Strength Training
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
The dumbbell reverse lunge is a backward-stepping lunge with weights at your sides. It trains your thighs and glutes one leg at a time while challenging balance.
- Beginner
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell at each side.
- Step one foot backward onto the ball of that foot.
- Bend both knees to lower your back knee toward the floor.
- Return to your starting stance by pushing through your front foot.
Form cues
- Keep your front knee tracking over toes
- Keep your ribs stacked over your hips
- Let your arms hang quietly
Common mistakes
- Stepping back on a tightropeKeep a sideways gap between your feet rather than placing them on one narrow line.
- Front heel liftingAdjust your backward step length so your entire front foot stays planted as you lower.
- Dropping into the bottomTake about two seconds to lower instead of letting gravity pull you down.
Safety
Heavy dumbbells or fatigue can make you lose balance during the backward step. Forcing depth or twisting under load can strain your knees, hips, or lower back.
- Practice several unweighted repetitions before choosing your working weights.
- Keep the floor behind you clear of weights and other obstacles.
- Use a pain-free depth without striking your back knee on the floor.
- End the set if you can no longer control your balance.
If you have ongoing knee, hip, or back pain, or difficulty balancing, use an unweighted version or seek guidance from a physiotherapist first.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Dumbbell
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps per leg
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Alternate legs between repetitions, counting each return to standing as one rep for that leg.