women's health - BENCH STEPUP

STRENGTHENS

GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS, QUADRICEPS, CORE

STARTING POSITION

Stand facing a stable bench or step, holding dumbbells at your sides. Place your right foot onto the bench with your toes turned out to 1:00, and lean slightly forward. Keep a slight arch in your lower back throughout the exercise (A).

MOVEMENT

Press into the arch of your right foot and step onto the bench. HARD

Bring your left foot up to stabilize your balance (B), then immediately step back down with your left foot, ending in the starting position (A) and leaving your right foot on the bench. EASY

Keeping tension on your right leg at the starting position, pause before pressing back up onto the bench with your right leg. You will repeat all reps on the right leg before switching feet.

Extras: The Walking Lunge and Bench Stepup are single-leg exercises that mimic natural human activity, whereas other isolated single-leg exercises may require too much balance for beginners. Focus all of your effort and attention on the movement, not on balance and coordination.

Why It’s Perfect for You

This movement is called a “level change,” meaning you raise or lower your entire body, and is important for optimal lower-body function. This kind of movement keeps you strong for climbing stairs and other everyday activities. It’s also a cool exercise because technically it focuses on one leg at a time, but in a way that mimics everyday movement. It emphasizes your hamstrings as hip extensors, bringing balance to your lower-body mechanics.