Stationary Lunges Versus Squats--Which Is Better?

Lunges and squats are fantastic full body exercises to increase muscle mass, build strength, and improve body tone. Both exercises target several important muscle groups, including your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, abdominals, and back. 

Few other exercises can deliver so much at once. So if you’re not doing some form of squats or lunges at least once a week as part of your fitness routine, I’m sure you have a good reason, because otherwise you’re missing out big time.

But if I had to choose between lunges or squats, lunges would be my choice hands down. And if you asked me to select among the different variations of lunges, stationary lunges would be the clear winner. As a physical therapist and a strength and conditioning coach, I find stationary lunges to be the safest and most effective exercise for the majority of people.

It’s true that for athletes working on performance optimization, different variations of the squat or lunge may be more beneficial. For example, jump squats and plyometric lunges are great for basketball players who want to jump higher or run faster. But even for these athletes, I believe the stationary lunge is an important foundational exercise.

Lunges Versus Squats

Before we explore why I prefer lunges over squats, let's define what exactly a lunge and a squat is just so we’re all on the same page. A lunge refers to any position of the human body where one leg is forward with the knee bent and foot on the ground while the other leg is behind. A squat refers to any position where the legs are side by side with the knees bent and feet on the ground.

A lunge refers to any position of the human body where one leg is forward with the knee bent and foot on the ground while the other leg is behind. A squat refers to any position where the legs are side by side with the knees bent and feet on the ground.

Why Are Lunges Better Than Squats?

The most important reason why I prefer lunges over squats is because of how common right-left asymmetries are in the body. These differences are often overlooked but are essential for preventing injuries and optimizing performance. As it turns out, squats tend to exacerbate these differences while lunges work to resolve them.

Squats tend to exacerbate [right-left asymmetries] in the body while lunges work to resolve them.

One study looking at elite young soccer players found at least one side-to-side asymmetry in 65% of athletes using the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), a popular screening tool in sports medicine. It’s easy to develop strength differences between the two sides because of past injuries or...

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