Muscles worked
Your front leg does the main work: the quads and glutes lift you, with your inner thigh and hamstrings helping. The difference from a forward lunge is that your front foot never moves. You step back with the other leg, so there is no forward momentum to brake. That is why many people find this version easier to control and more comfortable on the knees. Leaning your torso slightly forward shifts more of the work to your glutes, and your trunk steadies you in the moment you stand on one leg.
Common mistakes
- You lean back. As the leg steps back, your upper body tends to follow and your lower back arches. Keep your ribs down and your abs braced. A slight lean forward is better than one backwards.
- Your back foot lands flat. The back leg should land on the ball of the foot with the heel up. If you put the whole foot down, the back knee struggles to bend and the step turns stiff.
- You drop into the lunge. Stepping back and letting your body fall at the same time removes control at the bottom. Let the foot land first, then lower yourself over a couple of seconds.
Variations and alternatives
- The reverse lunge with dumbbells when body weight has become too light and you have weights to hand.
- The bodyweight lunge steps forward instead, when you want to train the braking and give your quads a bit more.
- The bodyweight Bulgarian split squat puts more of the load on the front leg and is a good step up without equipment.
Sets and reps
This is a good first lunge to learn. Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per leg and make every rep look the same. Once it feels solid, work up towards 15 to 20 reps for more endurance. The guide to sets and reps helps you choose a range for your goal.
One way to make it harder without weights is to stand with your front foot on a low stair and step back down to the floor. This lets the leg work through a longer range. Pick a height where the back knee can still lower under control, and only add weight after that. Each change like this is progressive overload.