Squats and lunges are two fundamental movements in most field and court sports, such as tennis, football and volleyball. When performed properly, you can burn many calories as well as strengthen your entire body and develop muscle definition in your lower body. However, doing squats and lunges does not burn fat specifically in your lower body because the fat-burning process occurs throughout your body, according to Juan Carlos Santana, director of the Institute of Human Performance.
Dumbbell Squats
Step 1
Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart. Point your feet forward. Hold a dumbbell in each hand over your shoulders with your elbows close to your body near the center.
Step 2
Squat down as low as you can while keeping your torso upright and your knees and feet pointing forward. Keep your heels on the ground and do not round your back.
Step 3
Exhale and push your legs against the ground to stand up without moving your legs and torso out of alignment. Perform three sets of 10 reps.
Multiplanar Lunges
Step 1
Stand with your feet together. Step forward with your left foot about 2 feet in front of you. Lower your body down until your right knee almost touches the ground. Brace your abs and stand back up without moving your torso or losing your balance.
Step 2
Step to your left side with your left foot and lunge down, keeping your left foot and knee facing forward and your right leg straight. Reach forward with both arms to keep your balance as you lunge. Do not round your back. Brace your abs and stand back to the starting position.
Step 3
Step back with your left foot about 2 feet behind you. Lunge straight down until your left knee almost touches the ground. Brace your abs and stand back to the starting position. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 on both legs for a total of 12 to 15 reps each.
Lunge Jumps
Step 1
Stand with your right foot in front of the other about 1 to 2 feet apart and with both feet pointing forward.
Step 2
Bend your legs and lower your body halfway toward the ground, swinging your arms back at the same time.
Step 3
Swing your arms up and jump up vertically at the same time, keeping your torso upright.
Step 4
Land on the balls of your feet before landing on your heels in the same position as you had started. Perform 10 jumps, switch legs and perform another set of power lunge jumps.
Tips and Warnings
- Coach Robert dos Remedios, author of "Cardio Strength Training," recommends that you perform all three exercises within a short period of time followed by a short bout of rest between exercises. This method, called interval training, will help you increase your fat-burning potential and improve stamina and endurance. For example, perform the dumbbell squats for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds and perform a set of multiplanar lunges for 30 seconds on each side of your body.
- Too much exercise in your lower body can cause strain and inflammation in your joints and muscles. Take a day of active rest to recover before training again. Use the dry sauna, perform self-massage, and perform light exercises like walking and yoga, to speed up the recovery.
Things You'll Need
- Two 25 lb. dumbbells
References
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
- "Cardio Strength Training"; Robert dos Remedios; 2009
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