Reverse Lunge
A lunge stepping backward instead of forward — same single-leg strength with less knee stress, so it is often the first lunge to use.
Also called: dumbbell reverse lunge, backward lunge
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Stand tall, feet hip-width. Hands on hips or holding dumbbells.
How to do the Reverse Lunge
- Step one foot straight back and drop that knee toward the floor.
- Front shin stays close to vertical — the front leg does the work.
- Torso tall, hips square to the front.
- Push through the front heel to return to standing.
Reverse Lunge muscles worked
The Reverse Lunge works the glutes, quads and hamstrings.
Common Reverse Lunge mistakes
- Stepping back too narrow — keep the feet on separate tracks for balance.
- Pushing off the back toes instead of driving with the front leg.
- Rushing — control beats speed here.
Scale it
Easier: Hold something stable for balance, or reduce the depth.
Harder: Hold dumbbells, or slow the descent to 3 seconds.
Pairs well with
Back Squat
The barbell squat — the heaviest-loadable lower-body strength lift, building quads, glutes, and trunk strength together.
Leg Press
Pressing weight away from the body on a leg press machine — builds lower body strength with the back fully supported.
Walking Lunge
Alternating forward lunges travelling across the floor — single-leg strength with a balance and coordination demand that transfers directly to running.
Air Squat
The unloaded squat — the foundational lower-body pattern, used for warm-ups, circuits, and building movement quality.