Strength Training · Bodybuilding · Functional Fitness · Calisthenics
Step-Up
The step-up is a single-leg exercise that trains your thighs and glutes by lifting your body onto a raised platform. It also challenges balance and control.
- Beginner
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Stand facing the box, about one short step away.
- Place your whole right foot on top of the box.
- Press through your right foot to raise your body until your right leg is straight.
- Place your left foot beside your right foot on the box.
- Lower your left foot back to the floor slowly, keeping your right foot planted.
- Step your right foot down to finish the repetition.
Form cues
- Keep your knee tracking over your toes
- Keep your hips level
- Lean slightly forward from your hips
Common mistakes
- Pushing off the floorUse the leg on the box to lift you, with minimal help from the trailing foot.
- Twisting toward the working legKeep your chest and belt buckle facing the box throughout the repetition.
- Arching at the topFinish standing tall with your ribs over your pelvis rather than leaning backward.
Safety
A loose box or a missed foot placement can cause a fall. A box that is too high for your strength can make the descent difficult to control and increase stress on your knee.
- Use a rigid, nonslip box that cannot slide or tip.
- Start with a height that keeps your raised knee below hip level.
- Keep the landing area clear of weights and other obstacles.
- End the set if fatigue makes you wobble or lose control of the descent.
If you have knee, hip, or ankle pain or difficulty balancing, choose a lower step with stable hand support and seek professional advice if symptoms persist.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Plyometric Box
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps per leg
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Complete equal repetitions on each side before resting.