Front Rack Elevated Reverse Lunge

Level: Advanced
Equipment: Barbell, Weight Plate, Squat Rack, Step Platform
Movement: Lunge · Standing
Tracks: Weight & Reps

Works

Quadriceps
Glutes
Hamstrings
Adductors
Abdominals
Back
Forearms

How to do it

Set a barbell in a rack just below shoulder height and load it. Place a low, stable platform a few steps in front of the rack.
Unrack the bar into the front rack: bar across the front deltoids and clavicles, elbows high and forward, hands just outside shoulder width with fingers loosely hooked.
Walk to the platform and step up onto it with both feet hip-width apart.
Step one foot back off the platform and land on the ball of that foot on the floor, keeping the front foot flat on the platform.
Brace the core hard, keep the elbows up and the torso upright with your gaze forward.
Lower your hips until your rear knee gently touches the ground and your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
Drive through the mid-foot and heel of the front leg to extend the hip and knee back to the starting position, keeping the elbows high throughout.
Complete all repetitions on one leg, then switch legs, re-racking the bar between sides if you need a rest.

Common mistakes

Letting the elbows drop and the upper back round, so the bar drifts forward and pulls the torso down.
Letting the front knee cave inward during the descent.
Pushing off the rear toes instead of driving with the front leg.
Leaning too far forward, shifting tension away from the quads.
Bouncing the rear knee off the floor to gain momentum.
Stepping back too short, which jams the front knee forward and shortens the range.
Losing balance and stepping down off the platform mid-rep with the bar still racked.
Gripping the bar too tightly with the hands instead of letting it rest on the shoulders, which strains the wrists.

Safety

Use a low, stable, non-slip platform and keep the whole front foot on it to prevent ankle rolls.

Keep the descent controlled to avoid hyperextending the rear knee.

Because the bar is on the shoulders, use a rack you can re-rack to or a platform low enough to step down from safely, and practise bailing forward by stepping out and letting the bar fall clear of the body.

Avoid this variation if you cannot hold a front rack without wrist or shoulder pain.

Tips

Keep the elbows high and pointing forward throughout; dropping them lets the bar roll forward and rounds the upper back.
Step back far enough that the front shin stays close to vertical at the bottom.
Brace as if for a front squat and keep the ribs down so the torso stays tall over the front leg.
Descend under control and pause briefly at the bottom before driving up.
Fix your gaze on a point ahead to help balance.
Practise the front rack and the bail (stepping forward and letting the bar drop) before adding load.