literally me today. I was almost on the verge of giving up on that exercise cause i didn't feel my glutes. Upped slightly the weight. Changed the posture. Gotta be the first time I felt my glutes on ANY exercise. I feel glutes and quads like they're tearing.
Super informative and something I never knew. #Gamechange 1 - Long Step Length for Glute Focus: To target glutes effectively during lunges, take longer steps while maintaining stability and force production. This allows for a greater stretch and workload on the glutes compared to shorter steps that primarily engage the quads. 2 - Maintain Upright Posture: Keeping a rigid and upright posture during lunges, with slight forward lean from the hips if necessary, ensures the focus remains on the legs and glutes rather than shifting the load to the back, promoting better muscle engagement. 3 - Front Leg Weight Bias: Most of the hypertrophic benefits for the glutes come from the stretched position of the front leg during lunges. It's recommended to bias more weight onto the front leg rather than distributing it evenly or placing too much on the back leg. 4 - Equipment Choice for Stability and Experience: For beginners or those with balance issues, dumbbells are advised over barbells due to easier stabilization and safety. For more experienced individuals with strong lunges, a barbell can be more beneficial for targeting glutes without worrying about grip or balance issues. 5 -Load and Repetition Adjustments for Optimal Glute Engagement: Experiment with different loads and rep ranges (15-25 recommended) during lunges to find the sweet spot where glute engagement is maximized. Heavier loads can sometimes shift focus to quads, so adjusting the weight can help refocus on glutes.
I learned the same thing 2 years ago. I never felt my glutes with squats or regular lunges in my life. Once I started doing long step lunges, I felt my glutes sore for the first time ever. Now I feel sore glutes every time I do squats OR regular lunges. I woke them up.
Recently I began to incorporate reverse lunges in my routine, my glutes feel SORE AF FOR DAYS and I even feel my glutes more when I walk or perform other lower body exercises!!!
I dismissed lunges for like 20 years. Now I needed to add them, to train legs with a back injury. And I found lunges to be fantastic. Good for hypertrophy and translates so well into the real world
1. Step Lenght - Long Step ; as long as your stable - Knees (around) over toes 2. Posture Don't lift with back. - Proud Chest - You can lean forward a bit, but lean with your hips - No back rounding 3. Weight Distribution - Stretch position > over contracted position - Most weight on the front leg - Either 50/50 weights or more on front leg (Front leg : the one stepping in front) 4. Barbell or Dumbell - I. D. C for now (advanced) 5. Light or Heavy - Light = better technique + Mind Muscle Connection - Hard : High SFR not great technique and activation - Moderate : Best of both worlds. 15 to 25 : great connection and focus. Quads is a limiting factor above.
Dr. Mike, what are your thoughts on stepping forward vs. stepping backward for lunges? I have limited floor space so I try to do them "in place" as much as possible. Lunges wreck my glutes and groin muscles. I usually do them with 20lb dumb bells. 8-10 reps per leg, 2-3 sets, slow decent, close to but not actually touching knee, pause at the bottom for a second. If I do too many sets it can make it difficult to do them a second time per week... sore AF. This video is actually confirming what I have been doing with my length of step and upper body posture. Balance is usually good to go for me. Really enjoy these focus videos.
I could’ve sworn in a recent Q&A of either Jared or James, Dr. Mike said there is essentially no functional difference between forward and reverse lunges. I have no room in my home gym for walking lunges, so I just do reverse lunges with a safety bar on my back.
You can do a weighted vest with dumbbells as well. We don't have the space in our gym to lunge with a Barbell. And I do agree that gripping the dumbells becomes problematic when they start to get heavy - which will be different for different people.
Dr Mike, I really like your videos. Thanks for sharing. If possible, I'd appreciate a video where you talk about the best exercises for people with back issues. Because of cervical issues I cannot do deadlifts and much less barbell squats. No barbell on my shoulders ever, according to my doctor. Makes me feel like my workouts will never be as efficient as I'd like them to =/
I used to think only barbell hip thrusts hit my glutes hard, but I've been squatting a lot lately and my glutes are definitely getting worked. Guess I never squatted this much.
@@thelastMaster100 I used to feel hammies first, I would say to focus on pushing the hips through the instant the concentric starts, lower the weight, hips through and stop resting at the top, your quads (and even glutes) will fire. Film yourself from the back/side to check if your hips are doing the right thing. Good luck!
@@thelastMaster100 I squat pretty deep and my hammys get some work during squats too, I'm guessing in the bottom. But it's still mostly quads and glutes.
I started doing isometric lunges due to not being able to feel my glutes, I knew that the problem was that I had poor range of motion plus I lacked stability at the bottom so I started doing isometric lunges holding the bottom position to gain ROM in the same way you can hold the bottom of the squat to gain ROM over time, this way my rom and stability at the bottom improved greatly in just one month, ideally the ROM should be like the one Knees Over Toes has.
I’m definitely going to try this on my left glute. I just cannot get that mind muscle connection unless I do a shit ton of glute med activation before the main movement and I simply do not have enough time for that BS. Thanks for sharing your experience!!
Someone asked me how to better target their glutes in lunges and I gave them the exact advice you've given here in the first 2 minutes. Even just having some kinesiology background helps so much to be able to intuitively figure out these kind of things for people and adapt exercises accordingly! 💪
Dumbbells definitely add a lot is stability to the movement . My left glute is a huge problem . No matter what I do I still feel more tension on my vastus medialis .
Ah I was curious what your thoughts are on barbell lunges where you step forwards and then explode back to starting position. I can see pros and cons of it.
I have the opposite problem, sometimes I do lunges to hit my quads when my lower back is messed up, and I end up getting sore as hell in my glutes while my quads are not even tired.
I have found sliding lunges help me get a deeper stretch and help me out more weight in the front leg! If you don’t already do them they’re worth trying.
I have had some very bad experiences with many glute exercises due to a chronic low back problem. I've recently incorporated walking lunges into my routine. I love them! I use a lower weight as i am able to slow the movement down, balance better, and really work my glutes well. This video was really helpful, dr Mike, thank you.
I just got the RP app and the only glute excercise on it that I can do at home is the lunge and I tried it for 2 weeks but couldn't feel my glutes at all while doing it and now I see this video in my recommendations, perfect
Hello Dr. Mike, Could you care to comment on stepping forward vs stepping back during a lunge and the differences? Also any technique modifications you would make doing standing lunges if I had limited gym space? Thank you!
Hey Dr. Mike! What's your opinion on lunges/split squats biased toward knee extension (front foot elevated, short step, knee forward etc.), as a quad exercise?
Make as many Targeting the Muscle as you can with the biomechanics. Dr Jordan Shallow does a good job but you need a Bachelors in Biomechanics to understand a little of it.
Gonna start lunges with 100s pretty soon. Usually I do 10-20 steps a set. Anymore than 20 steps; I’m just so mentally exhausted and I get the urge to throw up .
@joedimaggio3146 Kickboxing, I had just bought new equipment (and I wasnt a good kickboxer anyway) that was pulling my toes out of position. Dodgy front kick messed up the first one and then stubbornly kept going and messed up the second. Honestly the pain is my own fault for not getting it seen by a doctor lmao, still get major flare ups even years later
dr mike said something about glutes taking a large load without making an innuendo. this must be a more professional series lmao *belchs right after a camera cut* ok guess not LOL
I have them in right now, but definitely struggling to connect. I don’t have a lot of space so have to turn around ever 3 reps (6 total steps). I’m choosing weights that get my 12 reps, but I’m usually gassed at a cardio level for some reason. It’s the most grueling lift in my entire program from that standpoint…. But that seems strange to me. No other lift makes me breath as heavy or hard so I feel like somethings off or wrong
I am kind of happy that I saw your comment. Iam exactly the same, its killer for my glutes so I do this exercise but sometimes I wonder is it worth 😂 I feel like i am gonna vomit or get heart attack afterwards
I remember when i first put in split squats and couldn’t really feel it in my glutes at the time and thought something must have been off. Then the next morning the doms in my glutes were redonk it was like satan himself had slipped me a rufi.
step length and torso angle don't have much to do if glutes or quads are involved. It's mosty about the angle of the force vector in relation to the shin. And it's even more a mind thing. Better feet and core strength/controll = more glutes.
Tried it out. Training was so intense that I think I broke my muscles, I'm pretty sure there's a crack between my glutes
i heard you had it filled in. Close call.
literally me today. I was almost on the verge of giving up on that exercise cause i didn't feel my glutes. Upped slightly the weight. Changed the posture. Gotta be the first time I felt my glutes on ANY exercise. I feel glutes and quads like they're tearing.
😅
Trouble feeling glutes? I get into trouble for feeling glutes all the time...
This is what I came for.
@@kommodore979 that's why I come too
😂😂😂
I see what you did there... 😏
Trouble feeling glutes is why I train at all 😂
Super informative and something I never knew. #Gamechange
1 - Long Step Length for Glute Focus: To target glutes effectively during lunges, take longer steps while maintaining stability and force production. This allows for a greater stretch and workload on the glutes compared to shorter steps that primarily engage the quads.
2 - Maintain Upright Posture: Keeping a rigid and upright posture during lunges, with slight forward lean from the hips if necessary, ensures the focus remains on the legs and glutes rather than shifting the load to the back, promoting better muscle engagement.
3 - Front Leg Weight Bias: Most of the hypertrophic benefits for the glutes come from the stretched position of the front leg during lunges. It's recommended to bias more weight onto the front leg rather than distributing it evenly or placing too much on the back leg.
4 - Equipment Choice for Stability and Experience: For beginners or those with balance issues, dumbbells are advised over barbells due to easier stabilization and safety. For more experienced individuals with strong lunges, a barbell can be more beneficial for targeting glutes without worrying about grip or balance issues.
5 -Load and Repetition Adjustments for Optimal Glute Engagement: Experiment with different loads and rep ranges (15-25 recommended) during lunges to find the sweet spot where glute engagement is maximized. Heavier loads can sometimes shift focus to quads, so adjusting the weight can help refocus on glutes.
about 2- actually leaning forward is more beneficial for the glutes because is gives more ROM for hip extension
@@victorvictor9662yes, but leaning forward in a deliberate controlled way hinging at the hip like he outlines in the video.
Is that 15-25 on each side? So 30-50 lunges total?
I learned the same thing 2 years ago. I never felt my glutes with squats or regular lunges in my life. Once I started doing long step lunges, I felt my glutes sore for the first time ever. Now I feel sore glutes every time I do squats OR regular lunges. I woke them up.
THAT`S MY GOAL
Respect for those people that have the balls to do lunges and Bulgarian splits with barbells. I'll stick to dumbbells.
i do hammer curls with barbells.
I learned that the hard way. Git stuck doing reverse lunges with a safety squat bar. Got help luckily from others
😂@@HerculesEinstein
Recently I began to incorporate reverse lunges in my routine, my glutes feel SORE AF FOR DAYS and I even feel my glutes more when I walk or perform other lower body exercises!!!
Thank you. I really like these training how to videos better than when you are just sitting behind your desk. I find these videos very helpful.
I dismissed lunges for like 20 years. Now I needed to add them, to train legs with a back injury. And I found lunges to be fantastic. Good for hypertrophy and translates so well into the real world
This guy's advice is gold and his delivering is entertaining.
1. Step Lenght
- Long Step ; as long as your stable
- Knees (around) over toes
2. Posture
Don't lift with back.
- Proud Chest
- You can lean forward a bit, but lean with your hips
- No back rounding
3. Weight Distribution
- Stretch position > over contracted position
- Most weight on the front leg
- Either 50/50 weights or more on front leg
(Front leg : the one stepping in front)
4. Barbell or Dumbell
- I. D. C for now (advanced)
5. Light or Heavy
- Light = better technique + Mind Muscle Connection
- Hard : High SFR not great technique and activation
- Moderate : Best of both worlds.
15 to 25 : great connection and focus. Quads is a limiting factor above.
Absolutely love this series. Please continue the good work❤️
Awesome tips with great explanation. Almost seems off that something this good is for free
Get used to it, man, these vids will keep on coming. And click on some ads, dammit! JKJK lolll - Dr. Mike
I always had trouble with lunges, this is the best video ive ever seen about lunges thank you dr mike
I'm literally on the second week of a glute meso. Dr. Mike get out of my walls 😭
Are you satisfied with the app?
Dr. Mike, what are your thoughts on stepping forward vs. stepping backward for lunges? I have limited floor space so I try to do them "in place" as much as possible. Lunges wreck my glutes and groin muscles. I usually do them with 20lb dumb bells. 8-10 reps per leg, 2-3 sets, slow decent, close to but not actually touching knee, pause at the bottom for a second. If I do too many sets it can make it difficult to do them a second time per week... sore AF. This video is actually confirming what I have been doing with my length of step and upper body posture. Balance is usually good to go for me. Really enjoy these focus videos.
I could’ve sworn in a recent Q&A of either Jared or James, Dr. Mike said there is essentially no functional difference between forward and reverse lunges. I have no room in my home gym for walking lunges, so I just do reverse lunges with a safety bar on my back.
Both approaches are totally fine! - Dr. Mike
@@RenaissancePeriodizationcan you also just stay in place. Doing right first and than left.
You can do a weighted vest with dumbbells as well. We don't have the space in our gym to lunge with a Barbell. And I do agree that gripping the dumbells becomes problematic when they start to get heavy - which will be different for different people.
As a guy gifted with great glute insertions I definitely needed this.
Great info as always. Did your recommendations in my workout today from your SHRUGS video. Killer!
Excellent! - Dr. Mike
dumb question: when you say 'sets of 15', you're talking about 15 on each side, correct (alternating)?
If you only do 15 total, you won't hit both sides because it's an odd # so it's gotta be 15/25 each side
Dr Mike, I really like your videos. Thanks for sharing. If possible, I'd appreciate a video where you talk about the best exercises for people with back issues. Because of cervical issues I cannot do deadlifts and much less barbell squats. No barbell on my shoulders ever, according to my doctor. Makes me feel like my workouts will never be as efficient as I'd like them to =/
I used to think only barbell hip thrusts hit my glutes hard, but I've been squatting a lot lately and my glutes are definitely getting worked. Guess I never squatted this much.
For me I don't feel glutes I feels hamstrings.. I high bar with platform shoes and I still feel hammys....
@@thelastMaster100 I used to feel hammies first, I would say to focus on pushing the hips through the instant the concentric starts, lower the weight, hips through and stop resting at the top, your quads (and even glutes) will fire. Film yourself from the back/side to check if your hips are doing the right thing. Good luck!
@@thelastMaster100 I squat pretty deep and my hammys get some work during squats too, I'm guessing in the bottom. But it's still mostly quads and glutes.
i dont feel thrusts all too much, i feel bulgarians most
@@thelastMaster100, I only start to feel Hamstrings when I am hitting those last few reps and am really struggling.
Ah great timing. I have glutes today and lunges are in the program
I love it when larger guys make me feel my glutes
I had a coach who swore by sled lunges.....His name was Louie Simmons.. Excellent video
I prefer reverse lunges because my knees never complain with them and I can be more consistent with my step length
I learn so much watching your channel one of my most favourite trusted teachers thank you ❤
This is the best lunge video ive seen❤
I knew on day that you were going to offer to help me feel my glutes
The Big 5 --- Dr Mike. Rippetoe. Jordan shallow. Kelly Starrett. Joe DeFranco. And ---- special mention : Carl Paoli
Reported because Doc in that Faygo T-shirt, talking about glutes is so sexual it violates TH-cam's TOS!
I started doing isometric lunges due to not being able to feel my glutes, I knew that the problem was that I had poor range of motion plus I lacked stability at the bottom so I started doing isometric lunges holding the bottom position to gain ROM in the same way you can hold the bottom of the squat to gain ROM over time, this way my rom and stability at the bottom improved greatly in just one month, ideally the ROM should be like the one Knees Over Toes has.
That's a really good idea! - Dr. Mike
I’m definitely going to try this on my left glute. I just cannot get that mind muscle connection unless I do a shit ton of glute med activation before the main movement and I simply do not have enough time for that BS. Thanks for sharing your experience!!
Someone asked me how to better target their glutes in lunges and I gave them the exact advice you've given here in the first 2 minutes. Even just having some kinesiology background helps so much to be able to intuitively figure out these kind of things for people and adapt exercises accordingly! 💪
I usually do step back splits, moderate weight on quad day and heavy on glute ham day
This was so helpful, especially the amount of weight! The lower weight made a huge difference
Very good points - thanks for the straightforward techniques 👍
Awesome video. I was having trouble connecting with my glutes during lunges. I will try the different tips you suggested.
This is amazing advice for improving my weighted lunges. Thanks Prof Mike ❤
Thanks for another great video Mike! I’d love for you to talk more about programming floating lifting splits.
th-cam.com/video/rAZ9CXnxGZo/w-d-xo.html
Boom: th-cam.com/video/rAZ9CXnxGZo/w-d-xo.html - Dr. Mike
This is a fantastic video as doctor Mike also shows you the actual movements
How do Bulgarian Split Squats compare to Lunges for Glutes?
Dumbbells definitely add a lot is stability to the movement . My left glute is a huge problem . No matter what I do I still feel more tension on my vastus medialis .
Ah I was curious what your thoughts are on barbell lunges where you step forwards and then explode back to starting position. I can see pros and cons of it.
Very informative, and helpful. Thank you!
So excited to try this out
When dr Mike says 15-25 reps does he mean total or per leg? 🤔
Not dr mike but def per leg
I guess total? IDK but for me more than 25 per set sounds very hard? Becomes more of a stamina/condition thing than strength
15-25 per leg.
@@TheLakeJake3 awesome thank you !
I think he means total
Most underrated exercise for building big and defined legs.
Lookin good in the faygo shirt, doc
Great video, thanks!
I am doing reverse lunges, and it is mostly a quad burn. This is good to know. Thank you
15-25 reps??? That sounds like torture Dr. Mike, but it guess that's the RP way lmaooo
Wonderful video Mikhail.
Mikhalych
This was super useful. Ima use this at work
Front foot elevated. Finish one set for one leg. And hold with one hand. Time under tension is more important
I like to imagine this is a regular sized single car garage with custom small equipment
I like the "Teacher Mike" version the best 😎. Thanks for the vid
I have the opposite problem, sometimes I do lunges to hit my quads when my lower back is messed up, and I end up getting sore as hell in my glutes while my quads are not even tired.
Try rear step lunges, those blow up my quads.
Probably cause of your glutes working overtime to help with your lower back
I have found sliding lunges help me get a deeper stretch and help me out more weight in the front leg! If you don’t already do them they’re worth trying.
As a spaz, I recommend deficit smith machine lunges for glute hypertrophy.
I have had some very bad experiences with many glute exercises due to a chronic low back problem.
I've recently incorporated walking lunges into my routine. I love them!
I use a lower weight as i am able to slow the movement down, balance better, and really work my glutes well.
This video was really helpful, dr Mike, thank you.
Hello dr mike please make a video on cable crunches ? I dont feel it at all in my abs 😐
Thank you Doctor Michael
Mike you’re the man ❤❤❤💪💪💪🙌🙌🙌
Royal up with that grape Faygo shirt like its the carnival
Great video, I'm going to try lunges ASAP
I just got the RP app and the only glute excercise on it that I can do at home is the lunge and I tried it for 2 weeks but couldn't feel my glutes at all while doing it and now I see this video in my recommendations, perfect
Hello Dr. Mike,
Could you care to comment on stepping forward vs stepping back during a lunge and the differences?
Also any technique modifications you would make doing standing lunges if I had limited gym space?
Thank you!
I'm not Dr. Mike but I know reverse lunges emphasize the glutes more than forward lunges
Yessss I only ever feel my hamstrings and quads on lunges
Hey Dr. Mike! What's your opinion on lunges/split squats biased toward knee extension (front foot elevated, short step, knee forward etc.), as a quad exercise?
Gonna go on a limb here and say he believes in lunges for quad work.
It's a fine idea! - Dr. Mike
Love the video! Thank you ❤
Make as many Targeting the Muscle as you can with the biomechanics. Dr Jordan Shallow does a good job but you need a Bachelors in Biomechanics to understand a little of it.
If Grimace from McDonalds was swole he would look something like that
For me two things make a huge difference:
1) Controlled, slow eccentric
2) Walking lunges
Combined they murder your glutes and quads
Where is Jenna Aguire when we need her..lol
Dr. Mike, what do you think of reverse hypers? I can't seem to find a video where you mention them. Just curious 😉😉
Gonna start lunges with 100s pretty soon. Usually I do 10-20 steps a set. Anymore than 20 steps; I’m just so mentally exhausted and I get the urge to throw up .
I can't lunge anymore due to chronic pain in my big toes (broke them both in sparring) but here tor the top notch information anyway, good soup
what kind of sparring?
@joedimaggio3146 Kickboxing, I had just bought new equipment (and I wasnt a good kickboxer anyway) that was pulling my toes out of position. Dodgy front kick messed up the first one and then stubbornly kept going and messed up the second. Honestly the pain is my own fault for not getting it seen by a doctor lmao, still get major flare ups even years later
With the leaning forward. It's good as long as your body doesn't bend over the parallel of your back thigh.
Great video!
Star, you so funny! thanks
Ok, Dr. Mike, I'll experiment with loads
thanks big guy
dr mike said something about glutes taking a large load without making an innuendo. this must be a more professional series lmao
*belchs right after a camera cut* ok guess not LOL
I want an RP strength full gym tour
I have them in right now, but definitely struggling to connect. I don’t have a lot of space so have to turn around ever 3 reps (6 total steps). I’m choosing weights that get my 12 reps, but I’m usually gassed at a cardio level for some reason. It’s the most grueling lift in my entire program from that standpoint…. But that seems strange to me. No other lift makes me breath as heavy or hard so I feel like somethings off or wrong
Try just bodyweight and push your reps higher. Yes lunges really are good at hitting the lungs.
@@ryanrogers8211 I’m doing 130lbs. Bodyweight would be a crazy high number of reps lol
I am kind of happy that I saw your comment. Iam exactly the same, its killer for my glutes so I do this exercise but sometimes I wonder is it worth 😂 I feel like i am gonna vomit or get heart attack afterwards
No other exercise is even close
@@michap6197 that just means it’s working properly!!!
most important part @ 3:43
You can use these cues on the stairs or elliptical as well
Really informative.
3:43 this is the content we want.
Thank you Dr Mike. Now I'll be able to wear those "juicy" pants in a non ironic way.
I love watching battle gnomes take “big” steps lol
Let's get that 🍰🍰🍰!
doing lunges this way was better than getting my back blown out tbh
Faygo shirt is how you know it's going to be a good video.
I only feel my glutes when I hamstring curl, and yes, that's a problem lol
I remember when i first put in split squats and couldn’t really feel it in my glutes at the time and thought something must have been off. Then the next morning the doms in my glutes were redonk it was like satan himself had slipped me a rufi.
step length and torso angle don't have much to do if glutes or quads are involved.
It's mosty about the angle of the force vector in relation to the shin. And it's even more a mind thing. Better feet and core strength/controll = more glutes.
Good stuff.
By reps do you mean per leg or total? I usually take 20 steps so 10 reps per leg.
I count reps like I count steps. Total. - Dr. Mike
Gonna sound weird but when my wife pegs my cheeks I get an intense concentric contraction.
Can’t pass this vid up, cause the jokes will be gold.