I'm not going to do a perfect lunge...I'll half-crouch with a neutral spine.