Help! I hate lunges, how can I learn to like them???

Jeff92se

I personally believe that if there's an exercise you hate, you simply shouldn't do it. There are far too many good, fun exercises you can do to tone the legs. Try a 90 second wall sit. You'll have the most powerful legs you can imagine. If you have to, work up to 90 seconds. Lunges hurt some people's knees. I don't like them either.

I don't see many powerlifters training for their 1 rep max using wall sits. So no, wall sits aren't for strength.

msbanana

Keep doing them and then LEARN to love them when your booty's high and tight, your quads are cut and you have sunshine thighs. :bigsmile:

mndamon

I never learned to love them. I learned to hate them, and hating them helps me go after them harder. If I could apply that to yoga it'd be a perfect world, but I just don't think I'll ever "get" yoga.

bigbugboo

Someone once told me "Lunges are the differemce between granny panties and thongs." I think of that everytime I do lunges and it makes them seem easier, haha.

Lol, I just love this!

I always feel I'm not doing them properly, and when I try to get into a deep lunge with weights I feel like I can't get up again!

Tina8838

I am in the same boat girl! I find that if I start my lunge routine with little (like not deep at ALL) and do pulses for twenty seconds then stop then go a little deeper for twenty seconds then I can end up into really deep lunges and those muscles will be warmed up so it wont hurt as bad and I can go deeper than usual. Also, if this does not work you can stand on your stair or a stairstepper with your heel off the back and do squats like this; make sure you are holding on to something for balance only. Anyways, this makes the squat only work your butt and front things which is the same as a lunge!

Good luck and congrats on the weight loss!!

patheticgit

just avoid them. I hate them. Do leg press its easier and tones the muscle better and saves the knees.
who gives a monkeys about lunges. Just do leg press x

czechsmate

i hate lunges and squats ... despite everyone i know says they are a really good exercise i do not like them . unless my trainer really insists, i do the leg press, leg extension, leg curls, brisk walk backwards on the treadmill on an incline .. hip adduction and abbduction .. for some reason lunges and squats bother my knees but these other exercises do not so you have to work with what you are comfortable with

I do all of the above and bar bell squats, no lunges...they are hard on my hips and I have had a history of a slipping patella so I avoid lunges

Jeff92se

just avoid them. I hate them. Do leg press its easier and tones the muscle better and saves the knees.
who gives a monkeys about lunges. Just do leg press x

Leg press isn't the same (nor as effective) as a compound movement like lunges. Lunges aren't the same as leg presses anyway. A free weight squat is more directly related and again more effective.

ninerbuff

@ninerbuff
You are taking this too personally!
I agree that you shouldn't stop doing something just because you do like it (like eating cauliflower or doing the dishes), but when there are alternatives that you enjoy more that provide similar results, then do that instead (like eating broccoli or running the dishwasher).

It's the internet and I don't take it personally. I sold vacuums door to door for 12 years so I've learned the difference.
For many, alternatives don't get the same results. For instance, if someone doesn't like to do legs (many men in general) they will opt to just do leg curls and leg extensions to suffice. I truly doubt that you can get the same kind of results from just those 2 exercises compared to squats.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

just avoid them. I hate them. Do leg press its easier and tones the muscle better and saves the knees.
who gives a monkeys about lunges. Just do leg press x

If lunges are done correctly, then knees issues aren't the problem. Most people who hurt their knees do them wrong, just like the squat.



A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

beccalc1981

Hate them all you want...for now, eventually, when your a** gets rock hard and your pants fit, you'll love them!

cPT_Helice

You don't need to like them. you only need to like the results.

sallyaj

Music helps.

MercenaryNoetic26

Start doing heavy barbell squats and then maybe lunges will become your favorite leg exercise.

Jeff92se

I try to follow the sexiest lady in the gym while doing walking lunges. sort of takes my mind off the pain.

karinefitness

I don't really like them... But I grab that barbell and do them anyways! I can feel the burn and when I'm sore the next day I can thank the lunges. They are effective. I kinda hate-love them; they push me out of my comfort zone, which I like. CHALLENGE! :-)

MercenaryNoetic26

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If lunges are done correctly, then knees issues aren't the problem. Most people who hurt their knees do them wrong, just like the squat.

EXCELLENT point. Knees should not be affected as much by lunges. I can see people messing up their knees more with squats than anything.

Kelly_1981

Someone once told me "Lunges are the differemce between granny panties and thongs." I think of that everytime I do lunges and it makes them seem easier, haha.

I love this!

MoooveOverFluffy

do squats instead...

velloxal

It will be much easier watching DVD - team work can do miracles as well as good dynamic music.

You can try to pulse up and down few times which will slowly stretch your muscles.

Shift your mind somewhere else while doing it.

You can't achieve anything without practice.