Lateral Step-Up

Lateral Step-Up

Lateral step-ups is a great exercise for strengthening lower leg muscles and improving endurance. Development is maximized as it work each leg individually. Lateral step-ups is a beneficial exercise for sports such as baseball, in-line/speed skating, and wrestling. This exercise engages the quadriceps, glutes, hip flexors and calves. A warm up should be done before performing plyometric exercises to prevent injury. The suggested exercise amount is 4 sets, 12-15 reps with 1 minute rest between sets.

Difficulty: Rating:

Equipment: A box 6-12 inches high.

Process
Starting Position: Stand to the side of the box and place the foot closest to the box on top.

Action: Use the leg on the box to raise the body until the leg is extended, then lower to the starting position. Do not push off the foot on the ground. All the work should be done by the bent leg. Note, that the back should not be rounded, the torso should not be leaning forward excessively and the top knee should not be tilted inward when doing the exercise.

Target Muscle Groups: Quadriceps, glutes, hip flexors and calves