Legs · Barbell
Barbell Forward Backward Lunge
How to do the barbell forward backward lunge, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set a barbell across your upper back and stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Step forward into a lunge until both knees reach about ninety degrees, push back to center, then step the same leg back into a reverse lunge and return. Complete your reps on one leg before switching.
- 1Your front quad and glute driving you out of each lunge
- 2A tall, braced torso staying upright throughout
- 3Even balance and control through both the forward and backward step
Common mistakes
- Letting your front knee cave inward or shoot past your toes
- Leaning your torso forward over the front leg
- Pushing off the back foot instead of driving through the front leg
Muscles worked
The barbell forward backward lunge mainly works the quads and glutes, with the lower abs, hamstrings, adductors, lower back, upper traps, upper abs, obliques, calves, and hip flexors assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- LatsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the barbell forward backward lunge for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.