What Happens to Your Body When You Do 100 Lunges Every Day for 30 days

Find out what happens to your body when you do 100 Lunges every day for 30 days. How? By seeing what changed and how three people did it in a Buzzfeed video.

From seasoned athletes to casual walkers, the quest to reclaim or enhance physical well-being is a path many tread, each with their own unique stories and goals. And one way to kick start yourself back into fitness, or to simply improve your current level, is to take on fitness challenges.

And there are many to choose from, honestly. The most common is something a person can do every day for 30 days – usually a bodyweight exercise so there is no excuse to not do it, even if you don’t plan on hitting the gym.

Enter the lunges challenge—a seemingly simple yet profoundly impactful exercise regimen that promises to sculpt and strengthen the lower body. Lunges, a cornerstone exercise in fitness, target the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, offering a comprehensive workout that not only builds muscle but also enhances endurance and balance. The challenge? To execute 100 lunges daily for 30 days, a test of both physical and mental resilience.

For this article, we are taking into consideration what happened to three participants on Buzzfeed who took on the challenge of doing 100 lunges every day for 30 days.

How to Build Stronger Legs and Better Glutes with the Reverse Lunge

Why Lunges Are a Great Exercise

Lunges are highly regarded in fitness regimes due to their multifaceted benefits, which cater to both beginners and advanced athletes. This exercise effectively targets the lower body, enhancing muscle strength and endurance in the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Additionally, lunges engage the core and stabiliser muscles, promoting improved balance and posture.

One of the standout features of lunges is their versatility. They can be adapted to various fitness levels and goals through modifications and variations, such as forward lunges, reverse lunges, and lateral lunges. This adaptability allows individuals to focus on different muscle groups and address specific fitness objectives.

Lunges also excel in improving functional fitness, which is the ability to perform daily activities with ease. By mimicking natural movement patterns, lunges enhance coordination, agility, and balance, contributing to better overall physical performance.

They can be incorporated into a wide range of workouts without the need for specialized equipment. Lunges can be performed with just body weight or intensified with weights like dumbbells or barbells. This accessibility makes lunges a practical choice for both gym-based and home workouts.

In addition to their physical benefits, lunges can contribute to injury prevention. By strengthening the muscles and joints of the lower body, lunges help reduce the risk of injury in everyday movements and athletic endeavours.

Read More: Lunge 101 – Benefits, Muscles Worked, Variations, Sets and Reps

What Happens to Your Body When You Do 100 Lunges Every Day for 30 days

Below you will see a brief mixed account of what the three Buzzfeed participants gave on a video (that you can see further down below).

The initial foray into the lunges challenge is often met with a mix of enthusiasm and underestimation. For some, the task appears straightforward, an easy addition to their daily routine. Yet, as the days progress, the true nature of the challenge reveals itself—it’s not merely a test of physical strength but a battle of consistency, determination, and adaptability.

Participants quickly learn that the simplicity of lunges belies their intensity. The first day may pass with relative ease, but the ensuing soreness and fatigue set the stage for the days to come. Each lunge becomes a step toward not just physical transformation but also a deeper understanding of one’s own perseverance and capacity to push through discomfort.

Check Out This Split Squats and Lunges Masterclass

Midway Reflections

As the challenge advances, participants navigate the ups and downs of their journey. The initial soreness evolves into a testament of their growing strength, with each set of lunges becoming slightly more bearable, a sign of their muscles adapting and fortifying. However, this physical evolution is not linear. There are days when the body rebels, when the thought of another lunge seems insurmountable, and yet, the challenge persists.

This period of reflection brings about a crucial realization—the physical changes, though important, are just one facet of the challenge’s benefits. The mental fortitude developed through this process, the commitment to a goal amidst life’s unpredictable chaos, holds equal, if not more, value.

The Final Stretch and Beyond

Reaching the end of the 30-day lunges challenge is a milestone that encapsulates more than just the completion of a fitness goal. It’s a celebration of persistence, a testament to the participant’s ability to commit to and achieve a demanding task. The physical transformations, while varied, share a common theme: an increase in strength, a more toned appearance, and for many, a newfound appreciation for their bodies’ capabilities.

Here is how they saw changes in their bodies after doing 100 lunges every day for 30 days:

Participant 1:

• Quads increased by 1 inch
• Glutes increased by 1 inch

Participant 2:

• Quads increased by 1 inch

Participant 3:

• Glutes decreased half an inch
• Quads increased by 1 inch

The physical measurements post-challenge, while indicative of the participants’ progress, are just one aspect of the transformation experienced. Participants not only saw changes in their muscle size and tone but also experienced improvements in strength, endurance, and overall physical fitness. Moreover, the challenge had a motivational impact, encouraging participants to continue incorporating lunges into their fitness routines, even beyond the 30-day period.

The 30-day lunges challenge offers more than just a promise of stronger legs and a toned buttocks; it presents an opportunity for personal growth, discipline, and a deeper connection with one’s physical self. The journey, fraught with challenges and triumphs, is a testament to the transformative power of consistent, dedicated effort. As participants reflect on their journey, they carry forward not just the physical benefits but the enduring knowledge that they are capable of overcoming obstacles, one lunge at a time.

Now you know what happens to your body when you do 100 lunges every day for 30 days. If you want to see how the participants coped with the challenge and how they changed overall (plus their thoughts on the fitness endeavour), you can simply watch the video below.

Squats or Lunges: Which is the Better Lower Body Exercise?

Don’t like lunges? There are numerous bodyweight lower body exercises that individuals can perform at home, offering convenience and effectiveness without the need for gym equipment. These exercises target various muscle groups in the legs and glutes, providing a comprehensive lower body workout.

Squats: A fundamental exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Squats also engage the core and can be varied in intensity and form, such as sumo squats or squat jumps, to target different muscles and add cardiovascular benefits.

Glute Bridges: This exercise focuses on the glutes and hamstrings, enhancing strength and stability. By lying on the back and lifting the hips, one can engage these muscle groups effectively, with variations like single-leg glute bridges offering additional challenges.

Step-Ups: Using a sturdy chair or a step, this exercise mimics climbing stairs, targeting the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. It’s excellent for building strength and can be intensified by increasing the step’s height or adding a jump.

Calf Raises: By repeatedly lifting the heels off the ground while standing, calf raises strengthen the calf muscles. This exercise can be done on flat ground or with the balls of the feet on an elevated surface for a greater range of motion.

Wall Sits: This isometric exercise strengthens the quadriceps and improves endurance. Sitting against a wall in a squat-like position challenges the muscles, especially when held for extended periods.

Lateral Leg Raises: Lying on one side and lifting the leg upwards targets the abductors and glutes, crucial for hip stability and strength.

Curtsy Lunges: This variation of the traditional lunge targets the inner thighs and glutes, offering a dynamic exercise that enhances balance and coordination.

Mountain Climbers: While primarily seen as a cardiovascular exercise, mountain climbers also engage the lower body, particularly the quads, through the rapid switching of legs.

These exercises can be combined into a routine or performed individually, allowing for flexibility in creating a personalized home workout that strengthens and tones the lower body without needing gym equipment.

Learn what type of squat is best for you depending on your abilities or try these excellent variations: