barbell rear lunge: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of barbell rear lunge

How to do this exercise

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

Equipment: Barbell Olympic barbell
Body part: Thighs Glutes
Target muscle: Quadriceps Gluteus maximus
Secondary muscle: Lower back Hamstrings Calves Adductors External obliques

Hypertrophy grade

Good7 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The backward barbell lunge is a powerful unilateral exercise to target the quads and glutes, but stability and coordination quickly become limiting as you increase weight. Compared to a squat bar, it generates good tension in the stretched position but can be slowed down by the grip and the core. It is an excellent supplement to provide specific stress, although less loadable and more technical in the long term than its big bilateral brothers.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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barbell rear lunge

How to do this exercise

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