Exercise guide
Reverse Lunge Front Kick
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
This dynamic compound movement builds lower body strength and explosive power while challenging core stability and balance. It effectively targets the glutes and quads during the lunge phase, while the kick engages the hip flexors and abdominals.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
- Keep your chest upright and your gaze forward.
- Hold your hands in a 'guard' position in front of your chest or on your hips for balance.
How to do it
- Step back with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at approximately 90 degrees while inhaling.
- Drive through your front heel to stand up, explosively swinging the back leg forward into a front kick.
- Exhale as you kick, extending your leg fully and pulling your toes back toward your shin.
- Retract the leg with control and return to the starting stance before switching sides.
Form checklist
- Keep your front knee tracked over your mid-foot, avoiding inward collapse.
- Maintain a vertical spine; do not lean backward to compensate for the height of the kick.
- Ensure the stationary foot remains planted firmly on the ground for balance.
- Use your core to control the descent back into the lunge.
Pro tips
- Focus on a 'snap' at the top of the kick by quickly extending and retracting the lower leg to maximize quad and abdominal recruitment.
- Keep your standing leg slightly bent during the kick to maintain better balance and joint safety.
Make it harder
- Add a plyometric jump as you transition from the lunge into the kick for increased power and heart rate.
- Hold a medicine ball and perform a diagonal wood-chop motion toward the kicking leg to increase oblique activation.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the reverse lunge front kick work?
- The reverse lunge front kick primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the reverse lunge front kick?
- The reverse lunge front kick requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the reverse lunge front kick good for beginners?
- The reverse lunge front kick is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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- Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps