Dumbbell reverse lunge
Full guide coming soon
Reverse Lunge
The reverse lunge is a one-leg exercise where you step back, lower until both knees are bent, and drive through the front foot to stand up. It trains the quads and glutes of the front leg, and many people find it easier on the knees than a forward lunge.
- Beginner
- Compound
- No equipment
- quads
- glutes
Left: start position. Right: end position. Orange: the muscles that work.
How to do the reverse lunge
- Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and your hands on your hips or at your sides.Breathe
- Step one foot back about a long stride and land on the ball of that foot.
- Lower your body straight down until both knees are bent about 90 degrees. The back knee stops just above the floor.
- Keep most of your weight on the front foot, with your torso upright and the front knee over the middle of the foot.
- Drive through the front heel to stand up and bring the back foot forward next to the front one.
- Repeat on the same leg for the whole set, or switch legs on each rep.
Breathing. Breathe in as you step back and lower, and breathe out as you push back up to standing.
Tips
- Hold a wall or a chair with one hand if balance limits you at first.
- When the bodyweight version is easy, hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Muscles worked
The reverse lunge works mainly the quads and glutes.
- Quads (main muscle)
- Glutes (main muscle)
- Hamstrings (also works)
- Abs (core) (also works)
- Calves (also works)
| Muscle | Role |
|---|---|
| Quads | Main mover in the front leg. They straighten the knee as you rise from the bottom. |
| Glutes | Main mover in the front leg. They extend the hip and keep the pelvis level while you stand on one leg. |
| Hamstrings (also works) | Help the glutes at the hip of the front leg and steady the knee. |
| Abs (core) (also works) | Holds your torso upright and stops it from tipping or twisting as you step. |
| Calves (also works) | Balance you on the front foot and on the ball of the back foot. |
Sets, reps and rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (first weeks) | 3 | 10-12 reps | 75 s |
| Build muscle | 3 | 8-12 reps | 90 s |
| Get stronger | 3 | 6-8 reps | 2 min |
| General fitness | 3 | 10-12 reps | 75 s |
| Fat loss (with more daily activity) | 3 | 12-15 reps | 60 s |
These numbers come from the same rules as the Oh My Coach app. Use a load that leaves 1 to 3 reps in reserve. When you reach the top of the range in every set, add a little load or move to the harder version (double progression). What is double progression?
Common mistakes
-
Pushing off the back foot
Why it matters: The back leg does the work, so the front leg gets less of the training.
Fix: Keep most of your weight on the front foot. The back foot is mainly for balance.
-
Stepping back too short
Why it matters: A short step forces the front knee far forward and the heel may lift.
Fix: Step back far enough that your front shin stays close to vertical at the bottom.
-
Front knee falling inward
Why it matters: The knee moves out of line with the foot, which adds stress to the inside of the knee.
Fix: Keep the front knee over the middle of the foot. Slow down until you can hold that line.
-
Feet on one line
Why it matters: Stepping straight behind the front foot is like standing on a tightrope, so you wobble.
Fix: Keep your feet about hip-width apart side to side, as if on two rails.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier Bodyweight split squat
- This exercise Reverse lunge
- Harder Bulgarian Split Squat
- Harder Pistol squat
If you cannot do clean reps yet, start with the bodyweight split squat. When you can do every set at the top of the rep range with good form, move to the bulgarian split squat.
Versions of this exercise
Barbell reverse lunge
Full guide coming soon
Alternatives
Same main muscle and the same movement pattern first, from the same rules as the app's swap list.
Barbell reverse lunge
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Dumbbell reverse lunge
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
What you need
No equipment You can do this exercise anywhere.
Take care if
This exercise loads the knee. If your knee hurts, stop. For pain that does not go away, see a doctor or a physiotherapist.
If your knee hurts during the lunge, stop. Try a shorter step down or a split squat with a smaller range.
Questions
What is the difference between a reverse lunge and a forward lunge?
In a forward lunge you step ahead and must stop your body as the front foot lands. In a reverse lunge you step back, so the front foot stays planted and the shin stays more upright. Most people find the reverse lunge easier to balance and gentler on the front knee.
What muscles do lunges work?
Lunges work mainly the quads and glutes of the front leg. The hamstrings help at the hip, and the abs and calves keep you balanced. A longer step and a slight forward lean put more work on the glutes.
Is a lunge as good as a squat?
They train the same main muscles in different ways. In a study of untrained adults, one-leg and two-leg training gave similar early gains in leg strength and power. The lunge also trains balance and lets you find a strength difference between the legs.
How do I make reverse lunges easier or harder?
For an easier version, do a split squat, where both feet stay in place and you only move up and down. For a harder version, hold dumbbells, or raise the back foot on a bench for a Bulgarian split squat. In an EMG study with sets taken close to failure, the split squat and the Bulgarian split squat gave similar glute and quad activity.