# Bodyweight Reverse Lunge

A reverse lunge with no added weight, targeting the quads and glutes. Useful for building single-leg strength, balance, and side-to-side control when no equipment is available.

- Beginner · Compound
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-rear-lunge/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-reverse-lunge/

## Muscles worked

- Quads: 9/10
- Glutes: 8/10
- Hamstrings: 5/10
- Hip adductors: 5/10
- Calves: 3/10
- Hip abductors: 3/10

## How to do the Bodyweight Reverse Lunge

1. Stand tall with your arms at your sides or hands on your hips.
2. Step one leg backward onto the ball of your foot.
3. Lower until your hips approach front knee level.
4. Drive through the whole front foot to stand, knee pointing the same way as that foot.
5. Alternate legs each rep.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides or hands on your hips.
2. Shift your weight onto one leg and step the other leg straight back onto the ball of the foot.
3. Lower until your hips approach front knee level and your back knee moves close to the floor.
4. Keep your torso upright over the front leg with the front foot planted flat.
5. Let your front knee point the same way as your front foot, without collapsing inward, as you descend.
6. Drive through the whole front foot and bring the back leg forward to return to standing.
7. Alternate legs each repetition.

## Common mistakes

- Pushing off the back foot
- Front heel lifting off floor
- Back step too short
- Front knee collapsing inward
- Torso drifting too far forward

## Form cues

- Step straight back
- Stay heavy on front leg
- Front foot stays flat
- Push through whole foot
- Stand tall each rep

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 12–20 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s
- **Endurance** (best fit): 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Dumbbells**: [Dumbbell Front Rack Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-front-rack-lunge/), [Dumbbell Overhead Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-overhead-lunge/)
- **Weight plates**: [Bodyweight Deficit Reverse Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-deficit-reverse-lunge/), [Plate Forward Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/plate-forward-lunge/)
- **Barbell**: [Barbell Reverse Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-reverse-lunge/), [Barbell Overhead Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-overhead-lunge/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Reverse Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-reverse-lunge/), [Goblet Side Squat](https://seto.fit/exercises/goblet-side-squat/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Chair Supported Resistance Band Reverse Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/chair-supported-resistance-band-reverse-lunge/) — Beginner
- Easier: [Diagonal Lunge with Toe Touch](https://seto.fit/exercises/diagonal-lunge-with-toe-touch/) — 30% of bodyweight
- **This exercise: Bodyweight Reverse Lunge — 40% of bodyweight**
- Harder: [Archer Reverse Lunge](https://seto.fit/exercises/archer-reverse-lunge/) — 45% of bodyweight
- Harder: [Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat](https://seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-bulgarian-split-squat/) — 55% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Bodyweight Reverse Lunge work?

Primary: Quads 9/10, Glutes 8/10. Also works: Hamstrings 5/10, Hip adductors 5/10, Calves 3/10, Hip abductors 3/10.

### When should I do the Bodyweight Reverse Lunge in a workout?

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 8 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Bodyweight Reverse Lunge?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 12–20 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Bodyweight Reverse Lunge?

Dumbbells: Dumbbell Front Rack Lunge, Dumbbell Overhead Lunge. Weight plates: Bodyweight Deficit Reverse Lunge, Plate Forward Lunge. Barbell: Barbell Reverse Lunge, Barbell Overhead Lunge. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Reverse Lunge, Goblet Side Squat.

### What is an easier version of the Bodyweight Reverse Lunge?

Diagonal Lunge with Toe Touch (30% of bodyweight), Chair Supported Resistance Band Reverse Lunge (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Bodyweight Reverse Lunge?

Archer Reverse Lunge (45% of bodyweight), Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat (55% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

---
seto — Fast, simple, clever workout tracking — offline-first by design. https://seto.fit/

Video licensed for playback on seto only — copying, downloading, or redistribution is prohibited. https://seto.fit/terms/