How to Do Lunges for Women With 10 per Leg

Doing weight-bearing exercises can help you build muscle and maintain bone mass -- something that's especially important for women as they age, since they tend to be more prone to osteoporosis. By adding resistance in the form of free weight, you build muscle faster. One simple way to add more weight to the lunge exercise, which targets the butt, legs, hips and abdominals, is to hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands. You may use dumbbells that weigh 10 pounds or even more.

Things You'll Need

  • Dumbbell set
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing your thighs. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.

    • 2

      Tilt your hips backward slightly and inhale.

    • 3

      Exhale as you step forward with one foot, working toward pressing your hips toward the floor as your back knee nears the floor. Don't drive your hips forward, reminds the American Council on Exercise. Stop when your thigh is parallel to the floor and your front shin is leaned slightly forward.

    • 4

      Pay attention to the position of your knees as you move. If your knee bends inward or outward, it could be a sign of weak gluteal muscles or thigh muscles. If that happens, you probably shouldn't be lifting 10-pound weights while you do the lunge. Instead, you should work on strengthening your butt and legs with less weight -- or no weight at all -- until you can do the exercise without swaying your knees.