Reverse Lunges vs. Forward Lunges: Which One Is Superior for Glute Growth & Knee Health?

Ask most people to name the best leg exercise and there’s a good chance they’ll say squats. This makes a certain amount of sense as, according to fitness lore, squats are the king of exercises, right?

However, as potentially powerful as squats are, there is more than one way to build strong, athletic, aesthetically pleasing legs. Squats are not the be-all and end-all of leg training!

I’m a veteran personal trainer with more than 30 years of experience and a former powerlifter. So, while I have a lot of love for squats, I also recognize that sometimes other exercises are better.

For example, many of my clients prefer and get better results from lunges. This often-underappreciated exercise works one leg at a time, making it useful for spotting and fixing left-to-right strength imbalances. It’s also an excellent hip mobilizer and does wonders for balance and coordination.

Plus, by working one leg at a time, lunges are arguably more functional than squats.

But should you do forward or reverse lunges? Is one variation safer or more effective than the other?

In this article, I explore the differences between forward and reverse lunges so you can choose the right one for your needs and goals.

Forward vs. Reverse Lunges: What Sets Them Apart

Look at a photo of someone midway through a lunge and you’ll be hard-pressed to tell whether they’re doing the conventional forward or reverse version. However, they’re performed differently and, subsequently, affect the target muscles and joints differently, too.

What are those muscles, you ask? Good question! Lunges work all your major lower body muscles:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Gluteus maximus, minimus, and medius
• Adductor longus, brevis, and magnus
• Gastrocnemius and soleus

So, before we get into the nitty-gritty of how these exercises differ, let’s first take a look at how each is performed.

Forward Lunges

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
2. Take a large step forward, bend your legs, and lower your rearmost knee down to within an inch of the floor.
3. Push off your front leg and return to the starting position.
4. Do your next rep by leading with the other leg.
5. Alternate lead legs for the required number of reps.

Trainer Tips:

• Do not collapse into your reps—descend smoothly and with control.
• Keep your front knee behind your toes to minimize joint stress.
• Keep your torso fairly upright, although a slight lean is okay.
• Look straight ahead and not down at the floor.

Reverse Lunges

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
2. Take a large step backward and bend your legs. Lower your rearmost knee to about an inch above the floor.
3. Push off your back leg and return to the starting position.
4. Step back with your opposite leg and repeat.
5. Alternate leading legs for the required number of reps.

Trainer Tips:

• Keep your front shin roughly vertical to maximize muscle engagement.
• Most of your weight should be on your front leg, so adjust your form accordingly.
• Lean forward slightly to increase glute and hamstring engagement.
• Place your front foot on a low platform, e.g., bumper plate, to increase range of motion—deficit reverse lunges.

Key Mechanical Differences

So, while forward and reverse lunges work the same muscles, and involve a similar action, they affect your joints and muscles differently:

Forward lunges predominantly load your front leg and put most of the weight on your quadriceps, which are the muscles on the front of your thigh. That’s because you must use these muscles as brakes to control your forward momentum and descent. Consequently, lunges are usually classed as a knee-dominant exercise.

In contrast, reverse lunges are more hip-dominant. You use the muscles of your supporting leg to control your descent and pull you back up to the starting position. The glutes and hamstrings are the main muscles responsible for this action.

Both exercises also involve your inner and outer thighs, as these muscles are responsible for stabilizing your hips and knees.

So which one is better?

Well, that depends on your goal. And while the reverse lunge might seem like the obvious winner, especially for glute growth and joint-friendliness, there’s more to it than that.

In the next section, I’ll break down the most significant biomechanical differences and explore the advantages, benefits, and effects of each variation. Because even though they look similar on the surface, your body treats forward and reverse lunges very differently—and so should your training plan.

Reverse vs. Forward Lunges: Choosing Between Them Based on Your Goals

So, the difference between forward and reverse lunges should now be pretty clear— reverse lunges hit your glutes harder and are easier on your knees. Meanwhile, forward lunges load your quads more but come with extra joint stress.

Simple!

But just because the answer is straightforward doesn’t mean you’ve read the whole story. The real value lies in knowing how to apply that information based on your goals, training experience, and circumstances.

Here’s how to decide which variation deserves a place in your workouts:

More Glutes Focus? Do Reverse Lunges

If your main training objective is building strong, shapely, powerful glutes, reverse lunges should be your go-to exercise. They’re more posterior chain-dominant, which is the collective term for the muscles on the back of your body, particularly the glutes and hamstrings.

These muscles are loaded strongly as you step back and lower your knee to the floor—an eccentric or negative contraction. They’re then responsible for pulling you back up to the starting position—a concentric contraction. EMG studies support this notion—reverse lunges hit your glutes (and hammies) considerably more than the forward version (1).  

That’s not to say the quadriceps aren’t working—they are—but their contribution during the backward movement is relatively small.

Want Bigger, Stronger Quads? Pick Forward Lunges

Forward lunges are a very effective quadriceps exercise. Stepping forward creates momentum, and you must use your quads to a) bring your momentum to a halt and then b) control your descent. Finally, you use those same muscles to drive you up and back into your starting position.

Studies confirm that forward lunges involve more quadriceps engagement than reverse lunges, making them the better option for building bigger, stronger thighs (1).

You can make forward lunges even more quads-centric by adopting a shorter step. This pushes your front knee further forward, which increases the strength and range of motion for the target muscles.

Knee Worries? Reverse Lunges Are the Way to Go

Forward lunges tend to put more stress on your joints than reverse lunges. The forward momentum creates a significant shearing force as your foot and shin stop moving but your weight continues forward. That’s probably insignificant if you’ve got healthy joints, but if you have even mild knee pain, it may be enough to make forward lunges uncomfortable.

Studies suggest that reverse lunges generate 37-42% less knee shear force compared to forward lunges (2). That’s a significant decrease and could be the difference between an enjoyable, safe, effective workout and one that causes pain.

Learning to Lunge? Reverse Lunges are Easier to Master

While I don’t have any scientific literature to support this point of view, after more than 30 years of teaching people to lunge, I’ve found that most beginners find reverse lunges easier to learn than forward lunges.

There is a lot going on during forward lunges—forward momentum, balance demands, knee tracking, braking, controlling descent, etc.—and that can be too much for many beginners to deal with. That’s why lunges are often performed so badly. Walking lunges can be especially problematic—after all, they’re a series of forward lunges performed back-to-back.

In contrast, reverse lunges are easier to control, and with less momentum to deal with, it’s much easier to control the movement and the angle of your knees and torso.

That’s not to say that beginners should avoid forward lunges. However, if you find them difficult, a few weeks of reverse lunges will help develop the strength and balance you need to make them easier.

Training for Sport or Functional Fitness? Do Both

While forward and reverse lunges have biomechanical advantages and benefits, assuming you can do so safely, both probably deserve a place in your workouts—especially if you are an athlete or care about your functional fitness.

Why? Because life doesn’t happen in a controlled pattern. You move forward, backward, sideways, and diagonally. Training all angles improves strength, balance, and coordination in the real world.

Use forward lunges for athletic transfer, and reverse lunges to build joint-friendly single-leg strength. You can even combine these exercises into a single time-efficient movement called step-through lunges. This challenging move means never having to pick between the forward and reverse variations:

Summary:

Goal	Best Lunge
Glute focus	Reverse
Quads focus	Forward
Joint health	Reverse
Athleticism	Both
Beginners	Reverse

Programming Tips: Get the Most from Your Chosen Lunge Variation

So, you’ve picked the best type of lunge for your needs and goals—forwards to hit your quads more or reverse to build your glutes while saving your knees from wear and tear.

But there is more to your success than just picking the right exercises—you also need to program them correctly.

Here’s how to make the most of the lunges in your workouts:

Main Lift, Accessory, or Finisher

Lunges are a versatile exercise, and you can put them almost anywhere in your programs. That said, where they fit best depends on your goal and how hard you want to push them.

• Main lift: Use medium to heavy weights and moderate to low reps (6-8 per leg) to build single-leg size and strength without squats.
• Accessory: After your heavy lifts, use medium loads and moderate reps (10-12 per leg) to really zero in on weak points or add volume.
• Finisher: Low or bodyweight-only high reps (15-20+ per leg) sets with short rest will blow up your legs and lungs.

Adding Load: Dumbbells, Barbells, or a Weighted Vest

Bodyweight lunges will only take you so far. Avoid doing high-rep sets by adding weight to your lunges.

• Dumbbells: Arguably the easiest to set up and balance. Ideal for solo lifters—just drop your weights on the floor if you need to stop your set early.
• Barbells: More load, more core demand, and more potential to lose your balance. A good option for experienced exercisers.
• Weighted vest: The hands-free option that’s ideal for home workouts. However, maximum load is limited compared to dumbbells and barbells.

Alternate Legs or One Side at a Time?

Choose the option that best matches your needs, goals, and preferences.

• Alternating reps: Switching legs requires and develops better balance and coordination, but also allows for a short break between reps, making your set slightly easier.
• All reps on one side: Working one leg at a time means more time under tension, a better pump, and increased fatigue. However, balance and stability demands are usually higher.

Try both and see what works best. But, if you’ve got one leg weaker leg than the other, starting on that side when you’re fresh is a sensible move.

Smart programming turns a good exercise into a great one, so don’t just lunge— lunge with purpose!

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, reverse lunges are generally better for glute growth and joint health. Forward lunges hit the quads harder but come with more knee stress. Neither is wrong—they just serve different purposes. Pick the variation that matches your goal, train with intent, and earn your results one rep at a time.

Now stop reading and go do some lunges. Your legs will thank you!

Related: The 15 Best Lunge Variations for Bigger, More Muscular Legs

References:

1. Muyor JM, Martín-Fuentes I, Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA. Electromyographic activity in the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris during the Monopodal Squat, Forward Lunge, and Lateral Step-Up exercises. PLoS One. 2020 Apr 1;15(4):e0230841. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230841. PMID: 32236133; PMCID: PMC7112217.
2. Comfort P, Jones PA, Smith LC, Herrington L. Joint Kinetics and Kinematics During Common Lower Limb Rehabilitation Exercises. J Athl Train. 2015 Oct;50(10):1011-8. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-50.9.05. Epub 2015 Sep 29. PMID: 26418958; PMCID: PMC4641539.

---