Smith machine reverse lunge
- Muscle group
- Legs
- Equipment
- Smith machine
- Primary muscles
- Glutes, Quadriceps
- Secondary muscles
- Hamstrings
- Position the bar on your upper back and stand with feet hip-width apart, unlocking the bar from the rack.
- Step one foot back and lower your hips until your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee nearly touches the ground.
- Drive through your front foot to return to the starting position, then repeat or switch legs.
Tips
- Keep your front knee tracking over your second or third toe as you lower, rather than letting it drift inward or collapse toward the midline.
- Step back far enough that your front shin stays close to vertical at the bottom of the movement, with your front foot flat on the floor.
- Keep your torso upright throughout the descent and drive, letting the bar travel straight down and back up along the fixed Smith machine path.
Common mistakes
- Taking too short a step back causes the front knee to travel well past the toes at the bottom, making it difficult to keep the shin vertical and the front foot fully grounded.
- Pushing off the back foot instead of driving through the front foot changes the movement so that the glutes and quadriceps of the front leg do less of the work in returning to the starting position.
- Leaning the torso noticeably forward during the descent shifts the bar away from its vertical path and changes the intended movement pattern.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
