Step-up with Knee Raise

Also called step-up knee drive, step up with knee raise and knee drive step-up.

Works

Glutes, plus hamstrings and quads

Equipment

Bodyweight

Level

Beginner

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Stand facing a box or bench of an appropriate height with your feet together. This will be your starting position.

1. Begin the movement by stepping up, putting your left foot on the top of the bench. Extend through the hip and knee of your front leg to stand up on the box. As you stand on the box with your left leg, flex your right knee and hip, bringing your knee as high as you can.
2. Reverse this motion to step down off the box, and then repeat the sequence on the opposite leg.

Cues

• Whole foot on the box.
• Drive through the top heel.
• Lift the free knee to hip height.
• Step down slowly.

Common mistakes

• Pushing off the floor foot.
• Leaning forward too much.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have sore knees. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

Harder

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