I was J-walking this morning. No, not Jaywalking.........DR. J-walking! As many of you were running and walking in the Des Moines Marathon, I too, was walking the red carpet in the gym. Today, Ladies and Gentleman, I am going to discuss the importance of lunges in your lower body arsnal.

If you want really nice legs and glutes, you cannot escape the need to lunge and squat! Squats and lunges are extremely intense exercises using all of the muscles in the legs, butt, and thighs. The intensity of using all of those muscles in coordination cannot be replicated with muscle isolating leg machines. The sum is much, much more than the parts.

Squats and lunges have a hormonal response and a level of intensity that burns fat and builds lean muscle. I'm continually saddened by all of the nonsense out there. Stupid books, crappy gadgets, and mostly useless supplements are everywhere. Take a look at the options you have in your gym, and notice who is using what equipment:

• In my gym, all of the overweight people are on the ab machines doing thousands of pointless and ineffective crunches. Crunches are just too low intensity to make any real difference in how their body looks. They just don't know.
• Then look at all of the guys and girls who have the round butt and sleek sweep to their quads. At some point you always see them squatting or lunging. Or doing some squat or lunge variation, like step ups. Usually they are strong - they aren't squatting with the 3lb plastic dumbbells. They are squatting and lunging with fairly heavy weight. Lots of intensity. They are getting some work done, and it shows in their results.

Now, I understand that not everyone knows the proper form for squatting and lunging. And if you don't know the correct form, these exercises can get pretty sketchy. The last place to learn good squatting form is from the other people in the gym......many are doing it wrong. If you are unfamiliar with the proper form for squats and lunges, you should hire expert instruction.

Back to my J-walking. There are several variations of the lunge that you can do to avoid boredom........there's the front lunge, the back lunge, the side lunge, the walking lunge, and even the jump lunge.

Lunges are a great way to tone your butt and it can be done without even going to gym. If you have found you need more teardrop mass (the area just above the knee), give lunges a try. The front lower quads receive stretch and stimulation from this exercise in a very unique and effective way. Lunges also help target the glutes.

Lunges might look awkward, but they are quite effective. In fact, you don't even have to use weight, although, I suspect you will get good enough at these that you will be holding some pretty big weights in your hands as you J-walk the gym!

Feel the burn baby! Start J walking!