How to Do a Reverse Lunge + Weighted Modifications

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Perfect your reverse lunge form with tips from pro personal trainers
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Reverse (or backward) lunges are a great way to work your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves, giving you a strong lower body. They’re especially great for beginners and people with knee problems, too. In this article, we’ll walk you through how to perform a perfect reverse lunge with pointers from professional personal trainers and fitness experts. Plus, we’ve got the best reverse lunge variations with weights to take your leg day gains to the next level. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Backward Lunge Exercise Guide

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
  2. Take a wide step backward with one leg.
  3. Bend your front knee into a 90° angle without pushing your knee past your toes.
  4. Simultaneously, bend your back knee into a 90° angle without touching the ground.
  5. Drive through your front leg to push yourself back to the starting position.
  6. Try 2-4 sets of 12-15 reps for each leg.
Section 1 of 3:

Performing a Reverse Lunge

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  1. Keep your back straight and your head facing forward with your chin slightly tucked (like you’re holding a ball there) throughout the entire exercise. Keep your knees slightly bent and relaxed (not locked). [1]
    • Reverse lunges work the leg that’s stationary, which will be your front leg. That means you'll be working your right leg when you step backwards with your left, and vice versa.
  2. Choose the position that makes you feel the most stable and engage your shoulders, hips, and core. [2] Reverse lunges require you to maintain your balance, and your arms can help you do that.
    • If you’re not sure where you should put your arms, try both positions to see which one is best for you. Eventually, you may want to use your hands to hold dumbbells instead.
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  3. Lift your left leg and shift it behind you, keeping your legs hip-width apart. Land on the ball of your foot, with your heel off the ground, almost perpendicular to the floor. [3]
    • Step back as far as you comfortably can to prevent putting your knee at an awkward angle.
    • Don’t try to step directly behind your other leg. Keep your legs hip-width apart for the entire exercise.
  4. Lower your front leg into a 90° angle as you drop toward the floor. As you get lower, personal trainer Dean Theriot says that “the most important aspect of the lunge is to make sure your forward knee does not travel past your heel as you lunge down.” [4] Keep your knee in line with your ankle to make sure you don’t push it out past your toes, as this can cause injury or pain.
    EXPERT TIP

    Francisco Gomez

    Fitness Coach
    Francisco Gomez is the Head Coach at the FIT Potato Gym, a training gym established in 2001 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Francisco is a former competitive runner who helps endurance athletes train for major marathons like the Boston Marathon. Francisco specializes in Injury Rehab, Flexibility, Marathon Training, and Senior Fitness. He has a B.S. in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology & Running.
    Francisco Gomez
    Fitness Coach

    A common mistake is bending the knee past the toes. Most people, if they're not flexible in their hips, will lean their knee forward too far, past their toes. In that case, they're not really working their quads or hips at all. They're just continuously using their knee, leading to inflammation.

  5. Bend both knees as you lower yourself down toward the floor. As Theriot puts it, “Simultaneously bending both knees to travel straight down instead of down and forward is key.” [5] Drop your knee until it is about 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) off the floor. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds.
    • Fitness trainer Laila Ajani adds, “When [you] get closer to the ground, [you] don't want to touch the ground with your knee. [You] just want to get close and protect that knee bone, the patella.” [6]
    • She continues, “Make sure that [your] descent is extremely controlled. It should be just one speed down [without] any acceleration.” [7]
    • If you can't go all the way down, modify the lunge so you’re not lowering your body as much. Just make sure both of your knees are bent at the same angle. If you don’t bend your front leg at a 90° angle, don’t bend your back leg as much, since this can strain your hip flexors and eventually injure your lower back. [8]
  6. Your right leg, which is the front leg, will control most of your movement. However, it’s okay to use your left leg to keep you steady as you rise. As you come back into a standing position, bring your left leg forward to return to the start. [9]
    • Reverse lunges work the stationary leg, so that leg should always control your movement.
    • Ajani advises to “Come up quickly to train your fast-twitch muscles. You're thinking slow on the way down, and then really fast on the way up. You’re kind of accelerating up.” [10]
  7. It's up to you how you want to work each side. You can alternate legs as you perform your reps— right leg, then left leg, or you can do all of your reps on one side, and then do all of the reps on the other side. Just make sure to include 45-90 seconds of rest between each set! [11]
    • You can change the number of sets or reps that you do to fit your workout plan. For example, if you’re adding moderate weights, you might do 3-4 sets of only 8-10 reps instead. [12]
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Section 2 of 3:

Reverse Lunging with Weights

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  1. Stand in your starting position with your legs hip-width apart. Position your arms at your sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Then, step back into your reverse lunge, keeping your arms at your sides. Bend your knees into a 90° angle, then push through your front leg to rise to your starting position. [13]
    • Choose a weight that doesn’t cause you to wobble or use bad form. It’s best to start with a lighter weight, such as 5 to 10 lb (2.3 to 4.5 kg) dumbbells and work your way up as you get used to the move.
  2. Try doing bicep curls with dumbbells as you lunge. Stand with your back straight and your legs hip-width apart, holding your dumbbells down at your sides. Step back into a reverse lunge, bending your knees into a 90° angle. Then, do a bicep curl with both arms as you push through your front leg to rise to the starting position. Once you’re standing, lower the dumbbells back to your sides. [14]
    • Pick a weight that is challenging but doesn’t make you lose your form. When in doubt, always go with the lighter weight, then increase it once the exercise stops feeling challenging.
  3. Stand in your starting position with your legs hip-width apart. Lift a weighted barbell and rest it across your upper back, holding it steady with your hands in an overhand grip. Step back into your reverse lunge, bending your knees at a 90° angle. Keep your back straight and the weight stable. Then, rise back to your starting position. [15]
    • Make sure you keep your back straight as you complete the reverse lunge.
    • If you’re having trouble keeping your barbell steady, reduce the amount of weight you’re using.

    Variation: Do your reverse lunges in a squat rack or Smith machine to enable you to get into your starting position more easily. Additionally, you’ll be able to safely use a heavier barbell to increase the challenge of your workout.

  4. Stand in your starting position, holding your medicine ball out in front of you in both hands. As you step back into your lunge with your left foot, twist toward your right, keeping the medicine ball extended in front of you. Then, return to your starting position. [16]
    • You can find weighted medicine balls in a variety of weights, typically ranging from 2 to 20 lb (0.91 to 9.07 kg). Choose a weight that is comfortable for you. It’s best to start out with a lighter weight and work your way up as you get used to working with the weight.
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Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    What are reverse lunges good for? All lunges help improve leg strength and balance. Reverse lunges specifically are good for building stability in your hips and controlling your backward movement and coordination. [17] Reverse lunges also primarily work your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, while also hitting your calves and core. [18]
  2. 2
    Can reverse lunges grow glutes? Yes, reverse lunges can help you increase size and strength in your glutes. Since you’re stepping backward, you get more overall contribution from the hip extensors (your glutes and hamstrings) instead of the knee extensors (quadriceps). [19]
  3. 3
    Is a reverse lunge the same as a Bulgarian split squat ? Not exactly, but they are similar moves. According to Ajani, “a Bulgarian split squat…is a lot like a lunge. The back foot is raised on a platform, maybe on a bench or stool, but everything else about the exercise is the same. [A split squat] is an extremely difficult thing to do.” [20]
  4. 4
    Are forward lunges or reverse lunges better? One is not better than the other, but each has its own benefits and advantages. For example, reverse lunges are often easier for beginners to do correctly and are better for people with knee problems. A forward lunge will also work your quadriceps more than a reverse lunge. [21]
  5. 5
    Can you do reverse lunges with a Smith machine? Yes. Adjust the barbell so it’s about level with your shoulders and add your weights. Step under the barbell so it rests on your upper back and grip it with an overhand grip from behind. From there, perform a regular reverse lunge, allowing the machine to guide the barbell down as you dip lower. [22]
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      Tips

      • Lunges are a great way to work the muscles in just one of your legs, which can help you correct a strength imbalance. [23]
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      • Reverse lunges increase strength and flexibility in your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.
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      • To see results, do reverse lunges 2-3 days a week.
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      Warnings

      • If you have weak or injured knees, reverse lunges may not be an appropriate exercise for you. Get your doctor’s approval before you try this exercise.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/reverse-lunge-guide
      2. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/reverse-lunge-guide
      3. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/difference-between-forward-and-reverse-lunges
      4. ↑ Dean Theriot. Personal Trainer. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ Dean Theriot. Personal Trainer. Expert Interview
      6. ↑ Laila Ajani. Fitness Trainer. Expert Interview
      7. ↑ Laila Ajani. Fitness Trainer. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/difference-between-forward-and-reverse-lunges
      9. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/difference-between-forward-and-reverse-lunges
      1. ↑ Laila Ajani. Fitness Trainer. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ https://barbend.com/reverse-lunge/
      3. ↑ https://barbend.com/reverse-lunge/
      4. ↑ https://breakingmuscle.com/reverse-lunge/
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/R5BS_jqVEDg?t=4
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/R-g5yPNYv2k?t=5
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/Jv1BNfcVMDk?t=4
      8. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/try-this-take-a-step-back
      9. ↑ https://homeworkouts.org/exercise/reverse-lunges/
      10. ↑ https://shop.bodybuilding.com/blogs/training/2-types-of-reverse-lunges-to-grow-your-glutes-step-by-step-guide
      11. ↑ Laila Ajani. Fitness Trainer. Expert Interview
      12. ↑ https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/how-to-do-a-lunge/#front_vs_reverse_lunge
      13. ↑ https://youtu.be/cysAkj-pw-c?t=1
      14. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/difference-between-forward-and-reverse-lunges

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