The barbell reverse lunge places less strain on the knees than forward lunges.
Squats are a cornerstone for strengthening the lower body, yet they aren’t the only option. Lunges are an outstanding alternative, offering unique benefits and engaging the lower body muscles (1). The barbell reverse lunge enhances balance, stability, strength, and explosive power, substantially boosting athletic performance.
This guide explores the barbell reverse lunge, focusing on the muscles it targets and its significant benefits. It provides a detailed, step-by-step process to effectively execute this potent lower-body strengthening exercise. Additionally, it suggests several excellent exercises for engaging similar muscle groups.
Barbell Reverse Lunge Techniques & Muscles Worked
The barbell reverse lunge is a variation that unilaterally works the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It also strengthens the hip and knee joints. Performing this exercise equally recruits the core muscles, like the abs and obliques, which help stabilize during it.
Because of its unilateral nature, the barbell reverse lunge offers a unique way of training your muscles. You can focus and train each side of your body equally and address any strength or muscle imbalances. This exercise also uses a barbell, which allows you to overload your lower body muscles and increases your stability and strength, building a stronger core and lower body. Below are steps highlighting how to perform the barbell reverse lunge with the proper form.
For this guide, you can use a squat rack or half rack. This makes it easy to mount the barbell on your upper back and shoulders before beginning the exercise.
- Carefully place the weighted barbell on top of the muscles at your back.
- Use a wide grip to hold the bar for extra support.
- Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart, knees locked, chest out, and shoulders pulled back.
- Next, step back into a lunge position. This is your starting position.
- Take a deep breath and slowly lower your knee to touch the floor (remember to keep your torso upright during this movement).
- Hold in this position for about 2 seconds and slowly return to the starting position, using your front leg to lift the weight, making it one rep.
- Repeat for as many reps as possible, then switch to the other leg, mirroring the movement, to complete the exercise.
Benefits
The barbell reverse lunge is a variation of the traditional lunge, offering a unique blend of strength, coordination, and balance. Here’s a list of benefits of performing this exercise.
More Glute Activation
The barbell reverse lunge primarily targets the hamstrings, quads, and glute muscles, emphasizing the glutes. It builds and strengthens these muscles, which helps improve lower body movement and coordination. This improves leg strength and muscularity, which leads to better athletic performances.
Improves Joint Mobility & Protects Knee Joints
As much as this exercise works the target muscles, it also equally focuses on joint action (2). It strengthens the hip and knee joints unilaterally, which helps improve joint mobility and increase the range of motion. Additionally, the rear lunge variation places less stress on the knee joints than lunging forward.
Works the Core
This exercise requires a lot of balance and stability. You constantly place tension on your core muscles when performing it, which helps maintain proper form, posture, and equal load distribution. A strong core also reduces your chances of injuries, especially during exercises.
Better Mind-Muscle Connection
The barbell reverse lunge is a unilateral exercise. As a result, it allows you to focus more on the target muscles and joints, increasing the mind-muscle connection. Studies have shown that increasing this connection can activate and increase muscle activity (3).
Addresses Muscle & Strength Imbalances
Unilateral exercises are effective for identifying imbalances in the body. They offer a unique way of training your body that allows you to identify any weaker side during reps and correct such muscle and strength imbalances. The barbell reverse lunge is a unilateral exercise.
Improves Form for Other Exercises
The barbell reverse lunge builds stability, coordination, and lower body muscles. When these muscles are stronger, they enhance form, which you can utilize for other exercises such as squats and deadlifts. You can also transition this better form to Olympic movements like the snatch and power clean.
Barbell Reverse Lunge Alternatives
The barbell reverse lunge is a compound exercise effective for building your lower body and core. Below is a list of alternative exercises you can incorporate alongside lunges.
The Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a unilateral variation targeting the posterior chain, quads, and glutes. The Bulgarian split squat also activates the core muscles, stabilizing and balancing during the exercise.
45-Degree Leg Press
The 45-degree leg press works similar muscles to the barbell reverse lunge. The mechanics of the machine set at 45 degrees increase its effectiveness. A machine for this routine also offers great stability while working the lower body muscles.
Sled Drag
The sled drag is a total-body workout, but it primarily works the quads, hamstrings, and lower back and recruits the calves and glutes. However, it also works the upper body muscles, which include the shoulders, back, and arms.
FAQs
What are barbell reverse lunges good for?
The barbell reverse lunge is a compound exercise for building and strengthening the lower body muscles. It improves lower body balance and stability and increases glute activation.
What do reverse lunges work?
Barbell reverse lunges are unilateral and work on your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It also strengthens the hip and knee joints. Performing this exercise equally recruits the core muscles.
What are the benefits of reverse lunges with weights?
The barbell reverse lunges use weights, such as a barbell, which increases the resistance. This leads to greater muscle growth and strength. The guide above lists other benefits of this exercise.
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References
- Marchetti, P. H., Guiselini, M. A., da Silva, J. J., Tucker, R., Behm, D. G., & Brown, L. E. (2018). Balance and Lower Limb Muscle Activation between In-Line and Traditional Lunge Exercises. Journal of human kinetics, 62, 15–22. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0174
- Comfort, P., Jones, P. A., Smith, L. C., & Herrington, L. (2015). Joint Kinetics and Kinematics During Common Lower Limb Rehabilitation Exercises. Journal of athletic training, 50(10), 1011–1018. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-50.9.05
- Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J. C., & Andersen, L. L. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
