What is Squat To Reverse Lunge?

The Squat To Reverse Lunge is an easy bodyweight exercise combining a squat with a single-leg reverse lunge to train quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves. It builds lower-body strength, balance and hip control while limiting equipment. Suitable for beginners, focus on controlled tempo and proper knee alignment to reduce injury risk.

How to Do Squat To Reverse Lunge

  1. Set Your Stance: Stand feet shoulder-width, hands behind head or at hips, chest up, core braced. Distribute weight midfoot to heel for stable squat and lunge transitions.
  2. Descend Into Squat: Hinge hips back and bend knees, sit between your heels until comfortable depth. Keep chest lifted, knees tracking over toes, maintain neutral spine.
  3. Return To Standing: Drive through heels, extend hips and knees to return to upright position while maintaining tension in glutes and core before initiating lunge.
  4. Step Back Controlled: Step one foot back softly onto the ball of the foot, lower your hips straight down until front shin is near vertical and back knee near but not touching floor.
  5. Drive Through Front Foot: Push through the front heel, engage glutes and hamstrings to return to standing. Keep torso tall and avoid collapsing the back knee.
  6. Repeat Alternating Sides: Alternate legs each rep, control tempo, breathe steadily, and stop if you feel joint pain. Increase depth or reps only when form is solid.

Muscle Groups

Quadriceps, Hamstring, Calves, Glutes

Description

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. You can place your hands behind your head. This will be your starting position.

Begin the movement by flexing your knees and hips, sitting back with your hips.

Continue down to full depth if you are able, and reverse the motion until you return to the starting position. As you squat, keep your head and chest up and push your knees out.

When squat is completed, perform a single rep of reverse lunge. Step backward, landing softly on the ball of your back foot, and bending your knees.

At the bottom position the front shin should be close to vertical, knee stacked over the ankle, and keep a tall posture, open chest, spine neutral. Maintain tension throughout, don’t drop the back knee.

Pause, glutes and hamstrings engaged, before pushing your front foot through the floor and driving back up.

Repeat for the required amount of repetitions.

Movement Group

Legs

Required Equipment

None (bodyweight only)

Progressions and Regressions

None

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of the Squat To Reverse Lunge?

The Squat To Reverse Lunge improves lower-body strength, unilateral stability, balance and hip mobility while targeting quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves. It’s equipment-free, useful for functional fitness, and helps correct single‑leg imbalances when performed with consistent form.

What common mistakes should I avoid?

Common mistakes include letting the knees cave inward, leaning the torso forward, stepping too far back or dropping the back knee to the floor. Fix these by slowing the movement, keeping a tall chest, tracking the front knee over the ankle, and bracing your core.

How can I progress or regress this exercise?

To progress, add dumbbells, slow the tempo, or try Bulgarian split squats and deeper lunges. To regress, reduce range of motion, hold onto support, perform split squats from a static position, or lower to partial squats until balance and strength improve.