Lateral Step-Up

Technique

The lateral step-up is done standing beside a box or bench and stepping up sideways onto it with the near leg. It trains the quads and glutes one leg at a time and challenges the gluteus medius to keep the knee and pelvis stable, making it useful for knee-friendly leg training.

Steps

1. Stand side-on to a box about knee height or lower and place the near foot fully on it
2. Shift your weight onto the top foot and keep the knee tracking over the toes
3. Push through the whole top foot to stand up on the box, letting the other leg follow without pushing off
4. Lower slowly back down to touch the floor lightly with the trailing foot

Common mistakes

• Pushing off the bottom leg instead of driving with the top leg
• Letting the working knee cave inward

Variations

• Dumbbell lateral step-up
• Front step-up

FAQ