Lunges vs. Squats The Great Debate!

If there is one thing the fitness and sports performance industry is not short of that is controversy and debates. The best part of most of them is there is not right answer. Typically the answer lies somewhere in the middle and more importantly on the individual and their goals.

One of those classic debates is should one spend more time lunging opposed to squatting. The lunging group will argue that lunges are more functional as we spend more time on one foot performing tasks rather than in a squat. The squatting group will argue that there is no more fundamental and functional exercise than squatting. Who is right? You guessed it, somewhere in the middle.

There are hundreds of research papers demonstrating that squatting does have a very positive carry over to power and speed development. Now, there may be an "optimal" level of strength to attain in the squat, but one can not argue the effectiveness. Unilateral work, i.e. lunging, is interesting as the recruitment pattern within the body is slightly different and there are obvious benefits as far as dynamic stability and flexibility.

The end result? Use both!! However, I do find that people will rarely spend time maximally developing their lunges. Often they are throw in exercises and people neglect training maximal strength or power. In the video below I demonstrate how beneficial various lunging progressions with the sandbag can help all these qualities.