Do you want to strengthen and tone your lower body? Here's some information and ideas on how to do squats and lunges that you might add to your fitness program.
Step
Part 1 of 6: Body Weight Squats
Step 1. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart
- Adjust how you stand depending on what muscles you're targeting. If you want to work your hamstrings and glutes, you can spread your legs wider, and spread your legs smaller if you want to work your quadriceps.
- Tilt your feet slightly out to stabilize the position.
- Extend both hands forward.
Step 2. Push your hips back and slowly bend your knees until they form a 90-degree angle
- Instead of doing a straight downward movement, you should move your hips back until a position resembles a sitting position.
- Continue to bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your knees should not extend beyond the tips of your toes, unless you are tall.
- Body weight should be concentrated on the heels and not the toes. That way, you can push your body down even more.
Step 3. Activate the gluteus muscles before starting to move
Step 4. Make sure your back is straight and your eyes are looking ahead
- When doing squats, your back should remain in a straight position. Otherwise, you can put pressure on your spine, causing your spinal muscles to pull or a herniated disc.
- Keeping your chest out and your eyes looking forward will help keep your back straight. In addition, you also have to keep your abdominal muscles tight during practice.
Step 5. Lift your body slowly until you return to the starting position
- Pause briefly when you are in a sitting position and then slowly raise your body back to the starting position. Make sure your back is straight and the pressure is focused on your heels.
- Squeeze the glutes tightly when you are in a standing position.
Part 2 of 6: Weighted Squats
Step 1. Start with the lightest weight
- The most important thing in doing squats is the right position. Therefore, you should not try to do weighted squats if you can't do body weight squats in the right position.
- Start with the lightest weights -- for example using a 20 kg iron bar -- and gradually increase the weight as your technique and muscle strength begin to improve.
Step 2. Position the rod correctly
- Adjust the squat rack so that the bar is slightly below the shoulders. Position two safety bars in front of your shoulders so you can do a downward squat with the bar still on your shoulders.
- When you're ready, bend down under the bar and grip it with your palms facing forward and place the bar on your upper back (not your neck). If you feel uncomfortable, use a bar pad or bar pad.
Step 3. Do squats with the same technique as body weight squats
- Spread your legs wider than your shoulders and tilt your legs slightly outward.
- Push your hips back until your hamstrings are parallel to the floor.
- Push out your chest with your shoulders back and your eyes facing forward.
- Make sure your back is straight, especially if you are using heavy weights.
- Push yourself up with your heels and don't bend your knees to the middle. If this happens, you should reduce the weight of the load used.
Step 4. Inhale when the body moves down and exhale when the body moves up
- Make sure you breathe deeply when doing squats with heavy weights. Otherwise, you may become dizzy, nauseous, or even pass out.
- Inhale deeply when the body moves down and exhale when the body moves up. Maintaining a breathing pattern like this will give you energy as you practice.
- If you're adding reps to the exercise, take a few pauses between reps to catch your breath.
Part 3 of 6: Other Squat Variations
Step 1. Do squats with dumbbells
- Grab a pair of dumbbells of your desired weight and hold them in front of you, against your shoulders, as if you were doing a push up.
- Hold the weight in this position while doing the squat, with the technique described earlier.
- If you want to work your full body muscles, move the dumbbells straight ahead as you move into a standing position -- this exercise is great for your legs, core, back, shoulders, abs, and triceps.
Step 2. Perform squats with jumps or jump squats
- This variation can only be done with body weight squats, not weighted squats.
- Place your hands behind your head and move your body down as usual. Quickly move your body up and jump straight into the air.
- Immediately position your body down after you touch the floor.
Step 3. Do a one-legged squat or one-legged squat
- Hold your arms straight out in front of you, in line with your shoulders, and lift your right leg off the floor.
- Do one-legged squats. Move your body as far down as possible with your right leg still raised.
- Slowly move your body up until you reach the starting position and then repeat the movement with the other leg.
Step 4. Perform barbell squats or barbell stiff squats
- This exercise is the same as the weighted squat, except that the exercise is performed with the weight centered on your toes as the heels are lifted as far off the floor as possible.
- Make sure you've mastered the basic technique of the weighted squat before doing this exercise so you can get a good balance while practicing.
Part 4 of 6: Body Weight Lunges
Step 1. Spread your legs about shoulder width apart
- Place your hands on your hips with your back straight. Make sure your shoulders are not tense, your gaze is facing forward, and your core muscles are tight.
- Lunges should be performed on a firm, flat floor, not on a mat, so you can achieve good balance.
Step 2. Take a big step forward with one leg
- The length of the stride depends on your height, but is usually around 0.6 to 0.9 meters.
- As you step, bring your hips down and bend your knees until each forms a 90-degree angle.
- The knee on the front leg should not extend beyond the tips of the toes and the knee on the back foot should not touch the floor.
Step 3. After that, return to the starting position
- Pause for about 5 seconds when you are in a stretched leg position.
- Return to the starting position by pushing from the heel of the forefoot.
Step 4. Switch to the other leg
- Repeat the movement with the opposite leg.
- Make sure your muscles are always in a tight state when practicing.
Part 5 of 6: Weighted Lunges
Step 1. Choose the desired weight
- Weighted lunges can be performed using a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell on the back.
- However, lunges with a barbell are best done by those of you who have mastered advanced techniques and have good balance.
- As with any exercise, you should start with the lightest weight and work your way up to it.
Step 2. Get into a lunge position
- With a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell on your back, take one step forward with one leg until you're in a lunge position.
- Make sure each leg forms a 90-degree angle. The knee on your front leg should not go over the tips of your toes and the knee on your back foot should not touch the floor.
Step 3. Straighten your legs, but don't step back
- When doing the weighted lunge, keep both legs in the same position until you complete the desired number of reps. You just need to bend your legs up and down as you practice.
- Make sure your back is straight, your shoulders are back and not tense, your chin is slightly elevated, and your core muscles are tight throughout the exercise.
Step 4. Switch foot positions
Once you've completed the desired number of reps, switch legs and repeat the exercise
Part 6 of 6: Other Lunge Variations
Step 1. Perform a reverse lunge
- The reverse lunge involves the same movement as a regular lunge. However, the difference is that for the reverse lunge, the steps you take are not forward, but backward.
- Moving backwards requires better ability and balance so this exercise will help perfect your technique.
Step 2. Do a bicep curl lunge
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and position your hands down on each side.
- As you step forward, bend your elbows and lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders to work your biceps.
- Lower the dumbbells when you return to the starting position.
Step 3. Do the walking lunge
- The walking lunge requires you to walk around the room in a lunge with each step.
- Since this exercise requires excellent balance, you should master the basic lunge technique first before trying the walking lunge.
Step 4. Perform side lunges
- The side lunge provides the same benefits as a regular lunge, but this variation also works the muscles in the hips, glutes, and thighs in a different way. That's why side lunges are great for incorporating into your routine.
- Start with your feet and knees together and then take one big step out to the side with your right foot.
- Bend your right knee until it forms a 90-degree angle and make sure your left leg is straight.
- Use your right foot to push your body back to the starting position. Then, repeat the movement with the left leg.
Tips
- If possible, do this exercise in front of a mirror or ask someone to record you while practicing so you can see the mistakes you made while practicing and correct them in the next exercise. That way, the results obtained will be even better in the future.
- Keep practicing and don't rush.
