Lunges or Squats: Which Are Better for Building Your Lower Body?

Both Cox and McIntyre agree that this depends on your individual fitness goals.

“Based on research, the benefits are very similar, so it doesn’t overly matter if you choose one over the other, or decide to mix it up a bit,” says Cox. “It’s important to remember that each fitness journey is different, if you’re just starting out, you may want to opt for squats, as they are more balanced, and then progress to lunges.”

Speaking from personal preference, McIntyre comes down on the side of the lunge. “I prefer the lunge, I think it’s a more versatile movement and transfers better to overall athleticism—I guarantee that anyone with a monster lunge can run fast and jump high, and I know lots of big squatters where it doesn’t transfer over to the real world. Part of this is because of the velocity of the bar on a lunge vs a squat: a heavy lunge still happens quickly whereas a heavy squat might be ground out over 5-8 seconds.”

Want to build muscle? Opt for the squat. Want to improve overall athleticism? The lunge should be your go-to.

A good leg day routine that includes both

Sadly, a well-rounded fitness regiment needs to include more than one exercise per body part. Lunges and squats might both offer benefits, but you’ll need to combine them to prevent imbalances and to unlock your next level of fitness. With that in mind, McIntyre thinks your next leg day should look like this:

Compound lift
6-12 sets of at least six reps

Front Squat
Start with the bar secure in the squat rack, level with the middle of your chest. Step close to the bar, holding it with your palms up, elbows pointing forward. Take a step backwards as you lift the bar from the rack. Bend your legs to lower into a squat, keeping that back straight. Hold at the bottom of the move, then power down through your heels to return to the start.

Isolation exercises
Four sets of ten reps

Hip Thrusts
Heels on the ground, upper back leaning against a bench, you’re going to position a moderately-loaded barbell across the front of your hips. Push down through your heels, driving up through your glutes to lift the bar off the ground. Hold with a straight back, then slowly lower for one.

Good mornings
Stand with an unloaded barbell across your shoulders. Hinge forward at the hips. Keeping your back straight, bring your upper body as close to your knees as you can, then lift yourself back up to standing. If you’re struggling from lower-back tightness, you can add a few slow left-to-right twists at the start or end of the move.

Leg curls
Two machines will help with this. On the first, you’ll sit up straight, with your legs at ninety degrees. Push them out and up to work your quads. For the other move, you’ll lie on your front, bringing your heels down to your bum to work your hamstrings. If your legs have it in them, work in four sets of each.

Reverse lunge
Time to end with a big boy. Standing straight, move your right leg back, lowering down onto your toes so your legs are at opposite ninety degree angles, your weight over your back knee. Power back up then switch legs, aiming for ten reps per side. If bodyweight is too easy, add a weight plate, kettlebell or dumbbell—then dig deep and lunge for your life.

This story originally appeared in British GQ.