24 Ways to Use a Step in Your Workout

The step has been around since the late 1980s. It is a versatile piece of equipment used for strength and cardio movements. Using the step is a great way to shape, tone and strengthen both your upper and lower body.

The step can be used by beginners or advanced exercisers alike, and the height of the step can be adjusted based on the number of risers placed below it, usually anywhere from 4 to 12 inches. The height of the step can increase or decrease intensity depending on the type of movement. While a higher step decreases the intensity of upper body movements, it conversely increases the intensity for lower body movements. The American Council of Exercise (ACE) cautions the height of the platform should not cause the angle of the knee joint to flex less than 90 degrees when stepping up onto the platform of the step.

The step is a great addition to your equipment repertoire and is fairly easy to store in a closet or in a small area of the house or garage—and is typically widely available at the gym. Try the following movements to change up your strength or cardio movements.

Core

Raised Glute Bridges

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP36qnT2X1Q

Lie flat on your back on the ground with both feet on the long end of the step.
Place your hands at your side with your palms facing up towards the ceiling.
Place your glutes as close to the step as possible. Make sure the knee angle is comfortable for your knees.
Push through your both feet to raise your hips towards the ceiling.
Lower the hips all the way down to your starting position.
Repeat for 10 to 16 repetitions.

Walking Glute Bridges

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGAne_q7Ayc

Lie flat on your back on the ground with both feet on the ground close to the long end of the step.
Hands are at your side, palms facing up towards the ceiling.
Push your hips up towards the ceiling into a glute bridge.
Keep your hips up the entire time.
Walk your right foot up onto the step.
Walk your right foot down back to the ground.
Continue walking leading with the right foot for 8 to 10 repetitions.
Lower the hips down after 8 to 10 repetitions.
Push your hips up towards the ceiling into a glute bridge.
Keep your hips up the entire time.
Repeat the walking sequence with your left foot leading the walk for 8 to 10 repetitions.

Plank Step-Ups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wjGTcE6kCo

Begin in a plank position (on knees to regress) with your hands on the ground close to the step.
Walk your right hand up onto the step. Left hand walks up onto the step.
Walk your right hand back to the ground. Left hand walks down back to the ground.
Continue walking the right and left hand up and down the step for 8 to 10 repetitions.
Repeat the same sequence with the left hand leading the walk for 8 to 10 repetitions.

Plank Step Jacks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzfqPXrpNdY

Place your hands underneath your shoulders on the ground.
Place your feet on the ground so that the step is straddled in between your feet.
Jump or walk your feet up on the step.
Jump or walk your feet down to the ground to starting position.
Repeat for 8 to 10 repetitions.

Side Plank With Rear Taps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShtMwf8zHlw

Get in a side plank position with your left elbow underneath your shoulder, left knee is on the ground.
Place your right foot on the step on the edge of the short end of the step. Your body will be perpendicular to the step making an “L.”
Tap your right toe behind you (toe does not have to touch the ground). Tap your right toe back on top of the step.
Repeat rear toe taps for 8 to 10 repetitions.
Switch sides and repeat with the left leg for 8 to10 repetitions.

Strength

Alternating Transverse To Reverse Lunge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3nPm1P9KQw

Stand on top of the short end of the step in an athletic ready stance.
Keep your left foot on the step. Bring your right foot back into a lunge.
Return to starting position. Keep your left foot on the step.
Bring your right foot out laterally into a transverse lunge.
Perform alternating between reverse lunge and transverse lunge for 8 to 10 repetitions total (4 to 5 of each lunge).
Switch to the other side.

Bulgarian Split Squat Mini Hops

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGYo0GewZHU

Stand on the ground with your feet beneath your hips so that the step is behind you.
Step your left foot behind you on top of the step, your right foot remains on the ground. You will be in a split squat position.
Squat into a single leg split squat with your weight your right foot. Hold 2 seconds.
Perform a little hop. Return to the split squat starting position to reset.
Repeat for 8 repetitions on the right foot.
Switch to the left foot.

Lateral Toe Dips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlilDMNHo4M

Stand on top of the step with your right foot closest to the edge of step.
Bend your left knee to 1/3 squat so that 90 percent of your weight is on your left foot.
Tap your right foot laterally as close to the ground as possible.
Return your right foot to the top of the step, keeping the 1/3 squat position on the left leg and 90 percent of your weight on your left foot.
Perform for 8 to 10 repetitions tapping your right foot.
Repeat on the other side.

Negative Pistol Squat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xDv9PLHv74

Sit on top of the step so that you have a comfortable angle on your right knee. Straighten your left leg.
Place 90 to 100 percent of your weight on your right foot. Try to keep your left leg off the ground (regress with the left heel on the ground).
Come up to a standing position with your right leg.
Slowly lower to the sitting position with your weight predominantly on your right foot, left heel off or on the ground.
Perform for 6 to 8 repetitions on the right leg.
Repeat on the other side.

Single Leg Transverse Lunge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ9Gub0LmV8

Stand on the ground close to the step.
Place your left foot on the step. Keep your left leg straight.
Shift your weight on your right leg and perform a transverse lunge (left leg straight, right knee bent).
Return to starting position.
Perform for 8 to 10 repetitions.
Repeat on the other side.

Triceps Push-Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji6SiIFjYOk

Get into a triceps push-up position with your hands on the step under shoulders, knees are on the ground.
Bend your elbows into a triceps push-up. Lower yourself to your comfortable range.
Return to start.
Perform for 6 to 8 repetitions.

Offset Push-Ups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPhTJfXtPNg

Get on the short end of the step.
Place your left hand on the ground, right hand on the step.
Perform a push-up.
Switch so that your left hand is on the step, right hand on the ground.
Perform for 8 to 10 repetitions.

Cardio

Jump Up to Step Down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rhu7XQdIJs

Stand on the ground on the long end of the step. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
Get into an athletic ready stance.
Perform about 1/3 squat and jump up on top of the bench. Making sure both feet land on top of the bench and your heels are not hanging off the bench.
Step down. Perform for 30 seconds.

Burpees With Step Jump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VYC_kiYpLM

Stand on the ground on the long end of the step.
Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
Get into an athletic ready stance.
Squat to place your hands on the ground underneath your shoulders.
Jump or walk your feet behind you (into a plank position). Jump or walk your feet forward outside your hips back into a squat.
Stand up, jump on the step. Step down.
Perform for 30 seconds.

180 Jump To Hurdle Jumps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VY6g1CO3ig

Stand about 10 to 12 feet away from the long end of the step.
Run quickly to the bench.
Pause briefly and jump over the step with both feet. Land softly.
Continue running in the same direction about 10 to 12 feet away from the step.
Jump to turn around, land in a squat, stand and face the step.
Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds.

Fixed Lateral Bench Jumps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up5FTQ1oUDs

Stand on the ground close to the long end of the step. Place your each hand on the front corners of the step.
Keep your hands on the step as you jump your feet to the other side of the step.
Jump back to starting position. Continue jumping side to side, keeping your hands on the step the whole time (back should be flat).
Repeat for 30 seconds.

Lateral Straddling Toe Taps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofNP2-aLSA4

Stand on the ground so that your feet are straddling the short end of the step.
Tap your right toe on top of the step. Move up slightly to travel the length of the step.
Tape your left toe on top of the step. Continue alternating tapping the top of the step while traveling forward and backwards along the length of the step.
Perform for 30 to 45 seconds.

Forward and Backward Leap Frogs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2ram4yBkE8

Stand on the ground so your feet are straddling the step. Place your hands on the step.
Jump your feet forward. Stand in an athletic stance.
Place your hands on the step. Jump your feet back.
Repeat for 30 seconds.

Lateral Power Step-Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Oaw19Zx1Mw

Stand on the ground close to the step.
Step up laterally with your left foot and push off your foot to jump towards the ceiling. Keep your right knee bent as you step up and push off with your left foot.
Land softly with your left knee bent, right leg on the ground.
Repeat for 30 to 45 seconds then switch legs.

Up and Overs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6TgC7HMMnk

Stand on the ground on the long or short end of the step. Keep the step on your right side.
Step on top of the step with your right foot. Step your left foot on top of the step with your left foot.
Step your right foot down to the ground. Step your left foot down to the ground. (The step should now be on your left side).
Continue stepping up and over the step for 30 to 45 seconds.

Diagonal Up And Over with Backwards Run

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aETmmIyIE1A

Keep the step on your right side.
Stand on the ground on beside the back left corner of the long end of the step.
Step on top of the step with your right foot onto the middle of the step.
Step on top of the step with your left foot onto the middle of the step.
Step down with your right foot on the front right corner of the step.
Step down with your left foot on the front right corner of the step.
Run backwards to the end of the step. The step should now be on your left side.
You should now be standing on beside the back right corner of the step.
Step on top of the step with your left foot onto the middle of the step.
Step on top of the step with your right foot onto the middle of the step.
Step down with your left foot on the front left corner of the step.
Step down with your right foot on the front left corner of the step.
Run backwards to the end of the step. The step should now be on your right side.
Continue for 30 to 45 seconds.

Cool-Down

Raised Pigeon Stretch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tggdtco6pQ

Place your right leg on top of the step so that your shin is parallel to the long side of the step and you have a 90 degree angle at your knee.
Your left leg will be behind you.
Lean forward to feel the stretch in your hips and glutes.
Hold 30 seconds.
Repeat with the left leg.

Quadriceps And Psoas Stretch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihQbOfdnTaU

Lie flat on your back on the ground with both feet on the long end of the step.
Hands are at your side with your palms facing up towards the ceiling.
Push through your both feet to raise your hips towards the ceiling. Try to get onto your upper back.
Hold for 30 seconds.

Adductor Stretch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUMJm4YnZzE

Kneel on the ground with the step on your left side.
Place your left foot flat on top of the step.
Left leg is straight and right knee should be on the ground.
Hinge forward to a comfortable range where you feel the stretch on the inner thigh.
Hold 30 seconds.
Repeat on the other side.

Photo credit: South_agency, Getty Images
Video credit: Tom Casey, box24studio.com
Model: Brooke Walsh, 24 Hour Fitness
Hair/makeup: Chanel