For proper body fitness, your training routine should feature exercises that work on your upper and lower body. While you do weightlifting to strengthen your upper body, you should also do exercises like squats, lunges, and step-ups to improve your lower body and leg muscles.

Step-ups in particular produce great results, but unfortunately, many people tend to overlook this exercise because it appears simple. Step-ups are single-leg exercises that challenge your lower body muscles in a different way than any other moves. They not only enhance your core stability but also improve strength in your quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, and glutes.

When you do a workout for a long time no matter how difficult it is, your body eventually gets used to it. This slows down the results, and sometimes you can stall. That is why incorporating some variation is key. They tweak the movement a little, making it hard for your body to get used to the movements completely.

What you need for step-ups

Step-ups do not require special equipment for you to execute them. You can do step-ups on any raised surface like on a bench or box. You will be surprised that even in your home or hotel, there is a place that you can use to use to execute step-ups effectively.

The important thing is that ensure that the surface is elevated at knee height and with a hard flat top. Do not do step-ups on a couch as you might lose your balance and end up twisting your ankle. You can opt for a surface that’s slightly lower if you are having trouble balancing and increasing the height as you get better. You can enhance your results by using anabolic steroids. If you are wondering where to buy them, have a peek here to connect with one of the most reliable vendors and place your order conveniently.

Here are the top step-up variations for leg strength and power.

Aerobic step-ups

Aerobic step-ups are a form of cardio but also work on your leg strength. The move is executed as if you are using stairs. It does not require any weights, but instead, it focuses on speed. You can make it a bit more difficult by increasing the step frequency.

The move is executed by placing your right foot on top of a box and then hinging forward and stepping up on the box with the left foot. Now step back with your right foot, placing it on the ground while leaving the left one on top of the box. Repeat the procedure by switching your feet.

Dumbbell step-ups

Aerobic step-ups do not require weights and focus on speed, but dumbbell step-ups are the opposite. The added weight is crucial in building your lower body muscles.

You can do the movement by holding dumbbells in both of your hands, keeping them on your sides, and then placing your right foot on top of a bench. Hinge forward, raise your left foot, and put it on top of the bench so that you will be standing on it. Then step back with your left foot, placing it on the ground. Repeat the procedure for ten reps and then switch legs.

Goblet step-ups

This move is much more like the dumbbell step-ups, but instead of holding dumbbells on your sides, you keep them in front of your chest, hence the name “goblet step-ups.” This move feels more natural than when you do dumbbell step-ups.

You execute the move by holding the dumbbells in a goblet position and then placing your right foot on top of a bench. Bend forward and step up with your left foot, too. Step back with your left foot and repeat for ten reps before switching feet.