The reverse lunge for knee friendly leg training

In a forward lunge, you step out and decelerate your bodyweight on a front knee that is bending and often driving forward over the toes. That forward-travelling, loaded knee is where a lot of the stress lands, and biomechanics work on lunges points to the forward lunge producing greater demand on the knee than the backward version.

In a reverse lunge, the front foot never moves. You step the other leg back and lower down, then push through the planted front foot to return. Because you are not catching momentum on a forward-driving knee, the movement tends to keep the front shin more upright and shifts more of the effort to the hips and glutes. Comparisons of lunge variations have found the forward lunge places a greater load on the knee extensors than the reverse lunge, which is a big part of why the reverse version often feels friendlier when knees are cranky.

The reverse lunge trains the same key leg muscles as most single-leg work, with its own flavour. Your quads on the front leg still work to straighten the knee, but because more of the load sits at the hip, your glutes and hamstrings take on a larger share than they do in many quad-dominant movements.

• Glutes and hamstrings, driving hip extension as you stand back up. The more hip-dominant feel is part of why the reverse lunge is a favourite for glute work.
• Quads on the front leg, controlling and extending the knee.
• Your core and the muscles around your hips and ankles, working to keep you balanced on one leg through the whole rep.

Because it is a single-leg movement, the reverse lunge also does something a two-legged squat cannot: it trains each side on its own. That evens out strength differences between your legs and challenges your balance, both of which carry over to walking, running, stairs, and sport.

1. Stand tall with feet hip width. Chest up, core braced, weight balanced. This is your start and finish for every rep.
2. Step one foot straight back. Take a controlled step backward, landing on the ball of that back foot. Keep the step in a natural line, not crossed over or splayed wide.
3. Lower until your back knee is just above the floor. Both knees bend to around 90 degrees. Your front shin should stay fairly upright and your torso mostly tall, with a slight natural forward lean at the hips.
4. Keep your weight through the front foot. Push through the heel and mid foot of the front leg, not the toes. The back leg is mostly there for balance.
5. Drive back up and return to standing. Push through the front foot to bring the back leg forward to the start. Finish tall and balanced before the next rep.

Neither lunge is simply better. They emphasise slightly different things and suit different knees and goals.

If your knees are happy, both belong in your training. If your knees are the thing holding your leg work back, starting with the reverse lunge is a sensible first move. You keep building strong single legs while giving the knee an easier ride.

The reverse lunge scales from pure bodyweight all the way up to a loaded barbell, which makes it easy to fit at almost any level. Nail the bodyweight version first, then add load in a way that keeps the movement clean.

• Start with bodyweight, 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per leg, until your balance and control are solid on both sides.
• Add dumbbells or kettlebells held at your sides, or a single one held at your chest (a goblet position), which is easy to load and easy to bail out of.
• Progress to a barbell on your back once you are strong and steady, if you want to push heavier.
• Train the weaker leg to the stronger leg's standard, starting each set with the weaker side and matching reps, so you close gaps instead of widening them.