The Step Up is one of my favorite leg exercises because it’s suitable for both beginners and advanced trainees.  Several variables can be changed in order to make this exercise more difficult or easy including changing step height, amount of weight lifted, and the placement of the free leg at the top of the movement.  That brings me to my next point; keeping the free leg from touching the bench at the top of the Step Up is a great way to challenge unilateral stability.  At the top of the movement the glute of your working leg has to work hard in order to keep your body from wavering.

Primary muscles worked.

• Quadriceps
• Glutes

Stabilizers

• Abdominals
• Obliques
• Hip Flexors
• Adductors
• Glute Medius

Tips:

1.  Keep your torso tall throughout the entire movement.  Do NOT dip your chest at the bottom.  Also this could be a sign of tight hip flexors.

2.  Fully extend your hip and knee at the top position, really squeeze the glute of your working leg.

3.  Make sure you pause at the top.  If your glutes are weak or your hip flexors are too tight, you’ll have a tendency to want to cut the movement short.