Dumbbell lunges

An excellent exercise for glutes. It is better not to bring your trailing leg close, but to keep it apart. In other words, you don’t need to step. That would be a waste of energy. The glute of the forward-standing leg does the work. If you want strong or beautiful glutes, you should do this exercise. However, I do not recommend it for people with knee problems.

Nuances and mistakes

1. To make the exercise more challenging and effective, place your front foot on a small elevation (7–15 cm). This will allow you to go lower and achieve a greater stretch in your glutes.

2. A variation with dumbbells is a great option for home use or for those with back issues. The load on the spine is lower than when using a barbell. Plus, it’s easier to maintain balance. However, with a barbell, you’ll be able to use a heavier weight.

3. To improve balance, do not place your feet in a single line; instead, spread them slightly apart.

4. The back leg should ideally remain on the toes at all times. This ensures that most of the bodyweight shifts to the front (working) leg.

5. Go as low as possible. Straighten your legs fully when coming up. A slight forward lean of the torso at the bottom of the movement is also acceptable as it provides an additional stretch to the glutes.

6. Do not let your knee go beyond your toes. The optimal position is aligned with the toes.

7. If this exercise feels too difficult for you at the moment, you can use a simplified version. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and use the other hand to hold onto a support to assist as needed.