TPV FITNESS BLOG
Squats & lunges: the power couple you love to hate By your Trainer Who’s Still Sore from Monday…
Let’s get one thing straight: squats and lunges didn’t come here to play. They came to humble you, sculpt your glutes, and leave you questioning every stair you’ve ever climbed. But they also came bearing serious benefits, backed by science.
Here’s why these two lower-body legends deserve a spot in your weekly workout.
1. They Build Booties That Break the Internet
Squats and lunges are the J. Lo and Shakira of exercises—powerful, dynamic, and all about the hips. These compound moves recruit your gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, hamstrings, quads, and calves, all in one deliciously torturous rep.
Research shows that multi-joint movements like squats activate more muscle fibres than isolated exercises, which leads to more effective strength and hypertrophy gains (that’s scientist-speak for “booty gains”).
2. They Torch Calories & Crank Up Your Metabolism
Because they work multiple large muscle groups at once, squats and lunges elevate your EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), meaning your body keeps burning calories even after you’ve finished cursing me.
A 2011 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that compound lower-body exercises increased resting metabolic rate more than single-joint exercises. Translation: they make your metabolism behave like it’s 10 years younger.
3. They Boost Athletic Performance (a.k.a. You Run Faster)
Want to shave time off your race pace or power up a hill without looking like you’ve been chased by a bear? Strengthening your posterior chain (glutes and hammies, hello) through squats and lunges increases stride power, balance, and neuromuscular coordination.
Lunges, especially, mimic the single-leg action of running and improve unilateral strength, which helps correct muscular imbalances and reduces injury risk. One side of your body shouldn’t be doing all the work—unless you are carrying a toddler on one hip.
4. They Build Functional Strength for Real Life
Squats = sitting and standing
Lunges = walking, climbing, rescuing your phone from under the couch without looking 80
They enhance core stability, joint mobility, and coordination, all while making your muscles more resilient to the daily chaos of life (like stepping on a LEGO or holding a squat while waiting for your dog to finally do its business).
5. They Strengthen Your Bones and Joints
Weight-bearing exercises like squats and lunges help increase bone mineral density, which is especially crucial in midlife when bones start getting a little more… dramatic. These moves also strengthen connective tissue and improve knee stability, making them a solid investment in your future knees.
Let’s put it this way: they’re cheaper than knee surgery and don’t require hospital socks.
6. They’re Brutal, But Effective (Like a Real Friend)
Yes, you may grunt. Yes, you will feel like your legs are filled with cement. But you’ll also see results. Studies have shown that compound movements like squats and lunges elicit greater hormone responses (like testosterone and growth hormone) which support muscle growth, fat loss, and overall mood.
Basically, they’re a therapy session you do with dumbbells and a barbell.
Trainer Tips for Thriving, Not Just Surviving:
- Warm up, or enjoy walking like a pirate the next day.
- Focus on form, not ego. Depth is queen, but safety is empress.
- Squeeze those glutes, like you’re trying to hold a credit card between them.
- Progress gradually, or risk inventing new curse words.
Final Words:
Skip squats and lunges if you want to stay on the express train to Wobblyville. Embrace them if you want strong legs, a stable core, better balance.
– Coach Steph
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