10 Best Backward Drag Alternatives for Limited-Equipment Workouts

If you can’t perform the Backward Drag, use front squats, Bulgarian split squats, leg presses, hack squats, or sled pushes to hit the quads. Focus on an upright torso, vertical shins, and driving through the mid-foot to replicate the Backward Drag’s knee-extension torque and maximize quads’ activation.

Original Exercise: Backward Drag

Backward Drag
Primary Muscle
Quads
Equipment
Other
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Calves, Forearms, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back
How to Perform Backward Drag
  1. Load a sled with the desired weight, attaching a rope or straps to the sled that you can hold onto.
  2. Begin the exercise by moving backwards for a given distance. Leaning back, extend through the legs for short steps to move as quickly as possible.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strongman
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Compound

Best Backward Drag Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Single Leg Split Squat

1. Barbell Single Leg Split Squat

81.4% Match
Quads Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across your upper back.
  2. Take a large step forward with one leg, keeping your torso upright.
  3. Lower your body by bending your front knee and hip, while keeping your back leg straight.
  4. Continue lowering until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment, then push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Single Leg Split Squat

2. Dumbbell Single Leg Split Squat

81% Match
Quads Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Take a step forward with one foot and position your feet so that your front foot is flat on the ground and your back foot is elevated on a bench or step.
  3. Lower your body by bending your front knee and hip, keeping your back knee slightly bent and your back heel off the ground.
  4. Continue lowering until your front thigh is parallel to the ground, then push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs and repeat.
Dumbbell Step-up Lunge

3. Dumbbell Step-up Lunge

80.2% Match
Quads Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand in front of a step or platform with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your sides.
  2. Place your right foot on the step, ensuring your entire foot is on the surface.
  3. Push through your right heel and lift your body up onto the step, bringing your left foot up as well.
  4. Once both feet are on the step, lower your left foot back down to the starting position, keeping your right foot on the step.
  5. Repeat the movement, alternating which foot you step up with each time.
Barbell Rear Lunge

4. Barbell Rear Lunge

77% Match
Glutes Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell resting on your upper back.
  2. Take a step backward with your right foot, landing on the ball of your foot.
  3. Bend both knees to lower your body until your left thigh is parallel to the ground.
  4. Push through your left heel to return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat with the other leg.
Barbell Step Ups

5. Barbell Step Ups

76.2% Match
Quads Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight while holding a barbell placed on the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) and stand upright behind an elevated platform (such as the one used for spotting behind a flat bench). This is your starting position.
  2. Place the right foot on the elevated platform. Step on the platform by extending the hip and the knee of your right leg. Use the heel mainly to lift the rest of your body up and place the foot of the left leg on the platform as well. Breathe out as you execute the force required to come up.
  3. Step down with the left leg by flexing the hip and knee of the right leg as you inhale. Return to the original standing position by placing the right foot of to next to the left foot on the initial position.
  4. Repeat with the right leg for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.
Dumbbell Rear Lunge

6. Dumbbell Rear Lunge

74.7% Match
Glutes Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Take a step backward with your right foot, lowering your body into a lunge position.
  3. Bend your left knee and lower your body until your left thigh is parallel to the ground.
  4. Pause for a moment, then push through your left heel to return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat on the other side, stepping back with your left foot.
Dumbbell Lunges

7. Dumbbell Lunges

72.7% Match
Quads Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your torso upright holding two dumbbells in your hands by your sides. This will be your starting position.
  2. Step forward with your right leg around 2 feet or so from the foot being left stationary behind and lower your upper body down, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Note: As in the other exercises, do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint. Make sure that you keep your front shin perpendicular to the ground.
  3. Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale.
  4. Repeat the movement for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.
Barbell Rear Lunge V. 2

8. Barbell Rear Lunge V. 2

72% Match
Glutes Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell across your upper back.
  2. Take a step backward with your right foot, landing on the ball of your foot.
  3. Bend both knees to lower your body until your left thigh is parallel to the ground.
  4. Push through your left heel to return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat with the other leg.
Barbell Walking Lunge

9. Barbell Walking Lunge

70% Match
Quads Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and a barbell across your upper back.
  2. Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot.
  3. Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up.
  4. Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.
Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound

10. Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound

67.4% Match
Quads Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Assume a comfortable stance with one foot slightly in front of the other.
  2. Begin by pushing off with the front leg, driving the opposite knee forward and as high as possible before landing. Attempt to cover as much distance to each side with each bound.
  3. It may help to use a line on the ground to guage distance from side to side.
  4. Repeat the sequence with the other leg.

Why You Might Need a Backward Drag Alternative

You may substitute the Backward Drag for several practical reasons: lack of specific equipment, knee or lower-back discomfort, or a program need for unilateral work or different loading patterns. Swapping exercises lets you manage joint stress—reduce knee flexion if you have anterior knee pain and emphasize hip drive for those with low‑back issues. Use cues such as slow 3‑4 second eccentrics and keep shins vertical to bias the quadriceps. Choosing an alternative changes the relative hip vs. knee torque, so pick movements that reproduce the quad-dominant knee-extension moment you need.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Decide based on equipment, goals, and joint tolerance. For heavy bilateral loading and upright posture choose front squats; cue a tall chest and knees over mid-foot to increase quad torque. For unilateral strength and balance pick Bulgarian split squats—lean slightly forward and keep the front shin vertical to target quads. Use leg press or hack squat if you need spinal offload; set a narrow foot position to shift load onto the knee extensors. Prioritize range of motion, progressive overload, and exercise selection that reproduces knee-extension demands for your program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Backward Drag work?

The Backward Drag primarily targets the quadriceps group—vastus lateralis, medialis, intermedius, and rectus femoris—by producing knee-extension torque. Secondary muscles include the glutes and hamstrings for stabilization and the adductors to control frontal-plane alignment.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Backward Drag?

A Bulgarian split squat is the top bodyweight substitute: place your rear foot on a bench, keep a tall chest, and drive through the front mid-foot. That setup increases knee-extensor demand and produces strong quad activation without external load.

Can I build muscle without doing Backward Drag?

Yes. You can stimulate quad hypertrophy with other compound lifts like front squats, leg press, and unilateral work such as split squats. Prioritize full range of motion, controlled eccentrics, and progressive overload to replicate the Backward Drag’s quad stimulus.

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