Among the best single-leg exercises are lunges, notorious for building pain tolerance along with well-developed legs. But should you perform the lunge dynamically, taking a step forward, or should it be done statically, also called a split squat? What are the differences and similarities between these exercises? Is there an even better way of doing lunges?

Let’s compare the split squat and the basic forward lunge, and figure out which could be the right choice for your plan.

• Exercise Differences
• Exercise Similarities
• How to Do the Split Squat
• How to Do the Lunge
• How to Program The Best Single-Leg Exercise for You

Exercise Differences

At first glance, you might think there are no big differences between the forward lunge and the split squat, but you would be mistaken. One simple step forward changes several things.

Balance and Coordination

Unilateral exercises (working one limb at a time) have been shown to increase balance, agility, and coordination, as well as carrying over to injury prevention. (1) But you’re taking things a step forward with the lunge. Because your foot is not fixed in place and any added weights is moving as you step, typically dangling in your hands at arms length, the forward lunge is harder from a stability perspective because more total-body control is needed. 

This makes the lunge a more effective variation if you want to improve these qualities, for instance, if you’re an athlete. (2) On the other hand, if you are prioritizing sheer strength and muscle-building, the static squat will be the superior choice. Relatively less motor control requirement means that you can use heavier weight, apply better control on the eccentric (lowering phase), and focus more on the mind-muscle connection which is critical for muscle gains. (3)

Muscle Recruitment

The instability of the lunge will shift the focus towards stabilizing muscles, which makes sense. If you’re doing lunges for firmer glutes, then you’ll be happy to hear that the three gluteal muscles will be recruited more significantly because they stabilize the hips and the upper leg. Indeed, they externally rotate and abduct the femur. On the other hand, the adductors stabilize the leg internally, and will also be more recruited.

The abs, the lower back, and the other core muscles will have to work extra to compensate for the weight dangling around during the stepping process. Finally, the calves will have to be involved for when the lunge is done, they are used to propel yourself up back to the initial position. On the other hand, the static squat reducing the involvement of these muscles, it will be a better choice to scorch your quadriceps. 

Exercise Similarities

The split squat, also called the static lunge, shares some clear similarities with the forward lunge. 

Unilateral Leg Training

Both exercises involve knee extension and hip extension. As such, they target the same leg muscles — your quadriceps, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings. Your core will also be challenged to support the weight and balance your upper body.

As unilateral exercises, only one leg is working at a time. To be more precise, one leg is primarily working due to the staggered stance. Your rear leg is used for support and will still contribute to the movement in a small degree, but the bulk of the weight has to be supported and driven by the front leg.

Both of these exercises will contribute to improved balance, stability, and coordination. Emphasizing each leg on its own will also be helpful to balance your any potential developmental weaknesses between sides. (4)

How to Do the Split Squat

With the split squat being generally more stable than the forward lunge, you can capitalize on the opportunity to safely use barbells to add resistance. Position yourself in front of a rack, place the barbell on the “shelf” of your upper back and unrack it. Take a few small steps back to make room to perform the exercise. Take a shallow step forward with one leg, and one small step backward with the other leg, ending up in a half-lunge position with a hip-width stance.

Brace your core and bend your legs until your rear knee grazes the floor. Press the weight up by driving through your front foot. Make sure most of your weight is on your front leg. Repeat for the desired amount of repetitions before racking the bar and switching legs.

Form tip: Keep your front foot flat on the ground during the exercise. Focus on pushing through your heel to ensure maximal glute engagement and leg stability. 

Benefits of the Split Squat

• The split squat is the unilateral “squatting motion” exercise that will allow you to use the most weight, making it a great choice for building strength.
• This stable exercise allows you to focus on time under tension, mind-muscle connection, and going to failure relatively safely for an excellent hypertrophy stimulus.

Split Squat Variations

There are several ways to perform a split squat in order to better suit your specific goals. Add them, if needed, once you’ve mastered the basic split squat.

Bulgarian Split Squat

This infamous exercise, often known for creating post-workout soreness, is also one of the best lower-body builders there is. To do the Bulgarian split squat, you elevate your rear leg on a box or a bench, and then perform a traditional split squat. The elevated foot allows you to potentially reach a much deeper stretch and a longer range of motion. This can help focus even more on your glutes and build hip mobility in a new way for deeper squats and better lower body function.

This exercise is better done later in a workout for moderate to high repetitions. If you want to challenge your glutes and core even more, hold a single dumbbell or kettlebell in the hand opposed to the front leg. 

Smith Machine Split Squat

The split squat has the advantage of being more stable, but why not take things a step further and use the Smith machine to provide maximal stability? This way, you can safely scale up the intensity, reach closer to muscular failure, and focus on the mind-muscle connection ensuring maximal hypertrophy.

Position yourself in the middle of the Smith machine, assume a half-lunge position, and unrack the bar before performing the exercise. Complete all reps with one leg before switching sides.

Front Rack Split Squat

The front rack split squat requires more upper body mobility to assume the front rack position with a barbell, similar to performing a front squat. Any potential awkwardness in learning the bar position is compensated by increased efficiency and greater total-body muscle.

Holding the bar this way will target more your quadriceps as well as your upper back and core. If the front rack position is too hard for you, either try the “California grip” variation with your arms crossed over the bar or switch the barbell for a pair of kettlebells or dumbbells.

How to Do the Lunge

Stand tall with a pair of dumbbells in your hands and your arms straight down by your sides. Take a breath and brace your core before stepping forward with one foot. Keep your shoulders back and your torso upright. Bend your legs with control until they both form a nearly 90-degree angle and your rear knee barely grazes the floor. Keep your front foot flat with most of your weight on your front leg.

Drive through your front heel to raise yourself back up, and push through your toe to get back in the initial position. Repeat with the other leg. Finding your forward footing is an added challenge to your stability and balance, so make sure you start with relatively lighter weights.

Form tip: Beware not to use too narrow a step forward, which will compromise your balance and stability. Stepping too far, however, will not allow a significant range of motion and will decrease muscle recruitment.

Benefits of the Lunge

• Improved neuromuscular control, stabilization, and balance, because of the challenge created by the dynamic motion.
• Promotes core and a complete lower-body development — quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

Lunge Variations

When the forward lunge is no longer a secret to you, try these variations to spice up your training or to focus more on certain benefits of the lift.

Walking Lunge

The lunge is dynamic in nature, so why not make it even more dynamic? The walking lunge will challenge your motor control and body awareness even more, as well as provide a robust stimulus for muscle growth because of the constant time under tension.

You can also use these to challenge your heart rate, and add a strength training element to your cardio routine.

Reverse Lunge

It might not seem like there’s a difference between stepping backward or stepping forward, but there actually is. The reverse lunge is a relatively safer and more stable exercise that can decrease knee stress.

It’s easier to control the eccentric and maintain your balance, making it an effective choice for size and strength.

Pendulum Lunge

This advanced variation will challenge your neuromuscular control like no other. It essentially combines a forward lunge and a reverse lunge into a single repetition. To perform it, step forward into a lunge, descend, and return to the initial position. Without letting your foot rest on the ground, immediately step back and transition into a reverse lunge.

This exercise challenges your whole body stability, making it a highly effective choice to reinforce your stabilizer muscles or jack up your heart rate because so many muscles are involved during each repetition.

How to Program the Right Movement

The split squat and lunge are both multi-joint free-weight exercises. As such, you can include these in any training program for a variety of goals, be it strength, size, or cardiovascular capacities.

Building Strength

Technically, experienced lifters could perform the split squat for sets of three, or even heavy single repetitions as long as form is maintained. However, the vast majority of lifters should stick to three to five sets of five to eight repetitions. This will ensure the best blend of size and strength to your wheels with a reduced risk of injuries, which can be increased during exercises with high stability requirements.

The forward lunge is not well-suited to very heavy weights because knee strain and impact can be increased during the stepping portion of the movement.

Building Muscle

If you’re more concerned with maximal size and a burning sensation in your legs, two to four sets of 10 to 15 repetitions of either the split squat or the lunge will scorch your lower body and core. Both exercises will provide an excellent hypertrophy stimulus, particularly when performed after your main heavy exercises.

Bodyweight-Only Cardio Training

Adding a strength training element to your cardio routine is a great way to develop multiple qualities at the same time — size, cardio, athleticism, strength. In fact, science has shown that bodyweight circuits can be as effective as any other form of cardio (treadmill, biking, etc.) to build endurance and shed body fat. (5)

Including these in your circuits is a great way to build your heart and your lower body at the same time. If you want to test your mettle, you can try performing walking lunges for distance, or for very high reps, one or two days per week. Aim to increase the distance or total repetitions each week.

• Week One: 50 lunges total reps per leg
• Week Two: 75 lunges total reps per leg
• Week Three: 100 lunges total reps per leg
• Week Four: 125 lunges total reps per leg
• Week Five: 150 lunges total reps per leg
• Week Six: 200 lunges total reps per leg
• Week Seven: 225 lunges total reps per leg
• Week Eight: 250 lunges total reps per leg

Battle for Better Legs

There are many possible ways to lunge, but as long as your working includes either the split squat or lunge, you’re on the right path to bigger, stronger legs. Now that the differences and advantages of each variation are laid out, include the movement best suited to your specific goals and needs, and take a step toward stronger, more muscular, more powerful legs.

References

1. Speirs, Derrick E.1,2; Bennett, Mark A.3; Finn, Charlotte V.4; Turner, Anthony P.2. Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(2):p 386-392, February 2016. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001096
2. Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo & Burgos, Carlos & Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos & Andrade, David & Martínez, Cristian & Álvarez, Cristian & Castro-Sepulveda, Mauricio & Marques, Mário & Izquierdo, Mikel. (2015). Effect of Unilateral, Bilateral, and Combined Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance of Young Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29. 1317–1328. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000762.
3. Calatayud J, Vinstrup J, Jakobsen MD, Sundstrup E, Brandt M, Jay K, Colado JC, Andersen LL. Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Mar;116(3):527-33. doi: 10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7. Epub 2015 Dec 23. PMID: 26700744.
4. Núñez FJ, Santalla A, Carrasquila I, Asian JA, Reina JI, Suarez-Arrones LJ. The effects of unilateral and bilateral eccentric overload training on hypertrophy, muscle power and COD performance, and its determinants, in team sport players. PLoS One. 2018 Mar 28;13(3):e0193841. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193841. PMID: 29590139; PMCID: PMC5874004.
5. Kim JW, Ko YC, Seo TB, Kim YP. Effect of circuit training on body composition, physical fitness, and metabolic syndrome risk factors in obese female college students. J Exerc Rehabil. 2018 Jun 30;14(3):460-465. doi: 10.12965/jer.1836194.097. PMID: 30018934; PMCID: PMC6028228.

Featured Image: Serhii Bobyk / Shutterstock

The post Split Squat vs. Lunge: Upgrade Your Single-Leg Training appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

If lifters do incorporate machine-based movements, it’s often basic leg extensions or leg curls and maybe a gratuitous set of calf raises. But one specific machine — a squat variation, in fact — can be the key to unlocking new muscle growth, increased strength, and improved joint health.

The hack squat is very effective for building the legs and strengthening the knees and hips. It can be a staple in many routines, particularly for those looking to add muscle to their frame. It’s time to learn the ins and outs of this misunderstood machine.

• How to Do the Hack Squat
• Hack Squat Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Hack Squat
• Muscles Worked by the Hack Squat
• Who Should Do the Hack Squat
• How to Program the Hack Squat
• Hack Squat Variations
• Hack Squat Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Hack Squat

The majority of commercial gyms have at least one hack squat machine, but different equipment manufacturers have slightly different designs. Some are almost completely horizontal, with the lifter lying flat on their back and moving along fixed tracks. Some machines are designed with a full support and shoulder pads on an angled track and foot platform.

Most commonly, however, a seated pad is set up on a 45-degree slant, sometimes called a “linear” or “hip sled” hack squat. An angled foot platform allows your entire lower body to run parallel to the weighted sled, with a seat designed to keep your upper body vertical. There is often a pad supporting the lower to mid-back, no upper back support, and a pair of handles on either side of the seat to hold onto.

Step 1 — Get Your Stance Right

Take a seat and place your feet on the platform. Your lower body flexibility and mobility will influence exactly where you set your feet. The key is to be able to keep your heels flat on the platform as your knees bend fully throughout the entire range of motion.

It’s about finding the sweet spot, which is often around hip-width toward the middle of the platform. Don’t place your feet too high on the platform, too low, too narrow, or too wide — find your Goldilocks stance. What matters most is allowing your knee and ankle joints to achieve a long, pain-free range of motion.

Keep your legs slightly bent without disengaging the safety pins. Sit with your back supported on the pad. Keep your posture upright with your shoulders pulled back.

Form Tip: Try wearing a pair of shoes that add to your lower body support. Sometimes minimalist shoes can create an inadequate base and exacerbate foot issues people have with arch collapse. If it takes switching out of your bare feet or Chuck Taylors and wearing a sturdy pair of lifting shoes while performing a few sets, take the extra step to get the most out of the lift.

Step 2 — Lower Yourself into a Deep Squat

Press through your entire foot and straighten your legs while releasing the safety. Grip the side handles tightly. Maintain good posture and don’t compromise a “proud” chest position.

Slowly lower your body by bending your knees until your upper thigh is roughly 90-degrees to your hip joint — as long as your knees can handle it without pain. Keep your feet flat on the platform and maintain contact between your hips and the pad. Pause briefly in the bottom position.

Form Tip: No matter the specific model of hack squat machine, squeeze the handles tightly throughout the exercise. Keeping a tight grip can improve upper body stability and reinforce a strong posture. (1)

Step 3 — Lift Strong to Lockout

Without bouncing out of the bottom position, straighten your legs by applying strong and steady pressure through both feet. Don’t let your knees cave inward or bow outward.

Press hard into the platform, transferring a powerful leg drive through your hips and into the seat, as you straighten your legs and “stand” back into the top position.

Form Tip: The hack squat is ideal for accumulating mechanical tension, which is very effective for hypertrophy (muscle growth). (2) To keep the working muscles under tension, stop just shy of fully extending or straightening your legs, and keep your knee and hip joints slightly flexed (before lockout).

Hack Squat Mistakes to Avoid

Like most multi-joint movements, not paying attention to details can invite the use of sloppy form and dangerous technique. Troubleshooting this by pinpointing specific mistakes can help you stay ahead of the curve. Here’s how to prevent these follies from taking hold.

Insufficient Range of Motion

Partially bending your knees and performing shallow reps is often due to excessively heavy weight that cannot be lifted through a full range of motion. This reduces muscle activity and short-changes your results. (3)

A joint should be trained through its entire available active range of motion. It should also be made strong through that range. (4) There’s no reason why this shouldn’t be the case for basically every load-bearing joint in the body — that’s how you build general physical preparedness and drastically reduce injury risk.

Free weight movements like lunges or front squats involve plenty of total-body stabilizing and muscular coordination, but the hack squat machine lets you pursue a healthy, deep range of motion while loading all involved muscles and distributing stress evenly across joints.

The machine’s support pads drastically reduce the stabilizing and coordination elements, so you can and should focus solely on working through a complete range of motion.

Avoid it: Keep the weight on the lighter side to ensure a full range of motion. Aim to get your upper thigh at a 90-degree angle to your hips on every repetition. When you can do the desired set of reps with that range of motion, it’s time to progress to a heavier load.

Lifting Your Heels

Whether this comes from poor ankle mobility, general negligence, or an attempt to “target the quads” more than simple flat-footed squatting, it’s best to avoid rising onto your toes, especially when you’re learning the hack squat.

Lifting your heels off of the platform places all of the weight and stress onto the balls of your feet, and will result in plenty of stress also being placed on your knee joints. While some lifters’ knees may be able to handle this extreme stress, it’s still not winning the risk:reward ratio.

Avoid it: Think about elevating the toes slightly off the platform during your descent. This will emphasize your heels staying down. Think about pressing “away” with your feet like you’re about to jump backward, rather than pressing “straight down”, as if you’re about to jump up. This will help keep your full foot involved, and encourage your heels to stay planted.

Slouching with a Weak Core

It may seem like a relatively insignificant detail since the hack squat is a lower body exercise, but your upper body posture plays a role in performance. It’s just like any exercise — the more muscles the entire body can involve in bracing and tightness, the better quality the lift will be as a whole.

With the hack squat, slouching forward and not keeping an engaged core can result in you “leaking strength” for the lift, which reduces your ability to apply maximum force.

Avoid it: Begin upper body bracing with your grip strength. Hold on to those handles tightly to and tense your upper back by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Maintain that tension throughout the whole set.

Benefits of the Hack Squat

The hack squat can be a key player in your leg workout whether you’re after muscular size or raw strength and power. Just because it’s a machine doesn’t make it less effective than a barbell.

Leg Size

The hack squat removes the need for total-body stabilizing and spatial awareness, and creates a fixed path movement. This allows greater “isolation” to the lower body. While it’s still a multi-joint exercise involving the hips, knees, and ankles, the muscles above the waist are not directly targeted like they would be during back squats, for example.

This makes it easier to tap into the muscles of the lower body and stimulate them for hypertrophy (muscle growth). The unique angle of the machine also allows the muscles to be put under constant tension, which further stimulates growth.

Lower Body Strength

Because the hack squat involves the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, it has the potential to be loaded with relatively heavy weights. Your legs can be targeted with decreased strain on the lower back, making the hack squat an effective way to build lower body strength without the lower back wear and tear from barbell squats or deadlifts.

Knee Strengthening

It’s no secret that the knee joint is put under a fair amount of pressure when performing the hack squat, and that’s actually the reason why many lifters avoid the movement altogether. However, for healthy individuals without pre-existing knee issues, this can create beneficial stress on the connective tissues of the knee, and joint health can potentially improve in the long-term.

To make any joint stronger, just like making any muscle stronger, a lifter will have to get comfortable with a bit of discomfort. Improving joint strength requires adding (reasonable) stress to that joint, and using sound technique, appropriate loading, and progressive volume is the most effective path.

Muscles Worked by the Hack Squat

As a squat variation, the hack squat certainly targets your legs. The machine’s path and angle of resistance offer a unique training variety and stimulate the muscles slightly differently than other variations, making it a highly effective movement.

Quadriceps

The quads are the main muscle group hit by the hack squat. This is a group of four muscles on the front of the thigh that attach through one common tendon at the top of the knee. Since they have one common point of attachment, it’s difficult to isolate the quad muscles individually, but the hack squat trains them very effectively as a group.

The quadriceps’ main role is to extend the knee joint (straighten the leg), so achieving a deep knee bend is important to work the muscles through a full range of motion.

Glutes and Hamstrings

The hamstrings and glutes, the entire back half of your upper legs, are relatively less involved during the hack squat. Both muscle groups play a role in hip extension (pulling your lower body backward in line with your torso), which isn’t a significant movement pattern during the hack squat.

The glutes and hamstrings both play a small role in controlling your descent and transitioning out of the bottom position.

Hip Flexors

Your hip flexor muscles, found above your quadriceps on either side of your pelvis, are also involved in the hack squat. They work to bring your thighs closer to your torso, so they are highly activated in the lower part of the range of motion.

Because your legs are set at a fixed angle relative to your torso, your hips flexors are under constant tension because the hack squat keeps your hip joint from fully extending (stretching) throughout the movement.

Who Should Do the Hack Squat

This exercise spans a broader audience than may meet the eye. While it is a relatively specialized machine, it can be used very effectively by lifters with a variety of training goals.

Muscle-Focused Lifters

The hack squat is an effective movement for any lifter who wants to make their legs grow. It’s a staple in many bodybuilders’ quad-focused workouts because it allows the quadriceps to take the majority of training stimulus with minimal strain on the lower back or other supporting muscles.

Lifters who have a hard time isolating their quads with other movements like barbell squats, due to having longer legs, poor leverages, or mobility restrictions, may particularly benefit from the hack squat. There’s no escape from plenty of quad activation with this movement.

Lifters with Back Injuries

The hack squat can be useful for lifters with prior back injuries who want to continue hard leg training. If your spine can no longer handle squatting with a barbell on your back, the hack squat can allow you to keep loading relatively heavy weights with a big compound (multi-joint) squat variation.

Beginners

Beginners can often benefit from the added stability and predictability of the hack squat machine. The movement pattern is pre-determined, so lifters are able to use proper technique more easily. Using the hack squat in conjunction with more challenging movements (like squats and lunges) can be a great way to find results faster and build crucial training confidence.

How to Program the Hack Squat

The hack squat is most often used as a secondary exercise, performed after another compound lift like squats, deadlifts, or even split squats. This allows the hack squat to more thoroughly work the target muscles without affecting the stability requirements of free weight exercises.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

For optimal muscle-building, the best course of action is to chase reps into the double-digits. Three to five sets of 10 or more reps. Aim to accumulate relatively high training volume on this exercise — plenty of sets and reps — to maximize the hypertrophy signal.(5)

Moderate to Heavy Weight, Lower Repetition

If you decide to make the hack squat your primary movement of the workout, you can increase the weight used and lower the reps, since your central nervous system will have a little bit more in the tank when you’re completely fresh. Four to five sets of five to eight reps will let you move heavier weights while still maintaining perfect form.

Hack Squat Variations

The hack squat machine is one specific exercise, but the hack squat movement is, itself, a more general squat variation. There are several options to get the strength-building and joint health benefits if you don’t have access to a genuine hack squat machine.

Landmine Hack Squat

The landmine hack gives your ankles a more open angle to move through because your feet are flat on the ground rather than angled. That means happier knees and even more range of motion. Having the weight set in a landmine unit also allows you to make minor lateral adjustments to find the perfect groove.

Turning around and having your back against the weight plates allows you to find the perfect degree of “body lean” and the right foot position, similar to squatting with a Smith machine, without the confines of a completely fixed path. This combines to deliver a great pump, since you’re constantly using your quads to push back against the weight and maintain your body’s angle.

Barbell Hack Squat

Technically speaking, this is the original hack squat. Named after George Hackenschmidt, a European strongman from the very early 20th century, this movement is done by placing a barbell just behind your heels, squatting down, grabbing the bar, and lifting it up.

Elevating your heels with a block or weight plate changes the angle of your ankles, similar to wearing weightlifting shoes, and encourages a deep squat position. The barbell also acts as a counterbalance and allows an upright torso, which reduces lower back strain.

Reverse Hack Squat

This is a simple variation of the hack squat done on machines with full back supports and shoulder pads. By facing into the machine, you can allow your hips to move backwards, similar to a barbell back squat, which can increase hamstring and glute activity.

However, you must maintain a neutral spine. Hinging excessively at the hips and creating a more horizontal torso angle can drastically increase stress on your lower back. Some lifters may also find that their knees move forward and hit the machine’s rails, forcing them to keep their knees and lower legs at an awkward or inefficient angle.

Hack Squat Alternatives

Without a hack squat machine or effective variations, there are several effective machine-based movement to build lower body size and strength with reduced joint strain.

Leg Press

This may be the most common hack squat alternative since the two movements share many similarities. Both exercises keep your feet on a platform, which places your knees as the prime moving joint rather than your hips, and affects muscle recruitment. Both movements also require your hips to remain flexed due to your lower body’s position relative to your upper body.

The leg press may be a suitable option for people who experience too much knee stress from hack squats, since the foot platform is now moving toward your body as opposed to your body moving toward the foot platform. This subtle change can make a big difference for managing knee stress. (6)

Smith Machine Squat

The Smith machine squat is another popular and effective alternative to the hack squat (and a relatively popular alternative to barbell squatting, too).

One key benefit to the Smith machine is the ability to set your feet well in front of the bar, ensuring a vertical shin angle. Because this position does not allow your knees to move forward, there’s extremely little stress on your knee joints (which also means little joint-strengthening benefit). However, the muscular stress on the quadriceps is significantly increased.

FAQs

Should I always squat deep?

Generally, you’ll stimulate better overall results — more muscle growth, more strength, and more mobility — by working in the maximum range of motion you can achieve in the working joints. If you’re physically unable to squat extremely deep, squat to your current best depth.

With consistency and effort, your range of motion will improve right along with your muscle gains and your weights. The only time to avoid squatting deep is when you make a conscious decision to adjust the range of motion to apply a specific training method.

For example, some lifters might deliberately perform short range of motion squats to use heavier weights as a short-term overload phase, before returning to full range of motion training. That’s a far cry from accidentally loading too much weight on the bar and shaving reps high to massage your ego.

Time to Hack It

The hack squat is a movement that is for everyone and not for everyone at the same time. Rather than vilifying certain exercises based on what the pro-barbell “gym bros” say or what the functional-based “research” may purport with insufficient context, it’s better to remember that everyone isn’t built the same. Your individual mileage may vary with any exercise, and it’s up to you to apply the power of trial and error.

Hack squats can provide significant benefits when it comes to quad strengthening and muscle-building. The movement caters to both the beginning lifter looking to find his groove and the advanced lifter who’s putting the finishing touches on their lower body physique. Give the lift a fair try and discover how it works for you.

References

1. Gontijo, L. B., Pereira, P. D., Neves, C. D., Santos, A. P., Machado, D., & Bastos, V. H. (2012). Evaluation of strength and irradiated movement pattern resulting from trunk motions of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Rehabilitation research and practice, 2012, 281937. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/281937
2. Schoenfeld B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(10), 2857–2872. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3
3. Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European journal of applied physiology, 119(9), 1933–1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y
4. Pallarés, JG, Hernández-Belmonte, A, Martínez-Cava, A, Vetrovsky, T, Steffl, M, Courel-Ibáñez, J. Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021; 31: 1866– 1881. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14006
5. Mangine, G. T., Hoffman, J. R., Gonzalez, A. M., Townsend, J. R., Wells, A. J., Jajtner, A. R., Beyer, K. S., Boone, C. H., Miramonti, A. A., Wang, R., LaMonica, M. B., Fukuda, D. H., Ratamess, N. A., & Stout, J. R. (2015). The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men. Physiological reports, 3(8), e12472. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12472
6. Escamilla, R. F., Fleisig, G. S., Zheng, N., Lander, J. E., Barrentine, S. W., Andrews, J. R., Bergemann, B. W., & Moorman, C. T., 3rd (2001). Effects of technique variations on knee biomechanics during the squat and leg press. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 33(9), 1552–1566. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200109000-00020

Featured Image: kristian ezcurra / Shutterstock

The post How to Do the Hack Squat — Benefits, Variations, and More appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Leg day usually separates goal-focused lifters from those who’d get a tongue tattoo rather than train. Many leg exercises test mental fortitude as much as muscular ability, and the Bulgarian split squat is one of them.

Sometimes called the very wordy “rear foot elevated split squat” or RFESS, the Bulgarian split squat combines single-leg training with a long range of motion (for a deep stretch) to build size, strength, and total-body stability. Here’s why this movement needs to find a spot in your next leg workout.

• How to Do the Bulgarian Split Squat
• Bulgarian Split Squat Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Bulgarian Split Squat
• Muscles Worked by the Bulgarian Split Squat
• Who Should Do the Bulgarian Split Squat
• How to Program the Bulgarian Split Squat
• Bulgarian Split Squat Variations
• Bulgarian Split Squat Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat may appear intimidating due to the balance factor, but with a proper setup and a few specific cues, you can be knocking out reps in a strong, stable position. Here’s what to focus on.

Step 1 — Set Up the One-Legged Stance

Sit sideways on a flat bench while holding a pair of dumbbells. Extend both legs straight and plant your heels on the ground. Place the foot of your working leg flat on the ground as you stand up without moving your feet from their spots on the ground.

Place your non-working leg on the bench with your shoelaces down. Stabilize your body and pull your shoulders back to keep yourself upright. Allow the dumbbells to hang straight by your sides with your palms facing in toward your body.

Form tip: If a standard flat bench is too high to comfortably place your leg, use a decline bench and place your foot at a lower and more practical height. You can also use a plyo box. 

Step 2 — Squat Under Control

Take a deep breath, flex your core for added stability, and bend your front leg to squat down. Keep your shoulders pulled back and your torso upright. Keep your shoelaces in contact with the bench at all times and don’t rise onto your toes. In the bottom position, your rear knee should approach the ground, if your mobility allows.

As you descend, the hip flexors of the rear leg will undergo a significant stretch which some lifters find uncomfortable. Never force your body into a position it’s fighting against. Over time, your mobility will improve, and your body will adapt.

Form tip: Before you begin the exercise, consider placing a towel or foam block under the spot your rear knee will end up. This gives you a target for consistent depth and offers to cushion in case you descend too quickly and accidentally smash your knee into the ground. 

Step 3 — Stand to Lockout

Keep your front foot flat on the ground and press through to return to a standing position. Move at a controlled pace to avoid being knocked off balance. Focus on driving through your front foot and use the back leg passively to maintain balance.

In the top position, your front leg should be locked straight, and your rear leg should be bent at a slight natural angle.

Form tip: As you move during the rep, keep your eyes locked on one fixed point directly in front of you, whether on the wall, on the ground, or a random dumbbell rack in front of your bench. Focusing on a stationary object can help you maintain a sense of balance. Avoid closing your eyes, which can make it more challenging to balance.

Bulgarian Split Squat Mistakes to Avoid

Because the split squat requires more coordination than other exercises, there are several common technique errors that lifters can run into. The balance component of the exercise requires extra attention to detail. Using a slightly slower lifting speed to descend and stand can also help to focus on proper form.

Pressing with Your Rear Foot

The leg that’s planted on the floor will receive the most muscle activation. Your rear leg should be used primarily for balance and stability, not to raise your body from the bottom position.

Interestingly, some research has shown that even if you do try to drive up through the rear leg, it’s simply not effective and doesn’t contribute to strength or muscle growth. (1) Also, pressing hard with the rear leg may throw you off-balance, making it counterproductive.

Avoid it: Be sure to keep the shoelaces of your back foot on the bench and use your rear leg to maintain stability.

Hopping Around Too Much

While the Bulgarian split squat does require some sense of balance, wobbling and readjusting between individual reps may be necessary. If it happens excessively, for example, more than two or three times in a single set, you’ll be spending too much time focused on balance and not enough time building strength.

Too many corrections between reps can also reduce the muscles’ time under tension, which will reduce the muscle-building stimulus.

Avoid it: Use the technique cue in step one of the how-to section to generally gauge your stance distance. Sit on the bench, extend your feet, plant them in place, and stand up. Perform several bodyweight-only repetitions to fine-tune your stance before picking up dumbbells for your working set.

Leaning Forward

To be fair, this is a “mistake with an asterisk.” Meaning, it’s technically a mistake if your goal is to target the quadriceps muscles on the front of your thighs, which is the most common purpose of this exercise. Leaning your upper body forward as you squat alters your body’s leverage and reduces quadriceps activation.

However, if your goal is to target your glutes, then leaning your forward can be the right thing to do. It shifts your center of gravity and creates more of a hip hinge or deadlift-type position which activates the glutes and hamstrings more significantly.

Avoid it: Know that leaning forward as you squat down shifts the exercise from a quad-builder to a glute-builder. If that’s your goal and you’re leaning deliberately to target specific muscles, no problem. But if your goal is to build your quads and you’re leaning forward to balance yourself, then you’re using improper technique.

Benefits of the Bulgarian Split Squat

This movement is a unilateral (single-leg) exercise which helps to address muscular imbalances and strength discrepancies between legs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Over the long-term, these types of exercises can build more well-rounded development and may reduce the risk of injury. Here are some more convincing reasons to incorporate this exercise.

Leg Size

The Bulgarian split squat allows you to focus work onto the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings of the working leg. (2) Because each leg is working individually during a set, the overall muscular tension and muscle-building stimulus is increased compared to working both legs simultaneously during an exercise.

The Bulgarian split squat has also been shown to be less stressful to the knee joint compared to two-legged exercises like the back squat, making it a better choice for lifters dealing with joint pain. (3)

Leg Strength

Most lifters believe you need to load heavy weights onto a barbell if you want to build serious strength. However, the unilateral Bulgarian split squat can deliver comparable strength and power gains compared to bilateral (two-legged) exercises. (4)

Treating the Bulgarian split squat as a heavy main lift while maintaining sound technique can be an extremely effective way to trigger new strength gains.

Lower Body Mobility

Lifting weights is often prioritized over stretching or mobility work because, let’s face it, stretching just isn’t too enjoyable for some people. However, mobility and flexibility training can be just as important for long-term joint health.

Because the Bulgarian split squat puts the rear leg into a stretched position, it’s essentially a “free stretching session,” specifically for the hip flexors. Stretching the hip flexors is associated with reduced lower back pain and improved overall strength performance. (5)

Muscles Worked by Bulgarian Split Squat

Like many squat variations, the Bulgarian split squat activates all muscles of the leg to varying degrees.

While certain technique adjustments can shift the target muscle focus, it is primarily considered an exercise for the quadriceps.

Quadriceps

The quads, on the front of the thigh, are the largest muscle on the leg. They function primarily to extend your knee and straighten your leg. The Bulgarian split squat works the quadriceps throughout the entire repetition, most significantly in the upper range of motion as you approach a standing, locked out position.

Glutes

The glutes primarily work to extend your hip (straighten your leg from the hips down) and to control leg rotation at the hip joint. The Bulgarian split squat activates both of these functions as you rise out of the bottom position, while also stabilizing your leg to maintain balance. (6)

Hamstrings

While the Bulgarian split squat is typically considered a quadriceps-focused exercise, the hamstrings are engaged and activated during each repetition. Your hamstrings work to bend your knees and (in conjunction with your glutes) extend your hips.

The bottom portion of the exercise recruits the hamstrings significantly to slow your descent and initiate your transition to stand up.

Adductors and Abductors

Your adductors and abductors are your “inner thigh” and “outer thigh” muscles, respectively. They control leg movement, appropriately, in toward your centerline or away from it. During the Bulgarian split squat, these muscles are constantly activated to maintain balance as they micro-adjust to keep the knee of your working leg from buckling in or out.

Who Should Do the Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split has gained a burst of popularity in recent years, being used by top-level competitive bodybuilders, elite powerlifters, CrossFit champions, and world-class athletes in a variety of sports. Safe to say, it has something to offer for everyone.

Physique-Focused Lifters

Anyone looking to pack size onto their legs can use the Bulgarian split squat as a key player in their lower body workout. This exercise provides a significant growth stimulus to nearly every leg muscle, except for the calves which don’t undergo any significant range of motion during the movement.

General Sports Athletes

Strength and conditioning coaches in traditional sports have been introducing unilateral exercises like the Bulgarian split squat to build strength and athletic power without significant joint strain. Incorporating unilateral lower body training has been shown to improve power output compared to focusing solely on bilateral training. (7)

Strength Athletes

Competitive powerlifters, strongmen and strongwomen, CrossFit athletes, and other strength athletes don’t have to lift super-heavy to get super-strong. The Bulgarian split squat has been shown to be as beneficial for back squat strength as specifically back squatting. (4)

This makes the Bulgarian split squat an ideal movement for lifters who need to stay on track with strength gains while reducing wear and tear on their joints.

How to Program the Bulgarian Split Squat

Because the Bulgarian split squat can be useful for a number of goals, it can be programmed several different ways. Here are some of the most efficient plans to fit the exercise into your routine.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

Training this exercise using two or three sets of eight to 12 reps delivers an optimal training stimulus for muscle growth. (8) Because your rear leg is essentially resting while your front leg is working, you can significantly cut down on training time by resting 30 seconds or less between each leg instead of a longer, more traditional rest period after working both legs consecutively. This is an effective intensity-boosting technique.

Heavy Weight, Low Repetition

Once you have an understanding of basic technique, try performing three or four sets of four to six reps with a relatively heavy weight. Going excessively heavy can negatively affect technique, but approaching muscular fatigue in the four to six rep range is a sufficient window to trigger strength gains without compromising form.

Bulgarian Split Squat Variations

The Bulgarian split squat with dumbbells may be too difficult for some lifters, or not challenging enough for others. Here are some similarly effective options to consider.

Trap Bar Bulgarian Split Squat

Using a trap bar to perform the movement opens the potential for loading much heavier weights, making it ideal for experienced lifters who want to build serious single-leg strength.

Depending on your arm and leg length, the trap bar should not make contact with your rear leg at any point during the exercise. Perform the exercise slowly with an unloaded bar to check your individual range of motion.

Safety Bar Bulgarian Split Squat

The safety bar is sometimes called a lifter’s secret weapon because it allows many of the same benefits of squatting with a straight barbell, plus some added bonuses. The thick bar pad raises the weight from your center of gravity, which increases recruitment of the upper back muscles. The forward handles also reduce shoulder strain by allowing a more natural gripping position.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZPpto1tjiuA

With this Bulgarian split squat variation, maintaining an upright torso will be even more important because the bar will work to collapse you forward. This makes it an ideal exercise for reinforcing strict quad-building technique.

Plyometric Bulgarian Split Squat

This explosive jumping movement is ideal for athletes looking to build agility and power. It’s also a highly effective choice for any lifters looking to fire up their nervous system for improved performance prior to heavy lifting. (9)

Begin with bodyweight only — adding resistance with dumbbells or a weighted vest is for highly experienced lifters. Focus on applying maximum power to achieve height with each jump.

Bulgarian Split Squat Alternatives

Some lifters aren’t able to perform the Bulgarian split squat due to immobility, coordination issues, or other factors. These are some comparably effective single-leg exercises for size and strength.

Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge allows you to focus on one leg at a time while reducing knee joint strain. This movement also helps to eliminate the balance component of the exercise, making it a better choice for lifters who had trouble balancing on one foot for the duration of a set.

A number of other lunge variations could also be used — forward lunge, walking lunge, etc. — but the reverse lunge is the most effective and most general movement for the majority of lifters.

Step-Up

The step-up can be highly effective when performed correctly. Unfortunately, it’s often performed incorrectly which compromises its benefits. It’s essential to focus on driving up through the elevated foot, not the foot on the ground.

Many lifters make the mistake of bouncing off their bottom foot, which generates momentum and reduces the work done by the leg on top of the box.

Single-Leg Leg Press

This is the most stable and least balance-demanding exercise of the lot. The leg press provides total stability while still allowing single-leg focused training. This movement also allows a significant load to be used because it’s not supported by your back, shoulders, or arms.

Be sure to sit fully in the chair support. Don’t rotate, shift, or twist while pressing with the working leg because you can increase the risk of injury.

FAQs

I feel my back leg working more than my front leg. How do I fix it?

This is often due to poor hip flexor mobility, which is a common issue for many lifters. The Bulgarian split squat puts the rear leg into a forced stretch position.

If you currently lack mobility, that muscle will be the “weak point” and you’ll feel fatigue or discomfort there before the target muscle is sufficiently trained. Your body will adapt and improve as you practice the exercise, just be sure to work within a comfortable range of motion and gradually push yourself.

Why does this exercise make me more sore than any other leg exercise?

Several variables contribute to “delayed onset muscle soreness” or DOMS, which is the technical term for post-workout soreness. One of the most significant causes is the eccentric stress which occurs when a weight is lowered or a muscle is lengthened. (10)

While every exercise has an eccentric phase, the Bulgarian split squat is typically performed at a relatively slower pace in order to maintain balance and focus. This increases the duration of the eccentric and can increase DOMS.

This doesn’t mean you should lower yourself quickly, because that would be counterproductive and decrease the muscle-building stimulus. Your body will adapt, especially when supported by ample nutrition for growth and repair.

Step Back to Get a Leg Up

Whether you call it the Bulgarian split squat, the rear foot elevated split squat, the RFESS, or the “weeble wobble one-leg bench squat,” stick with it and you’ll soon be calling it your ticket to bigger, stronger legs. Don’t let a little balance requirement scare you away from this powerful and productive movement.

References

1. Helme, M., Emmonds, S., & Low, C. (2022). Is the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat Unilateral? An Investigation Into the Kinetic and Kinematic Demands. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(7), 1781–1787. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003727
2. McCurdy, Kevin. (2017). Technique, Variation, and Progression of the Rear-Foot-Elevated Split Squat. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 39. 1. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000319. 
3. Mackey, E. R., & Riemann, B. L. (2021). Biomechanical Differences Between the Bulgarian Split-Squat and Back Squat. International journal of exercise science, 14(1), 533–543.
4. Speirs, D. E., Bennett, M. A., Finn, C. V., & Turner, A. P. (2016). Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(2), 386–392. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001096
5. Konrad, A., Močnik, R., Titze, S., Nakamura, M., & Tilp, M. (2021). The Influence of Stretching the Hip Flexor Muscles on Performance Parameters. A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(4), 1936. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041936
6. McCurdy, Kevin; Walker, John; Kelly, Camila; Polinski, Michael. Hip and Knee Extensor Activation During the Hip Thrust and Rear-Foot–Elevated Split Squat in Trained Females. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: May 2021 – Volume 35 – Issue 5 – p 1201-1207 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004035
7. Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo & Burgos, Carlos & Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos & Andrade, David & Martínez, Cristian & Álvarez, Cristian & Castro-Sepulveda, Mauricio & Marques, Mário & Izquierdo, Mikel. (2015). Effect of Unilateral, Bilateral, and Combined Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance of Young Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29. 1317–1328. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000762. 
8. Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764
9. Davies, G., Riemann, B. L., & Manske, R. (2015). CURRENT CONCEPTS OF PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE. International journal of sports physical therapy, 10(6), 760–786.
10. Lieber, Richard & Fridén, Jan. (2002). Morphologic and Mechanical Basis of Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness. The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 10. 67-73. 10.5435/00124635-200201000-00009.

Featured Image: MexChriss / Shutterstock

The post How to Do the Bulgarian Split Squat for Leg Size, Strength, and Mobility appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Lunges are the main “squatting” pattern unilateral exercise, and as such should be a primary exercise in your training regimen. Lunges are a very adaptable, easy exercise to program, and they can be performed a myriad of ways. Today we’re taking a look at the dumbbell reverse lunge, a staple exercise that every lifter should have in their toolbox.

Don’t miss out on lunges, for this basic exercise has a lot to offer. Here’s everything you need to know about the dumbbell reverse lunge.

• How to Do the Reverse Lunge
• Reverse Lunge Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Reverse Lunge
• Muscles Worked by the Reverse Lunge
• Who Should Do the Reverse Lunge
• How to Program the Reverse Lunge
• Reverse Lunge Variations
• Reverse Lunge Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How To Do The Reverse Lunge

As a unilateral exercise, the lunge requires more balance and coordination than you may be used to. Fail to execute the lunge as intended and, at best, the movement won’t be effective and, at worst, you risk injury. Here’s a step-by-step guide to performing the lunge perfectly.

Step 1 — Find Your Stride Backwards

Grab a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells and stand tall with your feet together. Take a step backwards, keeping the majority of your weight on your front foot. Use the rear foot mostly for balance, and only have your toes on the floor.

The length of the step will vary depending on your anatomy as well as which muscles you hope to target. A shorter stride will engage the quadriceps more, while a longer step better targets the glutes and hamstrings. Establish the stride you want and keep it the same across repetitions.

Form tip: Find your stride length without weight at first, so that you can warm-up and minimize injury risks. Using too narrow of a stance, or a stride that is too long or short, will cause balance issues that will undermine the exercise’s efficiency. Find what feels comfortable for you and stick with that.

Step 2 — Sink Down and Graze the Floor With Your Knee

Brace your core and then bend at the knees while keeping most of your weight on your front foot. Keep your front foot connected to the floor; do not raise your heel.

Let your front knee track over your toes, while the rear knee sinks towards the ground. Graze the floor or touch it very lightly while keeping tension in your legs.

Form tip: Always control the eccentric (or down portion of the movement). Rushing it will break muscle tension — which is the catalyst for muscle growth — and might throw you off balance. Also, bumping your knee into the floor hurts. If you have trouble keeping balance, try to find a spot on the wall in front of you and keep staring at it.

Step 3 — Drive Through Your Heel

To stand back up, push through the floor with your front foot through your heel. You should feel your entire leg, but mainly your glutes, activate. Stand back to your starting position to complete a repetition, and repeat steps one through three.

Form tip: Your rear leg will contribute to the movement, but make sure that the front one is doing most of the work — around two-thirds of your body weight should be on the front foot. 

Reverse Lunge Mistakes to Avoid

The off-balance nature of the reverse lunge can throw even the most experienced lifters off-kilter. Here are the most common reverse lunge mistakes and how to avoid them. 

Rushing the Repetitions

When you’re holding a pair of dumbbells and kettlebells, the weight is subject to swing and gain momentum and throw your rhythm out of sync.

As there is a horizontal component with this movement, not controlling the reps will result in the weight moving backwards and forwards, causing balance problems and excessive lower back involvement.

Avoid it: Brace your entire body — squeeze your stomach, flex your lats, and contract your glutes — during each repetition. The weight should remain in a straight line under your shoulders.

Assuming a Narrow Stance 

If your starting stance is too narrow, like if you were to walk on a line like catwalk models, you will probably lose balance and put stress on your hip joint. A wider base provides more stability and support.

Avoid it: The ideal lunge stance should be around shoulder-wide. If you’re someone with wider hips, you might want to even widen your stance a little bit more to accommodate your pelvic structure.

Pushing With Your Back Leg

The majority of your weight should be on your front leg. If your back leg ends up doing most of the work, you will put unnecessary stress on the knee joint and greatly diminish glute involvement.

Because of the non-optimal position of the back leg, pushing with it will decrease the loading potential of the exercise, the athletic benefits of the lunges, and increase the risk of potential injuries.

Avoid it: You want the back leg to bear some of the load of your leg while keeping you balanced, but avoid pushing through the ball of your rear foot. Think of the front leg as the “working leg,” and the back leg as the “supporting leg.”

Rounding Your Back

Indeed, lunges are a lower-body exercise, but that doesn’t mean the involvement of the upper body isn’t crucial. It is. Your upper-body is supporting your upper weight, and proper core, back, and shoulder bracing is required if you want to maximally transfer the energy from the legs and move more weight.

It is particularly true during the concentric (rising up) portion of the lift. If you don’t pay attention to your bracing, you risk hunching over, losing balance, and putting stress on your lower back, especially when fatigue sets in.

Avoid it: Flex your abs and tense your lat during the movement (think of squeezing something under your armpits). With heavier weights, you may take a deep breath before each rep and hold it until the hardest part of the concentric is over. This breath increases intra-abdominal pressure to make you more stable. 

Reverse Lunge Benefits

The lunge is a basic unilateral exercise that has many benefits for all lifters. But why should we include it into a program instead of doing some other squat or a leg press? Here are three reasons.

Unilateral Strength

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a perfectly balanced lifter without any weakness. Skipping unilateral work (working the limbs separately) can create muscular and strength discrepancies, since lifters favor one side more than the other. Always using bilateral exercises might exaggerate these imbalances.

The inclusion of unilateral exercises will address your weak side so that they catch up with the strongest, both in size and/or strength. Coach’s tip: start each set with the weaker side so that it is less fatigued.

Improved Balance and Coordination

This benefit is more relevant to athletes, but unilateral exercises will vastly improve your balance, coordination, and motor abilities.

Most sports have their athletes perform actions on one limb at time, (for instance, when you run and change direction) so a unilateral exercise will have an additional carry over to performance and will help prevent injuries. (1) If you’re an average Joe with poor motor control, the reverse lunge will help you develop balance and body awareness — which are linked to longevity. (2)

An Easier, More Efficient Lunge

There are many ways to lunge, and the reverse lunge is promoted as one of the easier versions to perform — making it a prime choice for folks who want hypertrophy. (You can focus on taxing the muscle, not nailing your form.)

This exercise requires top shelf concentration and stability, and it is easier to control the eccentric and hold balance with a back step rather than a forward step. As such, this variation is preferred when weight (strength) or muscular tension (hypertrophy) are a main objective, for it’s more effective than the forward or walking lunge. (3)

Muscles Worked by the Reverse Lunge

Lunges are mainly a lower-body exercise, but don’t overlook the size and strength gains they help contribute in the upper-body. Let’s pass them in review.

Quadriceps

The quads are among the biggest and strongest muscles in the whole body. Their function is to extend the knees — straightening them from a bent position. In a lunge, they contribute to rising up from the bottom to the standing position.

To focus more on the quadriceps, take shorter strides and keep an upright torso.

Glutes

Thee glutes are heavily involved in the reverse lunge, as they are responsible for a multitude of roles in the hip joint. The gluteus maximus (the biggest muscle in the body) is the main hip extensor — it straightens the leg at the hip.

The gluteus medius and minimus will be tremendously involved in the lift’s stability, as they take care of hip balance by rotating and flexing it, and contribute to extending it. If you want to hit the glutes harder, bend a bit forward and take longer strides to really stretch them.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings are a series of posterior muscles that flex or bend the knees. Their main role in the lunge will be to ensure knee stability and flexion by acting in synergy with the quadriceps. But if you take long strides and/or bend forward, they will be more recruited also as hip extensors.

Adductors

Often overlooked, this series of five similar-functioning muscles are key to knee and hip balance in conjunction with the gluteus medius and minimus. They also help extend the knee and hips — especially the adductor magnus, the biggest of the five.

Erector Spinae

Also called the spinal erectors, people only think of them as the “lower back.” But it is in fact a complex muscle group that extends all the way to the skull. These postural muscles help keep the spine in place and also contribute to hip extension (just before coming back to the initial position).

Abdominals

The abs govern your torso movements — flexing forward, rotating, or bending to either side. Along with your erectors, they form the “core” and they are key to keeping proper posture and transferring energy from your legs to the weights efficiently.

Who Should Do the Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge is an effective addition to any lifter’s arsenal. From the beginner starting their lifting journey to the athlete trying to get better at their sport.

Sports Athletes

Combining bilateral and unilateral exercises in an athlete’s training program might be the optimal way to improve performance. (4) The addition of unilateral movements to an athlete’s program is even more pertinent when they actually have to exert power one limb at a time in their sport — whether it’s running, jumping, tackling, or kicking. The agility and balance components of this exercise will have good carryover.

Bodybuilders and Aesthetic Enthusiasts

The reverse lunge is a natural choice for people wanting to pack on more size. Why not simply do more squats? Symmetry is of utmost importance to any physique enthusiast. As such, including unilateral exercises in your routine is paramount in order to avoid muscle imbalances and achieve symmetry and aesthetics.

Strength Athletes

Imbalances aren’t just detrimental to a physique, but also to performance. Developing strength and size of the lower body muscles is key to success for competitive powerlifters, strongmen and strongwomen, and CrossFit athletes. These sports require you to perform squats, deadlifts, and many leg exercises that will directly benefit from a unilateral lower-body staple.

How to Program the Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge, being a unilateral and unstable exercise, is a bit more limited in its rep schemes because it would be unsafe and less efficient to program it using very heavy weights for very low repetitions. It shines as a muscle-building exercise.

Heavy Weight, Moderate Repetitions

Because of the lift’s nature, making it a main strength exercise and going extremely heavy is not safe. It is best suited as an assistance lift performed after your main barbell lifts. As such, two to four sets of five to eight repetitions per leg is ideal if you’re chasing strength.

Make sure to control the descent and prevent momentum, which is amplified when using heavy weights, to reduce the risk of injuries.

Moderate Weight, Moderate-to-High Repetitions

This is where the lunge thrives. Going a bit lighter for higher-rep sets allows the lifter to really reap the time under tension and balance-building benefits of the exercise. Three to five sets of 10 to 15 repetitions per leg will do the trick.

Keep in mind that such a long time under tension will highly tax your stabilizing, postural, and gripping muscles, providing a whole-body challenge.

Reverse Lunge Variations

As there are more than one way to skin a cat, you can perform the reverse lunge using a different equipment or even different weight placement to slightly modify the exercise and focus more on some muscles groups or goals.

Barbell Reverse Lunge

If the thought of moving heavy weight makes you froth at the mouth, just skip the dumbbells and use a barbell across your upper back. This will make the exercise more of a core challenge, because the weight is directly supported by your core instead of your shoulders, arms, and grip. A barbell will also allow you to use more weight eventually.

This is a great variation for building strength, and it’s especially useful when you don’t have dumbbells heavy enough or if you want to give your arms a rest without compromising leg training.

Zercher Reverse Lunge

In this variation, created by Ed Zercher, a St. Louis-based weightlifter from the 1930s, you hold a barbell in the crook of your elbows instead of across your back. Not only will you look like a badass, but this lift will provide your abs, upper back, and biceps a great workout. (5) This is the variation that will challenge your upper body the most.

The unique bar placement is particularly efficient for allowing longer-limbed lifters to stay upright or sink deeper more easily. It is a great way to lunge if you have poor mobility. If you want to really target the quads, it allows you to adopt a more upright posture while letting the knee track forward, which increases stress on the quad muscles.

Reverse Lunge Alternatives

Perhaps you’re the kind of optimist that never wants to go backwards, even during exercise. If you don’t feel like reverse lunging, here are some alternatives that will provide you similar benefits.

Bulgarian Split Squat

If you just want to provide your legs a good workout and have trouble keeping your balance during lunges, why not take some of the agility components out of it? This static exercise, sometimes called a rear-foot elevated split squat, elevates your non-working leg on a bench box, or step. It will still challenge your sense of balance, but it’s relatively easier.

Because the balance component is reduced, you’ll be able to use more weight, which can be useful if your goal is to gain more strength or power. The split squat is also great for bodybuilders who really want to emphasize their quadriceps and feel it burn without having to worry too much about losing balance.

Step-up

Now let’s do the opposite and make the exercise harder. The step-up will test your balance and coordination levels like no other. As such, it is a great tool for athletes. (6) To perform it, step on a box, a bench, or a pile of plates, with or without weights. Drive with your heel and slightly bend forward.

The higher the step, the harder the exercise will be. This exercise also targets your glutes significantly, especially with higher steps. (7) So if you want a bigger rear, don’t skip this variation.

Walking Lunge

The walking lunge is the lunge variation that will demand the most control and coordination, so it’s a great fit for athletes who want to incorporate a dynamic lower body exercise. It is also a great tool for building muscle size and endurance because of the long time under tension and constant movement.

Instead of traditional reps, you can also program this exercise for total distance, which is a great way to build work capacity (endurance or cardiovascular conditioning).

Unilateral Leg Press

This exercise requires the least balance of the bunch, so you can solely focus on your muscles. It is an excellent exercise to improve your mind-muscle connection or go to muscular failure.

Be sure to warm-up properly. Even though it requires less total-body balance, this exercise will demand good control and bracing from your hip muscles so that your pelvis stays in a stable and safe position.

FAQs

Should I let my knees travel past my toes? I’ve heard that can be bad for my joints.

Very few movements are actually “bad for the joints.” The lunge is a natural movement and it simply performs a normal knee function. It is not inherently dangerous, provided good form and appropriate loading is used. Make sure to keep your knee aligned with your toes and keep your shins in a vertical plane — do not let them cave in. Use variations with lesser knee angles at first as you develop basic strength and mobility.

You shouldn’t be afraid of letting your knees go past your toes. It is a natural and safe occurrence of knee flexion when performing any kind of squatting motion. However, the relation between your toes and knees will depend on your goal.If you want more quadriceps recruitment, let your knee travel past a bit more. If you want to emphasize your glutes, avoid it. Most importantly, if you have pre-existing knee injuries or if the exercise is painful, use a variation that won’t let your knee travel past your toes.

Can beginners do reverse lunges?

Of course. Beginners shouldn’t be afraid of this exercise. The added body awareness and agility benefits will pay in the long run and carry over to their health and proficiency in other exercises. Start with bodyweight lunges and, when you’re confident enough, start incorporating some weight.

Can I make lunges the main exercise of my leg workout?

You can. Some studies have actually shown no significant difference in terms of strength and power development between the squat and the lunge. (8) Rotating between unilateral and bilateral exercises as main lifts, or incorporating both in your routine, is a great strategy because they both have their own benefits.

Bilateral exercises often allow you to move heavier weights, which can help to build strength, while unilateral exercises address total-body coordination and help to address muscular imbalances or asymmetries.

Go in Reverse for Advanced Results

People usually avoid unilateral exercises because they seem harder to perform, but they offer too many advantages to be skipped. So put your best foot backwards and include the reverse lunge in your programming if you want bigger, stronger legs. You’ll end up being a more well-rounded, athletic, and balanced lifter.

References

1. Speirs, Derrick E.1,2; Bennett, Mark A.3; Finn, Charlotte V.4; Turner, Anthony P.2 Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: February 2016 – Volume 30 – Issue 2 – p 386-392 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001096
2. Araujo CG, de Souza e Silva CG, Laukkanen JA, et al Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. British Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First: 21 June 2022. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-105360
3. Sanghoon Parkq,Chulsoo Chungl, Jaebum Park,, Jonghyun Yang, Siddhartha, Bikram Panda, Jiseop Lee, Prabhat Pathak Comparative Analysis of Lunge Techniques: Forward, Reverse, Walking Lunge 34rd International Conference on Biomechanics in Sports, Tsukaba, Japan, July 18-22, 2016.
4. Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo & Burgos, Carlos & Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos & Andrade, David & Martínez, Cristian & Álvarez, Cristian & Castro-Sepulveda, Mauricio & Marques, Mário & Izquierdo, Mikel. (2015). Effect of Unilateral, Bilateral, and Combined Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance of Young Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29. 1317–1328. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000762.
5. Kumar, Satheesh & Perumal, Suriya & Subramani, Arumugam. (2020). Influence of Zercher Squat Exercises on Back Strength and Leg Strength among College Basketball Players. Journal of Information and Computational Science. 10. 45-50. 10.12733/JICS.2020.
6. Appleby BB, Newton RU, Cormack SJ. Kinetics and Kinematics of the Squat and Step-up in Well-Trained Rugby Players. J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Jul;33 Suppl 1:S36-S44. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003055. PMID: 30707142.
7. Neto WK, Soares EG, Vieira TL, Aguiar R, Chola TA, Sampaio VL, Gama EF. Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. J Sports Sci Med. 2020 Feb 24;19(1):195-203. PMID: 32132843; PMCID: PMC7039033.
8. Scott, Shaul. (2016) Which is Better for Building Strength, Power and Agility: Squats or Lunges? Mountain tactical Institute.

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