Step too short
Step back far enough that the front shin stays fairly vertical at the bottom.
Lunge · Dumbbells
Reverse Lunge
A lunge where you step backward instead of forward, holding dumbbells at your sides. Stepping back is generally easier on the knees and easier to balance than a forward lunge. Good for beginners and anyone building single-leg strength.
- Primary
- Quads
- Secondary
- Glutes
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 2 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The quads and glutes of the front leg do most of the work; a more upright torso biases the quads, a slight forward lean biases the glutes. The adductors and hip stabilizers also work to keep the knee in line.
How to set up
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides.
- Brace your trunk and keep your chest up.
- Shift weight to the front leg before stepping.
How to do each rep
- Step one foot back far enough that both knees can bend to about 90 degrees.
- Lower until the back knee nearly touches the floor.
- Drive through the front foot's heel and midfoot to return to standing.
- Alternate legs or finish all reps on one side.
Common reverse lunge mistakes
Front knee collapsing inward
Keep the knee tracking over the middle toes.
Pushing off the back foot
Keep most weight on the front leg so it does the work.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the reverse lunge at 8–12 reps with about 2 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Build to 10-12 reps per leg, then go up one dumbbell size. Once grip limits you, use straps, a barbell, or move to a Bulgarian split squat.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Reverse Lunge alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Reverse lunge vs forward lunge?
The reverse lunge is easier to balance and usually gentler on the knees. The forward lunge adds a braking demand to the quads. Both work the same muscles.
Do reverse lunges work glutes or quads?
Both. Staying upright shifts work toward the quads, while leaning forward slightly puts more on the glutes.