Exercises / Thigh & knee
Reverse lunge with dumbbells
- Strength
- Thigh & knee
- Two dumbbells, Mat for back knee (optional)
Step one leg backward, lower into a split stance, then return to standing through the front leg.
Also called backward lunge, rear dumbbell lunge, reverse lunge.
Where you stand
No published distribution for this exercise yet. We add one only from a peer-reviewed study.
Muscles worked
Filled: primary. Outlined: secondary.
How much
Typical strength dose: 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions at a load that is hard by the last repetition, 2-3 days per week (ACSM novice guideline). Adjust to symptoms.
Start: Standing, dumbbells at the sides
Steps
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand and the feet about hip-width apart.
- Step the right leg backward while keeping the trunk upright and the left foot planted.
- Bend both knees to lower with control, stopping before the back knee touches the floor.
- Push through the front foot to return to standing; repeat on the other side.
Cues
- Keep the front knee tracking over the foot
- Maintain a comfortable step width for balance
Common mistakes
- Letting the front knee collapse inward
- Leaning or twisting the trunk
- Dropping abruptly onto the back knee
Used for
- Functional lower-limb strengthening
- Progression to unilateral hip and knee loading
Take care (1)
- Learn the movement without weights first. Use a stable support or shorten the step if balance or knee symptoms limit control.
Evidence (1)
- Knee and hip extensors generate the force needed to rise from a flexed split stance; this is a biomechanical rationale rather than a measured result for the dumbbell reverse lunge.1
Easier
References (1)
- Neumann DA. Elsevier. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed.