Why it matters
The Step-Up builds strength and size in your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and rectus abdominis. As a compound movement, it trains several muscles together and carries over to real-world strength and power.
How to do it
- Set the box at a height where your working thigh is about parallel with your foot on it.
- Stand close enough that you step up rather than forward.
- Place your whole foot on the box with your weight through the middle of it.
- Drive through the top foot and stand tall without pushing off the trailing leg.
- Lower under control until the trailing foot touches, then repeat.
Coaching cues
- The trailing leg is not a helper — keep its toe light so the top leg does the work.
- Keep your weight balanced over the middle of your foot.
- Let your knees track in line with your toes.
- Keep your chest up as you descend and stand.
- Drive through your knees and feel the front of your thighs work.
Watch out for
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Pushing off the bottom foot to get up.
This takes work off the target muscle and reduces what you get from the set.
Instead Lower the box until you can rise without the trailing leg driving.
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Letting the knees cave inward.
Knees caving in is a weaker position and takes force off your glutes.
Instead Push your knees out toward your little toes as you descend and stand.
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Letting the heels lift off the floor.
On your toes you lose your base and shift the squat onto your knees.
Instead Keep your whole foot planted and your weight over the mid-foot.
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Cutting the depth short above parallel.
A shallow squat trains a fraction of the range and much less of your legs.
Instead Lower until your hip crease drops below the top of your knee.
The detail
- Tempo
- Lower under control for about two counts, then stand with intent.
- Breathing
- Breathe in on the way down, exhale as you stand.
- Range of motion
- Lower to at least thighs-parallel and stand up tall each rep. Take the quadriceps through its full working range each rep.
- If you are new to it
- Lower to a box or bench behind you to learn consistent depth.
- Once it is easy
- Slow the descent or add a pause at the bottom to increase the challenge.