When it comes to lower body training after 40, one question pops up a lot:
“Should I be doing squats or lunges?”
The short answer? Both are great — and for most people, it’s not about choosing one or the other.
But understanding the strengths and limitations of each can help you train smarter, avoid injury, and build real-world strength that supports your daily life.
At Mountain Speed & Strength, we’re not a powerlifting gym. We don’t chase numbers or one-size-fits-all programs.
Instead, we choose the best tool for each individual — and sometimes that means adjusting movement patterns based on joint health, mobility, or training experience.
Let’s break down the benefits, drawbacks, and use cases for both squats and lunges.
Squat!
Squats have long been called the “king of exercises” for over 40 years, which I don’t personally totally agree with. However, they’re efficient, functional, and train multiple muscle groups at once.
✅ Benefits of Squats
- Builds lower body strength (glutes, quads, hamstrings)
- Strengthens your lower back and core, especially with loaded variations
- Helps maintain or build mobility through the hips, knees, and ankles
- Translates to daily life — getting up from chairs, sitting down, picking things up
Squats are particularly useful because they mimic how we move in real life. And if you can consistently squat to a full depth, you’re showing that your joints and muscles are working together in a healthy, cohesive way.
⚠️ Drawbacks of Squats
- Spinal loading: Most squat variations (like back squats or front squats) place weight along the spine, which can be a concern for people with a history of low back injuries.
- Mobility limitations: If you have tight hips, limited ankle mobility, or past injuries, squatting to full depth might be uncomfortable or unsafe without modifications.
That’s why we always meet clients where they’re at — sometimes that means goblet squats, box squats, or bodyweight-only variations at first.
The Case for Lunges
Lunges — and all their single-leg relatives like split squats, step-ups, and lateral lunges — are an often underrated strength tool, especially for adults over 40.
✅ Benefits of Lunges
- Addresses imbalances: Most of us are stronger or more mobile on one side. Lunges help correct those differences over time.
- Joint-friendly loading: Lunges allow us to train hard without placing a heavy load directly on the spine, making them a safer choice for people with a history of back issues.
- More accessible for beginners: It’s often easier to learn to lunge to proper depth than it is to squat deeply with good form.
- Improves balance and coordination — critical as we age.
- Translates to daily life: Walking, hiking, biking, going up stairs and climbing will all benefit from increase lunge strength and balance
We love reverse lunges, split squats, and lateral lunges as starting points for many clients, especially those recovering from injuries or easing back into strength work.
⚠️ Drawbacks of Lunges
- Requires more balance: Especially in the beginning, single-leg movements can feel unstable, which can be frustrating for new lifters.
- Takes more time: Training one leg at a time often means longer sessions if you’re hitting the same volume.
- More difficult to progress: In terms of adding weight or reps to the movement, single leg squat variations require more effort from balance and to continually add load to your sets
But in the long run, lunges can actually help you squat better — by evening out your strength and improving hip mobility.
Squats vs. Lunges: Which One Should You Choose?
The honest answer is: you probably need both.
- If you need to sit, stand, or lift more confidently, squats are key.
- If you want to address imbalances, protect your back, and move better overall, lunges are essential.
Here’s how we approach it at Mountain Speed & Strength:
- Most clients will use both squats and lunges in their training programs.
- We rotate them depending on the season, the client’s goals, injury history, or where they are in a training cycle.
- In some phases, we might lean heavily on single-leg work. In others, we focus on heavier squats for strength.
- And we always adjust based on the person standing in front of us — not a one-size-fits-all plan.
Final Thoughts
There’s no need to crown one as “better” than the other. Both squats and lunges build real-world strength, protect your joints, and help you keep doing the things you love — whether that’s skiing, hiking, biking, or just getting up and down off the floor with your kids or grandkids.
If you’re over 40 and want to build lower body strength that lasts, let us help you find the right blend for your body.
👊 Want to know which movement is right for you right now?
Let’s chat — our coaches are ready to help you train smarter and feel your best.
Thank you for reading!
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Ian Smith
Owner, Lead Trainer Mountain Speed Strength & Fitness
Evergreen, CO