How to do a Medicine Ball Reverse Lunge

Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology

About Medicine Ball Reverse Lunge

Sets Logged
32,968
Popularity Rank
744th
Difficulty
Intermediate
Glutes Strength
92 mSCORE 18th
Equipment Required

Target muscles worked

Primary Muscles
Glutes
Secondary Muscles
Quads, Hamstrings

Instructions for Proper Form

Medicine Ball Reverse Lunge is a weighted variation of Lunge. Like other Lunges, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your lower body. Holding a medicine ball in both hands allows you to add a bit more resistance than just your bodyweight. By stepping backwards into your lunge, you also make this exercise more glute and hamstring focused than a standard lunge.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
  2. Grasp a medicine ball in both hands and position it in front of your chest.
  3. Take a long step backwards with one leg and drop your back knee towards the floor.
  4. Pause for a moment at the lowest point in the movement.
  5. Engage your glutes, hamstrings and quads to drive your forward heel into the ground in order to step forwards into a standing position.
  6. Maintain good posture by keeping your shoulders back, chest up and core engaged for stability throughout the movement.
  7. You should feel this exercise in your quads, glutes and hamstrings.

Common Form Mistakes

  • Not Deep Enough

    Make sure you’re dropping your knee to the ground. Limiting your range of motion will make this exercise less effective. You don’t need to slam your knee down. Aim for a controlled tap, or 1-2 inches off the ground.

  • Improper Distance

    The exact distance for an ideal lunge varies for everyone, but it’s incredibly important. A small step can lead to more tension on your knee, as well as a narrow base of support. A long step can also lead to instability. Both will increase your risk of injury, and make the exercise less effective. If you’re struggling with lunge distance, start with a position where you feel stable, and experiment with small adjustments until you find the distance you’re comfortable with.

Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator

Average Medicine Ball Reverse Lunge standards by male, female, weight, age and height

Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.

  • beginner
    8
    reps
    12.5
    lbs
    1 Rep Max
    15
    lbs
  • intermediate
    8
    reps
    12.5
    lbs
    15
    lbs
  • advanced
    8
    reps
    15
    lbs
    20
    lbs

Enter your stats to calculate your Reps & Weight

How is this calculated?

Alternative Exercises to Medicine Ball Reverse Lunge

Filter By

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