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Reverse lunges

Also called backward lunges, rear lunges, bodyweight reverse lunges, step-back lunges.

What are reverse lunges?

Reverse lunges are split-stance leg exercises in which you step one foot backward, lower both knees, then push through the front foot to return to standing. Stepping backward lets the front leg stay planted while the moving foot finds the lunge position.

Two side-view anatomical illustrations of a man standing and then in a bodyweight reverse lunge, with the front foot flat, rear foot on the ball, and front thigh and glute highlighted red.

How do you perform reverse lunges?

Set up

  1. Stand tall with your feet around hip width, whole feet planted and enough clear space behind you for a long step.
  2. Brace your trunk and choose one leg to step back first.

Execution

  1. Step that foot backward and land on the ball of the foot, keeping the front foot flat.
  2. Bend both knees and lower until the front leg reaches a depth you can control without the front knee collapsing inward.
  3. Push through the front foot and bring the back foot forward to stand, then repeat on the same side or alternate legs.

Common mistakes

  • Stepping directly behind the front foot

    A tightrope stance narrows the base and makes balance unnecessarily difficult. Step back with some side-to-side space between the feet.

  • Pushing mostly from the back foot

    The rear leg should help with balance, not turn the return into a toe push. Keep pressure through the whole front foot as you stand.

  • Letting the front knee fall inward

    An inward collapse makes the rep less stable. Keep the knee following the direction of the front toes and shorten the range if needed.

Where it fits in a session

Use them as the main single-leg movement in a bodyweight session or after squats and deadlifts for additional leg work.

Start with alternating reps if balance or local fatigue makes one full side difficult. Add external load only after each step lands in a repeatable stance.

Muscles worked

Front
Front — Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
Back
Back — Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

Primary

Secondary

Select a muscle name to locate it.

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

The front-leg quadriceps and gluteus maximus drive the return to standing. The adductors and soleus help control the split stance.

Variations

  • Two frames of an anatomical illustration of a dumbbell lunge, side by side on a white background, both seen in profile. On the left the figure stands upright with a dumbbell hanging in each hand at his sides, feet together, the quadriceps shaded red down the front of the thigh and a narrower red strip running down the front of the shin. On the right he is at the bottom of the rep: front knee bent to about a right angle with the shin near vertical, back leg trailing behind with the back knee just above the floor and the heel lifted, torso upright, dumbbells still hanging at his sides. The red shading there covers the quadriceps of both the leading and the trailing thigh. The buttock is in view at this angle and is not shaded.
    Dumbbell lungeAdds dumbbells and commonly steps forward rather than backward.
  • Barbell reverse lunge — Places a bar across the upper back while using the same step-back pattern.
  • Walking lunge — Travels forward from rep to rep instead of returning to the starting spot.
  • Anatomical illustration of a woman performing a dumbbell Bulgarian split squat with her rear foot on a bench and front thigh muscles highlighted.
    Bulgarian split squatKeeps the rear foot elevated and the stance fixed throughout the set.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles do reverse lunges work?

They train the quadriceps and gluteus maximus of the front leg, while the adductors and soleus help control the stance.

Should you alternate legs on reverse lunges?

Either alternating or completing one side at a time works. Use the version that lets you keep the same step length and control.

How far back should you step?

Step far enough that both knees can bend comfortably while the front foot stays flat and the stance remains wide enough to balance.

Sources

  1. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb: Thigh Quadriceps Muscle. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513334/
  2. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Gluteus Maximus Muscle. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538193/
  3. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb: Thigh Adductor Magnus Muscle. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534842/

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