
How to Do Step Ups
- Stand in front of a chair, bench or something else that you can step up on.
- Place your foot on the chair.
- Lightly brace your core, and step up until your leg is straight.
- Lower yourself in a controlled motion.
- You can keep your foot at the chair, and repeat for reps.
Commentary
Step-ups have been shown to activate gluteus maximus even more than squats and hip thrusts do.1 It is a great exercise to do at home, since it is challenging even without weights. If you train at home, you can step up on whatever furniture you have at hand – a chair, a stair step or a bench, for example.
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Text and graphics from the StrengthLog app.
References
- Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2020) 19, 195 – 203. Gluteus Maximus Activation During Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. Walter Krause Neto, Enrico Gori Soares, Thais Lima Vieira, Rodolfo Aguiar, Thiago Andrade Chola, Vinicius de Lima Sampaio, Eliane Florencio Gama.