For glute growth
For glute growth, barbell back squat rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more of the work on the glutes.
Lateral lunge is easier on the joints.
Both are good choices, and they train the glutes differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed. (Fonseca et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2021)
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Barbell Back Squat. Deep squats grew the glutes about three times more than half squats in one study.
For soccer, lateral lunge rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to learn and fit in.
For basketball, lateral lunge rates higher on our research criteria: easier to learn and fit in. Barbell back squat does more to prevent injuries.
For skiing & snowboarding, lateral lunge rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to learn and fit in.
For racket sports, lateral lunge rates well ahead on our research criteria: more carry-over to racket sports, easier to learn and fit in.
For glute growth, barbell back squat rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more of the work on the glutes. Lateral lunge is easier on the joints. Both are good choices, and they train the glutes differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed.
Lateral lunge is easier: it’s easy to learn, while barbell back squat takes some practice.
Barbell back squat needs a barbell and a squat rack, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Lateral lunge needs dumbbells, so a home gym covers it.
Lateral lunge: it rates Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Fair for barbell back squat.