Whether you're on set, at the gym, or in your living room, Spencer's step-ups are a great option for do-anywhere fitness. Here's why.
The step-up is primarily a cardio move, though it also works your balance and coordination, and strengthens muscles in your lower half.
A basic step-up, like Spencer demos, is a low-impact cardio move, Stephanie Mansour, Chicago-based certified personal trainer, tells SELF. If you pump your arms in tandem with your legs like Spencer does, you’ll get your heart rate up even more. The move is also good for strengthening muscles in your lower half, including the stabilizing muscles around your ankle joints, as well as your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, says Mansour.
On top of that, step-ups can improve your balance, James Brewer, NYC-based certified personal trainer and certified Spin and TRX instructor, tells SELF. Many people struggle with balance, he says, and doing a simple move like the step-up, which also requires coordination and single-leg strength, can help.
There are several ways you can make the move more strength-focused.
One is by driving your knee up every time you step, like the woman standing next to Spencer in the video. This prolongs the time that you are standing on just one leg, explains Mansour, which amplifies the single-leg strength required.
You can also add weight to the movement, says Brewer—simply hold kettlebells or dumbbells by your sides as you step. You can also slow down the pace of your step-ups—particularly on the descent—to up the strength challenge. “One of my favorite step-up modifications is to descend over five counts and then as soon as your heel touches the ground, you explode back up,” says Brewer. It’s almost like a mini reverse lunge, he explains, and the slower you descend, the more strength you’ll build, especially in your glutes. He suggests trying 12-15 of these slo-mo descending step-ups on each leg.
With step-ups, you can change which lower-body muscles you work depending on exactly how you place your feet. If you place the majority of your weight on your heels, you’ll primarily target your hamstrings and glutes, says Brewer. If you do this move on tip toes, you’ll hit more of your quads and calves.
There are a number of ways you can incorporate step-ups into your workout.
The beauty of step-ups is that all you need is an object to step onto. This can be a stair, bench, curb, or box.
