Liftworthy
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Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Glutes

Reverse Lunge

DumbbellCompoundEasy to learnOne side at a time
Front
Back
Primary Secondary

Works

Glutes, Quads

Also adductors, hamstrings

You need

Dumbbells

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Start
2Bottom
Main musclesAlso working
  1. 1Step back, not forward
  2. 2Back knee kisses the floor
  3. 3Drive up through the front foot

Most common mistake

Pushing off the back foot instead of the front.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for running
  • Loads the muscle while it’s stretched

Compare with

vs Step-Upvs Bulgarian Split Squatvs Deficit Reverse Lunge
A
For glutes
#9 of 29
See the full list →
Research
76
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 76
Target tensionStrong
Loaded stretchExcellent
ProgressionGood
Low costStrong

Stepping back keeps the front shin upright and stretches the front glute. Balance makes heavy loading harder.

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • AHip Thrust MachineMachine
  • ARomanian DeadliftBarbell
  • ASmith Machine Hip ThrustMachine
  • ADeficit Reverse LungeDumbbell

Takes

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needed to post
280