There are several benefits to having stronger legs. I don't think any of us can question that! Nowadays, it seems like most people want bigger and stronger legs too.
You may be wondering, what are some good leg exercises other than standard squats?
Truthfully, there are a lot of popular ones. One of my personal favorites is lunges. Even more specifically, a variation of lunges called reverse lunges.
If you haven't tried them out, I highly encourage it. But, what do reverse lunges look like? How do you do reverse lunges? What are the muscles worked and the benefits of doing reverse lunges? That's what we'll be talking about today.
In This Article:
• What Is a Reverse Lunge?
• What Muscles Do Reverse Lunges Work?
• Benefits of Reverse Lunges
• How to Do Reverse Lunges Correctly
• Common Mistakes to Avoid with Reverse Lunges
• More Tips
What Is a Reverse Lunge?
As I said, reverse lunges are a variation of traditional lunges. They're more of a single-leg exercise because you are pushing through one leg at a time. However, you'll also be using your other leg for stability.
You can do reverse lunges with your bodyweight, or as a weighted exercise too. Either way, they can be a great way to challenge your legs in a new way.
I personally prefer them over walking lunges because they allow you to stay in place. This can be especially beneficial if you're in a crowded gym and don't have much extra space on your hands.
Reverse lunges also help target and build strength in several of the biggest muscles in your legs. So, if you're curious about what reverse lunges work, let's dive into the muscles targeted by this powerful movement.
What Muscles Do Reverse Lunges Work?
You may be wondering, which muscles do reverse lunges work? Quite a few! In fact, you'll target most of the muscles in your legs.
Let's start with the muscle that sits on the front of your legs and get a lot of work in this exercise...
Quadriceps
When I do reverse lunges, my quads burn, and I mean BURN! Your quadriceps (or quads for short) are the 4 large muscles that sit on the front of your thigh.
As you lower your knee in a reverse lunge, your quads help with support and stabilization. In addition to that, they help your knee extend.
With reverse lunges, you'll be sure to target your quads effectively.
Glutes
Ah, the good old glutes. These are what most people refer to as your butt. The glutes are actually 3 muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus.
In a reverse lunge, your glutes can get some great work. They help your body extend your hip forward in the upward motion. On top of that, they also produce power and help keep your body upright throughout the exercise.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located on the back of your thigh. In a reverse lunge, they help with the flexion of your knee as you lower your body. They also help extend your hip forward as you come back up.
So, yes, you will be giving your hamstrings a little bit of love in a reverse lunge as well.
Calves
No, we're not talking about calves as in baby cows. Your calves are the muscles that sit on the back of your leg between your knee and ankle. They are two muscles called the soleus and gastrocnemius.
During a reverse lunge, your calves will help stabilize your ankle joint. They can also help to keep you balanced and stable throughout the movement.
Core
I bet you didn't see this one coming! Yes, your core is also engaged in the reverse lunges. Now, your core isn't just the muscles you think about as your "abs". Your core is your lower back muscles as well as your abdominal muscles.
Reverse lunges can help challenge your core muscles by recruiting them for stabilization throughout the exercise. Trust me, improving core strength can be a great benefit of reverse lunges. But, what are some of the other benefits you can get from reverse lunges?
Benefits of Reverse Lunges
There are a number of benefits that come with performing reverse lunges. Many of them are a huge reason they remain a staple in my leg routine!
Easier on the Knees
Reverse lunges place less pressure on the knee joint compared to forward lunges. This makes them a great option for those with knee issues or pains. The shin remains perpendicular to the ground, reducing strain on the knee.
Targets the Posterior Chain
Reverse lunges activate the hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Often neglected in traditional exercises, they can help strengthen the posterior chain.
Unilateral Exercise for Balance
As a unilateral movement, reverse lunges help correct strength and muscle imbalances between legs. They can also improve balance and stability by engaging the core.
Improve Mobility
This movement stretches the hip flexors and increases the range of motion in the hips and ankles. Because of this, reverse lunges can be great for promoting better overall mobility.
Builds Leg Strength
Reverse lunges effectively strengthen the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. This can support leg strength and performance in everyday activities and sports.
How to Do Reverse Lunges Correctly
So, how do you do a reverse lunge? It's actually incredibly simple. However, that doesn't make this leg exercise any less effective! The biggest challenge will be getting your balance down as you get used to reverse lunges.
You can do them as a bodyweight exercise or with weights. When it comes to weights too, you can use practically anything. I like using dumbbells and barbells. For the sake of keeping the explanation simple, I'll talk about how to do them with dumbbells.
1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. Leave your arms at either side of your body with your palms facing toward you. Brace your core and focus on keeping your chest high throughout the movement.
2. With one foot, take a step backward onto your toes. Slowly lower your back knee toward the floor by sinking into your hips and bending your front knee.
3. Keep lowering your back knee toward the ground until your front knee is bent at 90 degrees. Your back knee should be a couple inches off the ground.
4. Pause for a second before pushing off the ground and powering through your front foot. Squeeze your front glue and quad to bring your body upward.
5. As you come upward, bring your back foot back under your body to stand upright once again.
6. Now, repeat this on the opposite leg. You'll repeat this for reps, alternating between legs with each rep.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Reverse Lunges
To get the most out of reverse lunges and avoid injury, watch out for these common mistakes:
Narrow Stance
Starting with your feet too close together can make it harder to maintain balance and stability during the movement. Aim to position your feet about hip-width apart. This creates a more stable foundation, allowing for a smoother, safer lunge.
Poor Knee Alignment
A common mistake is letting the front knee extend too far beyond your toes. This can place unnecessary stress on your knee joint. Keep your knee aligned with your toes throughout the movement, ensuring it doesn’t push forward. This helps protect your knee and optimizes the exercise's effectiveness.
Wrong Step Distance
If you step too far back or not far enough, you won't engage your muscles properly. To hit the correct position, make sure your back knee is close to the ground without touching it and your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. A good tip is to practice split squats first to get comfortable with the proper distance before transitioning to reverse lunges.
Rushing the Movement
Speeding through the movement decreases the time your muscles are under tension. This can limit muscle activation and the effectiveness of the exercise. Focus on slowly lowering yourself down to really engage the muscles in your legs and glutes. You can push up a bit faster, but controlling the descent maximizes the benefits.
Reverse Lunges Are Just the Beginning
Reverse lunges can be an excellent leg exercise to add to your routine. From building strength and stability to improving imbalances between your legs ... They are awesome!
I think they are a great exercise to throw in the middle of your leg workout. This is what I personally do, and have stuck with it!
Now, yes, reverse lunges are a great leg exercise. However, they definitely aren't the only leg exercise you should be doing. Building stronger legs and making progress toward your goals is going to require a wide variety of different exercises.
Plus, that's not even to mention the nutrition and recovery side of the equation. I get it, reaching your goals can be a long and difficult process. It's also hard to know exactly what to do to earn the best results possible.
Whether you want to build muscle, burn fat, or a combination of both, we all want to look and feel better. I know I do. Yet, this is all a whole lot easier said than done.
The good news is, that's why we're here to help. Our mission at 1st Phorm is to help real people like you and me earn real and long-term results. There are no hacks, which means you have to do the work. But if you're willing to do the work, we'll always meet you halfway.
We even created the ultimate all-in-one tool for your fitness to help along your journey. That tool is the 1st Phorm App.
The 1st Phorm App simplifies the process of earning results so you can focus on what matters most: putting in the work to reach your goals! Inside the app, you'll get access to every tool and resource you need to be successful...
• Nutrition tracking - Log your food & water to stay on track. The 1st Phorm App is connected to a massive food database to make it easy.
• A full library of workout programs catered to help you reach your goals. Choose between at-home programs, weightlifting, cross-training, and so much more!
• Daily activity and step tracking to set goals and encourage a healthier lifestyle.
• Educational live streams 5x a week that cover a wide variety of topics from nutrition to training and supplementation. Equip yourself with the knowledge to earn and maintain your results long-term!
• Progress & body metric tools to help you measure your progress over time.
...and so much more!
With the premium version of the 1st Phorm App, you'll even get your own advisor! This is a Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach you can message 24/7. They'll help you make adjustments, answer your questions, and even hold you accountable when you need it most!
Hundreds of thousands of people have already transformed their lives with the 1st Phorm App. You can too! No matter where you're starting from or how crazy your schedule and lifestyle are ... the 1st Phorm App can help you achieve the results you've always wanted.
To get started reaching your goals, just download the 1st Phorm App here, and I promise you won’t regret it. We’ll do whatever we can to help you get where you want to be!
If you have any questions or need help in the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out! We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central.
