Reverse Lunge

The Reverse Lunge is a lower-body strengthening exercise that targets the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Unlike the forward lunge, it puts less stress on the knees, making it a joint-friendly option for improving balance, coordination, and leg strength.

What Is a Reverse Lunge?

To perform a reverse lunge, move the working leg backward into place and lower yourself by bending both knees. This is the same position you get at the bottom of a split squat or forward lunge. After that, you raise yourself back up and place your rear leg beneath you. While it may seem easy, you’ll notice the difference when the repetitions mount.

Muscles Used While Performing Reverse Lunges

• Core
• Gluteal muscles
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Calves

How To Do Reverse Lunges

• Stand tall, with your hands on your hips, shoulders back, abs firm, and eyes front, to start.
• In a comfortable position, place your feet shoulder-width apart and point your toes slightly out.
• After inhaling, raise the right leg back till it touches the ball of the right foot. Quickly drop into a lunge after bending your front leg.
• Your back knee should be an inch or two off the ground as you descend until your front thigh is nearly parallel to the floor. Although each person’s stride length will differ, you should refrain from taking short or long steps.
• When you descend, a solid posture is maintained by keeping your front shin roughly vertical (knee over ankle).
• When you reach the bottom, pause and raise yourself back up with your front leg.
• Return to the beginning position with the right leg, keep your shoulders shoulder-width apart, and exhale when you get to the top.
• Take another breath, then lunge backward with your left leg, placing the ball of your left foot on the ground.
• Continue to alternate and perform the same number of repetitions on each leg throughout the set.

Reverse Lunge Video

Variations in Performing Reverse Lunges

• Curtsy Lunges
• Stationary Reverse Lunges
• Barbell Reverse Lunges
• Limited Reverse Lunge
• Loaded Reverse Lunges
• Walking Reverse Lunges

Curtsy Lunges:

• The reverse lunge can be made more difficult using curtsy lunges. The exercise improves your general balance and activates your glutes wonderfully.
• Instead of lunging straight back, you must draw your leg back and position the foot behind your front leg to execute a curtsy.

Stationary Reverse Lunges:

• For those who have trouble with balance, the beginner-friendly variant of the exercise that is ideal is the stationary reverse lunge.
• To help maintain balance, begin by stepping one leg back and resting on the ball of your foot.
• As many times as you can till you’re in place, bring the leg forward. After that, perform the same number of repetitions with the second leg.

Barbell Reverse Lunges:

Another difficult variation that encourages muscle overload and strengthens the lower body is the barbell reverse lunge. You must place a barbell on your upper back, just like in a regular squat. After that, carry out the activity as you normally would.

Limited Reverse Lunge:

Even a shallower reverse lunge can challenge your balance and strengthen your muscles if you lack the strength or range of motion to lower yourself till your knees are at a 90-degree angle

Loaded Reverse Lunges:

• Reverse lunges can be advanced by adding weight. Dumbbells can be held in either hand, either with the working leg on the same side or with the dumbbells down by your sides or raised overhead.
• A kettlebell or weight plate can also be held in both hands at your chest, or it can be held in one hand, racked at the shoulder. Based on your level of fitness and past workouts, a weight of 5 to 20 pounds may be suitable.

Walking Reverse Lunges:

Reverse lunges can be used to test your balance and coordination while walking backwards. You should therefore bring the front leg back to meet the bottom of the position rather than bringing the back leg in to stand up.

Benefits of Performing Reverse Lunges

• Better balance
• Improved mobility
• Increased joint stability
• A stronger core
• Posture Correction

Improved balance: Lunges only work one side of the body at a time because they are a unilateral lower body workout. Perform single-leg exercises like these to strengthen your body’s stabilizing muscles, which improves balance and coordination and may lower your chance of injury and falls.

Improved mobility: Reverse lunges replicate how your body moves naturally when performing exercises like climbing and descending stairs.

Increased joint stability: Your hips, knees, and ankles are supported by the muscles in your lower body.

A stronger core: Strong core muscles have been shown to help manage back pain and may even help you avoid future flare-ups.

Posture Correction: Many of us have quad dominance, which means that we disregard the muscles in the back of our bodies, referred to by fitness professionals as the “posterior chain,” in favor of the muscles at the front of our thighs. However, reverse lunges work the hamstrings, glutes, and calves—muscles that we all too often overlook.

Mistakes To Avoid While Performing Reverse Lunges

• Lunging Close or Too Far Back
• Rounding Your Back
• Legs and glutes will be challenged whether you lunge forward or backward. If your sport requires you to lunge forward and quickly stop yourself, and you don’t have any knee problems, a forward lunge might be more appropriate for you.”
• But the reverse is the best option if you want to protect your knees. “Both exercises work the quadriceps and the glutes, but because reverse lunges use the hamstrings a little more than forward lunges, they are typically more knee-friendly.”
• Doing reverse lunges correctly is also simpler. Throwing your leg out too far during a forward lunge can easily cause you to overshoot, which will stretch your groin, adductor, and possibly your back. Therefore, you can only move so far when you step your leg back.

Summary

• Reverse lunges are an effective exercise to enhance balance, strength, and mobility in the knees, thighs, and hips—especially beneficial for sports like tennis or hiking.
• They are often gentler on the joints compared to forward lunges. In a reverse lunge, you step one leg backward, bend both knees to lower into position, then return to standing.
• The Reverse Lunge workout targets the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core.
• Avoid common blunders like rounding the back and stepping too close or too far back. While both forward and reverse lunges work similar muscles, reverse lunges are more hamstring-focused and generally easier on the knees.

FAQ’s

References:

• Heimlich, J. (1970b, January 1). This lunge variation is easy on your knees, but still effective. Here’s how to do it. https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/reverse-lunge
• Stefanov, P. (2025b, May 29). Reverse lunge: how-to, tips, variations, mistakes. Hevy – #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App. https://www.hevyapp.com/exercises/reverse-lunge/
• Reverse lunge. (n.d.-b). [Video]. Hingehealth. https://en-gb.hingehealth.com/resources/articles/reverse-lunges