Lunges are a tried-and-true lower body exercise that challenge multiple muscle groups and improve balance, coordination, and strength. But what if you committed to doing 100 lunges every day for a week? One fitness editor set out to do just that and the results were more than just sore glutes.
This challenge involved a mix of lunge variations each day, incorporating both bodyweight and weighted movements. The goal? To find out what kind of impact 700 lunges would have on strength, muscle engagement, posture, and overall workout awareness.
Why Are Lunges So Effective for Building Lower Body Strength?
Lunges aren’t just about legs they’re full-body functional movements. They hit the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves while also requiring you to engage your core for balance and stability. The constant shifting between legs helps improve coordination and mobility.
Beyond strength, lunges can boost posture and functional movement patterns. They mimic real-life motion, making them more beneficial than machine-based leg workouts that isolate one muscle group at a time.
How Do You Perform a Proper Reverse Lunge?
The challenge began with reverse lunges, a variation that’s generally gentler on the knees than forward lunges. To perform one correctly:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Step back with one leg, keeping both hips facing forward.
- Bend both knees to 90 degrees, ensuring the front knee stays stacked over the ankle.
- Keep your torso upright, core tight, and spine straight.
- Push off the back foot to return to the starting position and switch legs.
Getting this form right from the start helps prevent injury and ensures you activate the correct muscles throughout the movement.
How Did the Challenge Progress Over the Week?
Day 1: Starting With Bodyweight Reverse Lunges
The first day introduced the challenge with 100 bodyweight reverse lunges, split into 4 sets of 25. It felt repetitive but manageable. Some mild glute soreness followed, but no major fatigue set in.
Day 2: Adding Weights With Forward Lunges
Things intensified. The editor added 5kg dumbbells in each hand and switched to forward lunges. Completing two sets of 50 reps became significantly more taxing, especially on the thighs. This version required more attention to posture and form to avoid leaning forward or straining the lower back.
Day 3: Static Lunges for Focused Engagement
With sore legs already, the editor slowed things down and used static lunges—holding one foot back while lunging straight down before switching sides. This helped isolate the muscles and highlight how often we rush through workouts without true engagement.
Days 4 & 5: Increased Weights and Controlled Tempo
Static lunges continued, this time with increasing weight starting at 5kg and moving to 6kg dumbbells. The focus shifted to slow, controlled reps. By this point, the accumulated fatigue was very real, but the lunges became an effective warm-up before running, priming the legs for action.
Day 6: Switching It Up With Lateral Lunges
Tired of the repetition, the editor tried lateral lunges stepping to the side instead of forward or backward. These hit the inner thighs and glutes differently and added variety to the week. However, they were noticeably harder after five days of heavy leg work.
Day 7: Ending With Jumping Lunges
To finish strong and painfully the final day involved jumping lunges. These explosive, high-intensity moves challenge stability and cardiovascular endurance. Ten reps at a time with short rests added up to 100 reps that left the legs shaking.
What Did the Editor Learn From This Challenge?
After 700 lunges, the editor shared some key takeaways:
- Form matters more than reps. Slowing down and focusing on proper technique activated the glutes and core more effectively than rushing through sets.
- Lunges are great muscle activators. Doing them before a run helped fire up the right muscles and improve running performance.
- Overtraining is real. Working the same muscle group daily can wear you down. Variety and rest are essential for both physical results and mental sustainability.
- Visible changes take time. While there were no major aesthetic changes after a week, this kind of consistency lays the foundation for long-term gains.
Should You Try 100 Lunges a Day?
It depends on your fitness level. For beginners, jumping into 100 reps daily might be too aggressive. It’s better to start with 20–30 lunges and work your way up. Even experienced exercisers should be cautious about performing the same high-rep routine every day without variation or rest.
However, if you want a challenge that builds lower body endurance, boosts your awareness of form, and improves muscle activation, a short-term lunge experiment like this can be eye-opening.
What Are the Best Lunge Variations to Include?
Throughout the challenge, the editor cycled through several lunge variations to avoid overuse and target different muscles:
- Reverse Lunges – Easier on the knees and great for glute engagement
- Forward Lunges – Traditional form, challenging for balance and control
- Static Lunges – Isolated focus, great for slower, controlled movement
- Lateral Lunges – Targets inner thighs and adds movement variety
- Jumping Lunges – Adds cardio and explosive strength to the mix
Rotating through these options can prevent boredom, reduce strain, and provide a more complete lower body workout.
Final Thoughts
100 lunges a day for seven days may not transform your body overnight, but it does provide a new level of respect for this simple yet effective move. It’s a humbling reminder that quality movement beats quantity, and sometimes less is more especially when done with intention.
Lunges will remain a staple in any good lower body workout. But 100 reps a day? Maybe just once in a while.
