The reverse lunge may look like a simple variation of the forward lunge, but stepping backward changes the mechanics of the movement and introduces a different challenge to balance, coordination, and stability. Add weight, and the demands on your core and lower body increase considerably.
For women navigating midlife and beyond, the reverse lunge is an excellent way to develop single-leg strength, balance, and functional stability — qualities that support both athletic performance and everyday movement.
How to Do the Reverse Lunge
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
Step one foot backward, maintaining hip-width spacing between your feet rather than stepping onto a narrow line.
Bend both knees, lowering your back knee toward the floor while keeping your front foot planted.
Push through your front foot to return to standing, then alternate legs.
Key technique tips: Keep your torso upright, your front knee tracking in line with your toes, and your hips level. Move slowly enough to maintain control, particularly as you add weight.
Make the Movement Your Own
The reverse lunge is easily scaled to your current strength, balance, and experience.
Bodyweight reverse lunge: Focus on balance, technique, and controlled movement. Shorten the depth as needed.
Two dumbbells: Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides to increase the strength challenge.
Single kettlebell: Hold the kettlebell in a goblet position to increase the demand on your core and upright posture.
Back rack barbell: Position a barbell across your upper back for a heavier loading option that challenges full-body stability and strength.
Choose a variation that allows you to maintain control and consistent technique throughout the workout.
The Bottom Line
The reverse lunge trains more than your legs. It challenges your ability to stabilize your body while shifting your weight between limbs — an essential skill for walking, climbing stairs, running, and changing direction.
As we age, maintaining strength is important, but so is the ability to control that strength through movement. The reverse lunge develops both, making it a valuable addition to your training at any level.
Today’s workout adds an upper-body strength and stamina component with a max-repetition overhead shoulder press. This movement complements the reverse lunge’s balance and stability focus by adding another stimulus for core strength and stability.
Warm-Up
Set your SmartWOD app for TABATA 20 seconds work / 10 seconds rest x 4:30 (3 rounds of all 3 movements)
For each movement do 20 seconds of work then 10 seconds of rest before moving on to the next movement. Complete all movements in sequence for a total of 3 sets.
Easy push-up option
Body weight reverse lunge (alternate sides each rep)
Body weight side lunge (alternate sides each rep)
TIP! When performing any kind of lunge keep your feet hip width distance apart during your lunge. Your feet are NOT one in front of the other like on a balance beam. This makes balance difficult. Instead, be sure that your feet remain hip-width apart as you alternate side to side through the repetitions. This becomes even more important when you are lunging with weight. Protect your knees by centering your bent knee over your ankle - NOT beyond your toes!
Movement Practice
Use these 3 sets to find your workout weight for the workout. Start with the shoulder press. Try between 10 and 20 lb dumbbells or a 25-55 lb barbell. You should be able to perform 10 repetitions unbroken.
Then using the same weight, perform the reverse lunge. It is also fine to perform the reverse lunge with body weight only.
For the workout, you will be doing a total of 20 repetitions (10 each side). If your shoulder press weight is too heavy to achieve 20 reverse lunges, then reduce the weight.
**The reverse lunge is a complex movement that requires balance. Be sure you feel stable and confident in your movements with the weight you have selected. Its ok to reduce your weight – it will give you more opportunity to do more reps on your max rep shoulder press sets!
3 sets
4 shoulder press (barbell or dumbbells)
2 rep each side back rack reverse lunge.
Workout
For the max rep shoulder press, do as many repetitions as you can before the movement becomes ugly. For safety reasons, do not strive for complete failure of the rep. Stop when you sense that your technique is wavering.
** The intensity of this workout lives in the time domain. Set your SmartWOD app for EMOM 3:00 x 5 sets or total of 15 min, or simply set a regular timer. Stick as closely to this time domain as possible for best results.
Every 3:00 for 15:00 (5 total sets)
20 Back rack reverse lunge
Max rep shoulder press
** Your score for the workout is the total number of shoulder press repetitions.
Cool-Down
Open up your hips and lower back with this Dynamic Hip Flow segment from Train FTW.
Perform this sequence alternating sides for 3 rounds each side.
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Reverse lunges are amazing. I struggled a lot first but it really gets better with practice!