The bench lunge is a fantastic alternative to weighted squats to build strength in the glutes, hamstrings and quads (major lower body muscles). Here are a few reasons I prefer them:

1. You can concentrate on one leg at a time and use more focused form.

2. The deeper drop allows for a fuller contraction and range of motion at both the hip and the knee.

3. Balance is challenged (and so it is also developed) at the base of the movement, making the exercise a more effective functional exercise.

4. You’re not loading the spine with additional weight, making it safer for the lower back than weighted squats.

Here’s a good example. Notice how controlled and fluid her form is – especially at the transition point where she changes direction.

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