Rear v. Front Lunges?

debbydarestobefit

debbydarestobefit

Cathlete
What are the major differences between rear lunges and front lunges? How do they work your legs differently? I feel more unsteady going forward than going backward as I'm concerned about my knees more in the forward lunge. TIA, DEb
 
I feel the same way. Front lunges really seem to hurt my knees. Do they really work your legs differently enough to keep doing them or can I stick to rear lunges?
 
That's so interesting. I actually feel more pain when doing back lunges. I have to be very cautious actually, as I tend to get sharp, shooting pains in my knee on the back leg as I step backward.
 
I'm with you. I can do front lunges all day long, but back lunges make me feel very unsteady, and I don't feel the same kind of burn I get when doing front lunges.
 
I'd love to know this, too. I find rear lunges way easier than front. The only way I can effectively do a front lunge is by lunging onto a four- or six-inch step. Otherwise they are almost impossible for me!
 
I don't know the exact answer to this but it would seem logical to assume that you engage your glute muscles to bring the leg back to starting point during the front lunge, and that you engage your quads to bring the leg back to starting point from the rear lunge.

Yes, the overall leg is involved in both, but each does target the muscles in slighty different ways, which is why Cathe includes both.

Certainly, rear lunges are easy-peasy! I could do them all day. Front lunges.....not so much!! :7

Clare
 
I am not a fan of front lunges either. I don't feel like I can press through the heel so well to come back up--and back. So instead of front lunges, I do walking lunges. With these I feel like I am lunging forward but I bring myself up to the front instead of coming back. Somehow it feels so much more effective to me than any other lunge, back, front, stationary, slow pulses. By walking lunges I mean continually going forward with the same leg for the 16 reps. Granted this does require some space. In fact I only have the space to go 8, then I turn around.
 
Obviously not Cathe, but . . .

I did GS Legs this AM. My knees were a bit achy afterward. I remember way back when . . . I was doing a Freestyle type routine with the 200 lunges each day.

I was using a 6 inch step for the lunges (also using 8 lb weights) and don't remember any knee issues.

Maybe you could try using the step so you aren't pushing off from the ground - I think that might be where the stress on the knee will kick in.
 
I find that with forward lunges it's easy to push my knee past my toe. I pay close attention so I don't. I don't have that same issue stepping to the rear. That said, I still prefer forward lunges since they don't stress my big toe joint like rear lunges do.
 
>I find that with forward lunges it's easy to push my knee
>past my toe. I pay close attention so I don't. I don't
>have that same issue stepping to the rear. That said, I still
>prefer forward lunges since they don't stress my big toe
>joint like rear lunges do.


I do know that if your big toe joint is stressed, you aren't pushing through your heel the way you should be. My doctor suggested that I try lifting my toes slightly to prevent them from digging into the ground and force me to push through the heel. I have to say that it's helped.

I tend to go past my toes with the knee as well and have bad knees to start with. I find that using a knee brace with the hole in the front helps to support them and keeps me from going past my toes (I think due to the restrictions of movement the brace forces) and when I forget to put on the brace before my workout, I really feel it later. You can pick up the brace in the pharmacy section for less than $20 and I just throw it in the washer (But not the dryer).

Good luck!
 
Another way to train yourself to not put your knee too far in front of your foot is to practice lunges while standing with your front toe right up against a wall. Then you will know immediately if your knee is going too far forward.
 
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