1. Put Your Best Foot Backward
To do a traditional lunge, everyone knows you step forward and bear your weight down on your forward leg. However, to do a reverse lunge, you're going to do--you guessed it--the reverse. Stand with your legs together. Step back as far as you can and bend your knees until your back shin and forward thigh are parallel to the floor. Pretty much the same movement as the forward lunge, you're just moving your leg in the opposite direction when you step. So step backward in order to move your leg workout forward!
2. Weighing In
Up for a challenge? You can do reverse lunges using only your body weight and you're going to get results, but if you want a challenge or for even quicker results, try adding weight to your reverse lunges. Hold a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell across your shoulders. Now perform a reverse lunge. Oh, feel the burn. Your thighs and butt might hate you later, but you can really develop the muscles of your legs, hips and butt by adding some weight to your reverse lunges. Be careful to use weight that you are comfortable with and that allows you to maintain proper form. If you feel any pain, lower the weight or ditch them altogether. Don't add weight to this movement until you are comfortable doing reverse lunges without weights.
3. Reap the Benefits
Lunges have been long known to be a great exercise for shaping the lower body. All the muscles of your upper legs, hips and butt are going to benefit from doing lunges. Really bend those knees, the further down you go the more you're stretching and developing those muscles. Doing reverse lunges also burns calories, gives you a cardio workout, strengthens the largest muscles of your legs and helps to develop flexibility and balance.
4. My Reverse Lunges Can Beat Up Your Forward Lunges
This might be one of the few times in life that you'll actually benefit from going backward instead of forward. Though the movements are the same, a reverse lunge is actually safer and more effective than a forward lunge. When you do a forward lunge, you are placing more stress on the knee; since your weight is on your forward leg and your knee is extended out past your toes, this causes undue stress on the joint. During a reverse lunge, your weight is still on your forward leg, but that leg remains immobile; thus, your knee is not extended past your toes. Also, by keeping your forward leg stationary, you are maintaining better balance while doing a reverse lunge.
5. Slow n' Easy
It's best to perform reverse lunges in a slow, controlled manner. Stepping back too quickly can throw you off-balance. Step back slow to make sure your leg is directly behind you, not off to one side. Don't jerk or bounce; slowly lower your body as you bend your knees, then push off with your back foot and return to the starting position. Doing reverse lunges too quickly can ruin your form and leave your prone to injury.
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