Lunges- I just don't feel the effects!

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psoleil42
psoleil42 Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone,

I'm having some trouble with lunges. I'm not sure if it's my form, or my strength level in my legs, or how light I already am, or a combo of the three, but I don't feel any effects from doing lunges. I did 50 yesterday as part of a bodyweight routine and while balancing was difficult, I could have done way more. Is this common, or should I be feeling muscle fatigue the same way I feel muscle fatigue when I do pushups?

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  • magster4isu
    magster4isu Posts: 632 Member
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    I am not a fitness expert, so there are probably others with better advise, but... Have you tried adding dumbells to make it more challenging?
  • KarenSmith2018
    KarenSmith2018 Posts: 302 Member
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    Are you getting your knee to the ground? And is your front shin at 90 degrees with your knee behind the front of your toes? If your form is good then add dumbells or a barbell to make them harder.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    Barbell Reverse Lunges are one of the few exercises that I always feel the next day. If you can control your balance, I'd suggest adding some weight.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Why are you doing body weight? Do you not have access to weights?
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
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    I personally prefer body weight exercises, my body has never changed so much. That being said, I think it may be your form. If you're concerned about lower body, why don't you try T25's Lower Focus? Incredible.
  • Adammmmm119
    Adammmmm119 Posts: 171 Member
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    What muscles are you trying to hit? Glutes or Quads? Take a bigger step back for glutes and a shorter step for quads. I personally can do much more with my quads so I feel it less with a shorter step.
  • psoleil42
    psoleil42 Posts: 4 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    I don't know if this applies to you, but it does to many: a lunge is not a big long step. It is a small/normal step with a bent back knee almost to the floor.

    That might be it. Thinking about it, it FEELS like my back leg is at °90, but maybe it isn't. I'll try taking a video of my lunges to see if the visual feedback can provide some clues. Thanks!
  • Goober1142
    Goober1142 Posts: 219 Member
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    Try some Bulgarian split squats, with weights. You will.feel those..hehe
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Goober1142 wrote: »
    Try some Bulgarian split squats, with weights. You will.feel those..hehe

    Those are of the devil!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    If that was the first you've done lunges in a long time and you feel absolutely no DOMS by tomorrow, I will be very impressed. 50 lunges bang out of the gate is quite a few.
  • psoleil42
    psoleil42 Posts: 4 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    If that was the first you've done lunges in a long time and you feel absolutely no DOMS by tomorrow, I will be very impressed. 50 lunges bang out of the gate is quite a few.

    So what you're saying is that I accidentally humble bragged? :p

    I'm picking up bodyweight training because I switched to a desk job from farming and don't want to lose strength or too much eating power, and I'm discovering that certain exercises are a breeze, while others aren't. I can hold a wall squat forever, but I can't do a full set of standard pushups. :D
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    psoleil42 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    If that was the first you've done lunges in a long time and you feel absolutely no DOMS by tomorrow, I will be very impressed. 50 lunges bang out of the gate is quite a few.

    So what you're saying is that I accidentally humble bragged? :p

    I'm picking up bodyweight training because I switched to a desk job from farming and don't want to lose strength or too much eating power, and I'm discovering that certain exercises are a breeze, while others aren't. I can hold a wall squat forever, but I can't do a full set of standard pushups. :D

    Ha. I wasn't thinking of it that way but I guess you did :)

    Considering your background in farming, I'm guessing that you are stronger with pulling than you are with pushups. You likely did a lot of picking up and carrying stuff rather than pushing things around as much. It's interesting how your work will translate to exercise.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    tangent, but if you can keep doing them until your balance is solid, that might be a good enough reason just in itself even if you're not feeling much from your quads or your glutes.

    don't quote me as i'm no kind of professional, but i believe it's your glute medius muscles that handle most of the stabilization work in a lunge, and having glute meds that know their business is pretty hard to beat.

    also, as far as the doms . . . if you just did all this yesterday, wait another 24 hours. it MAY just be lying in wait. i've had doms that took 48 hours to come on. sometimes it's so precise in its timing i can 'get' it while waiting in line in the grocery store :p
  • Its_thetime
    Its_thetime Posts: 18 Member
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    When I do lunges with progressive weights my *kitten* hurts for days! Try some heavy dumbbells and do 5sets of 5reps

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