Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge is a lunge performed by stepping backwards instead of forwards, training the glutes and quads of the front leg with less stress on the knee. Stepping back keeps the working shin closer to vertical, which is why it is the lunge most coaches teach first and the one most people with sore knees tolerate best.

Targets: Gluteus Maximus
Also works: Adductor Magnus, Hamstrings
Equipment: Body weight
Level: Beginner
Start with: 3 × 10-12, 60s rest

How to do it

Stand tall with feet hip width and your hands on your hips or at your sides.
Step one foot straight back, landing on the ball of the foot.
Lower until the back knee is just above the floor, keeping most of your weight on the front foot.
Drive through the front heel to stand up and bring the back foot forward to meet it.
Repeat on the same leg for the set, then switch, or alternate legs each rep.

Form cues

Think of the back leg as a kickstand: it touches down for balance, the front leg lifts you.
Lean the torso forward slightly to load the glutes more; stay upright to load the quads more.
Keep the hips square to the front rather than letting them twist open.

Common mistakes

Stepping back too short, which crowds the front knee and makes the lunge awkward. Step far enough that both knees form roughly right angles at the bottom.
Pushing off the back toes to come up. If the back leg is doing the lifting, the front leg is not being trained.
Stepping back on a diagonal, which costs balance. Step straight back, with the feet still hip width apart.

Where this fits in a week

Dietly Fit scores one photo a week out of 100, names the area holding the score back, and builds the week around it — so a movement like this gets programmed when your gluteus maximus is what needs the work, not because it was next on a list.

More quadriceps movements

Demonstration courtesy of Gym Visual. Sets and reps are a starting point, not a prescription. Speak to a qualified professional before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you are managing an injury or a health condition.