Dumbbell Lunges That Safely Strengthen and Tone Your Thighs

Dumbbell lunges are one of the most effective leg strengthening and weight management exercises.

This video shows you how to lunge safely and tone your thighs with tips for pelvic floor safe exercise.

Video duration: 2 minutes 47

Suitability: Women’s general strengthening

Please scroll down this dumbbell exercise video for pelvic floor safe tips and information on dumbbells lunges

Benefits of Forward Dumbbell Lunges

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Dumbbell lunges have many benefits for women:

• Body weight management
• Strengthening and toning the thighs and buttocks
• Bone density exercises (hips)
• Balance training

Muscles trained:

• Quadriceps (front of thighs)
• Hamstrings (back of thighs)
• Gluteal muscles (buttocks and hips)
• Calves
• Deep abdominal muscles.

Setting Up Forward Dumbbell Lunges

• Stand with your legs in a long stride position
• Position your dumbbell weights in front of your hips resting on your upper thighs for support
• Lift your chest forwards
• Keep your shoulders back and down

Action for Forward Dumbbell Lunges

• Lower your back knee towards the ground
• Keep your front knee behind your front toes throughout (to protect your knees)
• Push down through your front heel and return to upright

How Many Lunges For Results?

• Start out doing that number of repeated lunges that feels comfortable for your body
• Ultimately aim to perform 8-12 repeated lunges, 2-3 times in total
• Lunges can be included as part of a pelvic floor safe exercise routine on 2-3 days of the week

When To Avoid Or Modify Your Lunges

Some women need to avoid or modify lunges in favour of other modified leg strength exercises e.g. mini squats

Avoid lunges if you have pelvic instability problems such as SIJ (sacroiliac or pubic symphysis joint problems) in favour of pelvic stability exercises.

If you’re prone to knee or hip problems, keep your lunges shallow rather than deep. Keep your dumbbell weight manageable for your existing leg strength. Some women with knee and hip problems avoid lunges in favour of modified squats for leg strengthening.

Pelvic Floor Safe Tips for Dumbbell Lunges

Lunges are pelvic floor friendly when performed using the correct technique:

• Keep your lunge shallow rather than deep
• Maintain good upright posture throughout
• Use appropriate size dumbbells weights that avoid straining
• Breathe our with the effort when returning to standing from lunge position

Key Points For Dumbbell Lunges

• Dumbbell lunges are a highly effective exercise for strengthening and toning the thighs and buttocks.
• Dumbbell lunges can modified by using shallow lunge technique and light weights.
• Keep lunges pelvic floor friendly with good upright posture, shallow depth and breathing out with effort of return to upright position.

Next: How To Squat Safely Plus Squat Variations