Lunges are a lower body exercise that target the glutes. Lunges where you step forward or backward with your feet, hips and shoulders all pointing forward work only the gluteus maximus -- but side lunges hit the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles too. For a complete lunge workout, do one of each type of lunge exercise for 10 repetitions per side and up to three sets.
Front Lunge
The front lunge is the basic exercise where you step forward into a lunge position. An advanced version of front lunges is the barbell walking lunge. Walking lunges make your glutes work not only to extend your hips when you stand up, but also as you push off your back leg to step forward. To perform walking lunges, stand with your feet together and hold a barbell across your shoulders with your elbows bent. Then step forward with your right leg and lift your left heel as you bend your knees and lower into a lunge. Next, step forward with your left leg and do a lunge on that side. You can do this exercise with dumbbells instead or no weight to make it easier. Alternatively, just step forward and then stand in place to do a regular front lunge without walking.
Side Lunge
The side lunge works not only your gluteus maximus, but the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus through lunging with your body in a sideways position. To further target the glutes, do the advanced glute activation lunge. This exercise builds off a side lunge, but adds a twist. To perform a glute activation lunge, stand with your arms in front of you at shoulder height and step your left foot across the front of your right leg toward what would be Three O'Clock. Bend both knees into a lunge and twist your torso to the left. This places more stress on your glutes. Push off your front glute to stand back up. Repeat on the other side.
Rear Lunge
The rear lunge targets the glutes through first extending a leg backward into the lunge position -- and then it works the glutes as normal when you stand up and out of the low lunge position. A difficult variation of this exercise is the cable rear lunge. You hold the handles of a cable machine in your hands with your arms straight at your sides so that when you come up from a lunge, you pull on the cables and raise the weight stack. Begin with your feet together facing away from the machine and alternatively step back toward the weight stack, lower into a lunge and then step forward to bring your feet back together. This makes the glutes work to lift your bodyweight plus that of the weight stack. You may also perform the rear lunge holding dumbbells at your sides or a barbell across your shoulders. Beginners may do this with only their bodyweight.
Jumping Lunge
A jumping lunge works the glutes not only to stand your body back up from the low lunge position, but it creates enough force to lift your body into the air. A jumping lunge challenges your balance and coordination too. The extended range of motion also gives the glutes a stretch. To perform a jumping lunge, step forward and lunge as in a walking lunge, but then instead of pushing off your back foot to step forward, push upward to propel yourself into the air. Switch legs and land softly, bending your knees to protect the joints. Alternate sides. If this exercise is too difficult for you or if your glutes are tired, skip this lunge and just perform the other three exercises.
