A:  Lunges are great exercises, and I’ve never heard them referred to as chick exercises, but maybe.  Point is, if it is intense or it hurts, or it works, that’s all that matters. And lunges meet all that criteria. Lunges are a brutal exercise that is highly effective. They are also very underrated.  I would fit them in either as a pre-exhaust or a finishing exercise one time per week or occasionally. I think they are a great superset with leg extensions. The soreness you get from lunges is different than your mass gaining exercises. They are also very exhaustive, so some choose to even do them on an alternate day, after a leg day preferably, to push the lactic acid from a mass workout out of the legs. Walking lunges are great for this with lighter weights. (Not everything has to be heavy in the gym to be effective). Try doing reverse lunges standing up on a small platform placed directly under a Smith machine bar. The back of the platform should be even with the bar above. So when you are on the edge of the platform and beneath the bar, your lower body will be pushed forward. Step one leg back into the lunge and squat and then come back up on to the platform. This won’t maybe look as girly to you. They are also difficult. You can also do a light leg training day and then go to failure with walking lunges, or do a day where you only do all lunges – several types –alternating with leg extensions or calves. This is great pre-contest stuff, and I’ve always felt that they are the perfect exercise to bring out sliced legs.