How to do step-ups: box height, form, your knees, what they work, and how to progress

The step-up

Put your whole foot on a stable step, keep that knee in line with your second toe, stand up on that leg and lower yourself slowly. Let the leg on the step do the work rather than pushing hard off the back foot (our suggestion).

Source 1

Step height sets the load on your knee

In 20 adults, a 10 cm step-up loaded the joint behind the kneecap 1.7 times body weight, less than a two-leg squat to 60 degrees (2.5 times); a 20 cm step-up 3.6 times, and a lunge 5.1 times. Of 35 rehabilitation exercises, the 20 cm step-up put one of the lowest loads on the tendon below the kneecap.

Sources 2, 3

Start low and climb

Start on the bottom stair or a low step, then build to a higher box; a box that puts your knee no higher than your hip is plenty for most people (our editorial suggestion). Raise the step before adding weight, and drop back down when you first hold dumbbells, as our move page and hiking workout advise.

Source 2

What they work

Mostly your glutes and the front of your thighs, with your hamstrings and calves helping. A review ranked the step-up highest for glute activity, but that figure comes from one study of 15 trained women on a 46 cm box, with a wide spread, and activity in a few reps isn't growth.

Sources 4, 5, 6

They build strength, at any age

In young rugby players, 8 weeks of heavy step-ups built strength like back squats did. Across 24 trials, one-leg and two-leg training built similar muscle. Stepping onto rising step heights built thigh muscle and stair climbing in women aged about 69, and home stepping in a weighted vest raised leg power by about 10% in 6 weeks.

Sources 7, 8, 9, 10

How many

2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 on each leg, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure, with about 90 seconds' rest, as our workouts and plans use; about 10 or more hard sets a week for your legs builds muscle. With knee pain, start on the bottom stair, the gentlest height, and keep within our knee guides' pain rule.

Sources 11, 2

The move

Stepping up onto a box, bench, step or stair with one foot, standing up on that leg, then stepping back down. ACE (the American Council on Exercise) rates it a beginner exercise: torso upright, the knee over the second toe, the trailing foot back down first, and stepping up onto one leg and staying there as the progression. Versions step up sideways (lateral) or across the body (crossover), add a knee raise, or add dumbbells or a barbell.

Source 1

The glutes

The gluteus maximus straightens the hip as you rise. In a review of glute exercises, the step-up drew 169% of the activity of a maximal effort, ahead of lateral, diagonal and crossover step-ups (104 to 114%), the hex bar deadlift (88%) and the hip thrust (82%). All the step-up figures come from one study: 15 trained women at their 6-rep maximum on a 46 cm box, with a spread of plus or minus 101%.

Sources 4, 5

The front of the thigh

The quadriceps straighten the knee. Lateral step-ups drew more than 45% of a maximal effort from the inner quadriceps in 30 adults. In 19 women aged about 69, stepping onto a 20 cm or higher step drew more outer quadriceps activity than machine exercise at 60% of their maximum.

Sources 12, 13

The side of the hip

The gluteus medius holds your pelvis level on one leg. Lateral step-ups worked it more than forward ones in 27 adults aged about 79, and the crossover step-up worked it most on the way up in the trained women.

Sources 14, 5

Against lunges and single-leg squats

The demand rose from the step-up to the lunge to the single-leg squat in 44 adults, and the step-up asked less of the hip than the step-down and single-leg squat in 20 adults. In another 20, the single-leg squat drew more activity than the lateral step-up or forward lunge in every muscle measured but one.

Sources 15, 16, 17

Activity isn't growth

These figures come from EMG (electromyography: electrodes measuring how hard a muscle works), which shows effort in a few reps, not what a muscle builds over months.

Source 6

Where people differ

Stepping onto a 20 to 25 cm step, older women produced 44% less power and needed 60% more outer quadriceps activity than young women. That is why ordinary stepping can be real training for older people, and why the step height should match the person.

Sources 18, 13

Step-ups built strength like squatsEmerging evidence

33 young rugby players trained twice a week for 8 weeks with either heavy step-ups or back squats (6 to 8 sets of 4 to 8 at 45 to 88% of their maximum, matched for total load). Each group improved its own lift by similar amounts (effect sizes 0.74 and 0.67), and each carried over to the other lift: the step-up group gained in the squat (0.42) and the squat group in the step-up (0.27). One small trial.

Source 7

One leg or two built similar muscleStrong evidence

Across 24 trials, one-leg training improved one-leg strength more (an effect size of 0.42), two-leg training improved two-leg strength more, and muscle growth didn't differ. You get better at what you practise.

Source 8

Stepping built muscle and function in older womenEmerging evidence

45 women aged about 69 were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of stepping with rising step heights or no training. Stepping increased thigh muscle volume on CT (computed tomography) scans, knee strength and power, a timed stair climb, walking speed and a standard function test, but not jump height or balance.

Source 9

Home stepping in a weighted vestEmerging evidence

11 inactive women aged 65 to 74 did 6 weeks of home stepping wearing a weighted vest, after a 6-week period without it. Leg power rose 10 to 11%, stair climbing time improved 9% and stair climbing power 10%. A small trial without a separate control group.

Source 10

Low steps are gentle on the kneecapEmerging evidence

In 20 healthy adults, the load behind the kneecap was 0.6 times body weight walking, 1.7 on a 10 cm step-up, 2.5 in a two-leg squat to 60 degrees, 3.1 stepping down from 10 cm, 3.6 on a 20 cm step-up, 4.5 in a full squat, 4.7 in a Bulgarian split squat, 5.1 in a lunge and 5.8 stepping down from 20 cm. One lab study, read in full.

Source 2

The tendon below the kneecapEmerging evidence

In 20 adults, 20 cm and 30 cm step-ups, a 20 cm step-down and a two-leg squat to 60 degrees were all in the lowest tier of patellar tendon loading, while lunges, full squats and Bulgarian split squats sat in the middle tier and the single-leg decline squat was highest.

Source 3

Stepping down is harder on the kneeEmerging evidence

With the step height set so the knee bent to 45 degrees, stepping down forwards stressed the kneecap more than a lateral or forward step-up in 20 adults (13.8 against 11.5 and 11.2 megapascals, a unit of pressure), and stepping down loaded it more than stepping up in the 35-exercise study.

Sources 19, 2

The glute activity rankingEmerging evidence

The step-up topped a review's ranking of glute activity, but every step-up figure came from one study of 15 trained women on a 46 cm box, with a wide spread between them. Activity in a few reps doesn't predict growth, so it's a good glute exercise, not a proven best one.

Sources 4, 5, 6

Stairs and the kneeEmerging evidence

In 5 people with instrumented knee replacements, climbing stairs loaded the knee about 3.2 times body weight and coming down about 3.5 times, against 2.6 for walking. Stairs are hard work for a knee, which is why a low step is the place to start.

Source 20

Higher steps load the knee more

The load behind the kneecap roughly doubled from a 10 cm to a 20 cm step (1.7 to 3.6 times body weight), and the tendon load rose from 20 cm to 30 cm, though both stayed in the lowest tier.

Sources 2, 3

A modest step is enough to train

In older women, a 20 cm step was already enough to work the outer quadriceps harder than a weight machine at 60% of their maximum, and a 30 cm step taken sideways worked the most muscles.

Source 13

Our suggested heights

Our editorial suggestion, from the knee load and older adult studies: a low step of about 10 cm or the bottom stair to learn it or with a sore knee; then a normal stair or a box of 20 to 30 cm; then, for strength, a box that puts your knee about level with or just below your hip. Higher boxes need more hip mobility and tempt you to push off the back leg.

The research's heavy version

The glute study used a 46 cm (18 inch) box with the heaviest weight each trained woman could lift 6 times: a long way from where most people should start.

Source 5

The lateral step-up

Stepping up sideways worked the side of the hip more than stepping forwards in 27 older adults, drew more than 45% of a maximal effort from the inner quadriceps in 30 adults, and had the most training potential of the stepping exercises in older women. At the same knee bend, it stressed the kneecap about as much as a forward step-up and less than a step-down. We have no 3D demo of it yet, so here are the steps in words. Use the step-up's dose (our editorial starting point).

• Stand side-on to a low, stable step and place the whole of your near foot on it.
• Press through that foot to stand up on the step, keeping your pelvis level and your knee over your toes.
• Tap the other foot on the step, or hold it just off the edge.
• Lower the outside foot slowly back to the floor, then repeat before changing sides.

Sources 14, 12, 13, 19

The crossover step-up

Stepping onto the box by crossing the far leg over in front worked the side of the hip most on the way up in the trained women. It asks more balance; try it once forward and lateral step-ups are steady.

Source 5

Sets, reps and rest

2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 on each leg, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure, with about 90 seconds' rest, as our dumbbell leg, hiking and strength and balance workouts use. In your first two weeks, keep 3 or 4 reps to spare, as our plans say.

Height before weight

Raise the step a few centimetres at a time. When 12 reps on your highest step feel easy, hold dumbbells at your sides and drop back to a lower step, then build up again, as our move page and hiking workout advise.

One dumbbell or two

Two, one in each hand, is the default. With one, hold it in the hand opposite your working leg. That's our editorial reading of two studies of other movements: a weight in one hand made the opposite hip's muscles work harder in walking, and in lunges a weight held on the opposite side loaded the knee a little less than one held on the same side.

Sources 21, 22

How often

Twice a week. For muscle, the hard sets you do in a week matter more than how many days you spread them over, and about 10 or more a week for your thighs and glutes builds the most; squats, lunges and step-ups all count.

Sources 23, 11

What to expect

Expect to add reps or height most weeks at first. Older women's leg power rose about 10% in 6 weeks of home stepping, and stair climbing improved within 12 weeks. Timing yourself up a flight of stairs every 4 weeks is a simple check (our suggestion).

Sources 10, 9

Easier on the knee than lunges

A low step-up loaded the kneecap 1.7 times body weight against 5.1 in a lunge. That makes step-ups the usual first single-leg exercise with a sore knee.

Source 2

Lunges and single-leg squats ask more

The hip and thigh muscles worked harder in lunges and single-leg squats than in step-ups. Use step-ups first, then both.

Sources 15, 17

Against squats

Heavy step-ups built strength like back squats in one trial, and one-leg and two-leg training built similar muscle across 24 trials. Each made people better at its own test, so do the version that matches what you want to get better at, or both.

Sources 7, 8

Pushing off the back foot

ACE's version allows a push from the trailing leg, which is fine for older adults and conditioning, but it takes work away from the leg on the step. For strength, keep the back foot's push light (our suggestion).

Source 1

A box too high too soon

Higher steps load the knee more. Climb a few centimetres at a time.

Source 2

Dropping down

Lower yourself under control instead of dropping off the edge, as our move page says.

The knee caving in

Keep the knee in line with your second toe, and lower the step if it keeps drifting inwards.

Source 1

Half the foot on the step

Put your whole foot on the step, as our move page says, so you can press through the heel.

An unstable step

Use the stairs or a stable, non-slip step or box, never a chair that can tip, and hold a rail while you learn.

The knee pain rule

During and after training, 0 to 2 out of 10 is safe, up to 5 acceptable, and the knee should be back to normal by the next morning; for pain at one point just above or below the kneecap, keep it to 3 or less. If it isn't settled by morning, do less next time. That's the rule in our knee pain when squatting guide, which uses step-ups at 3 sets of 8 to 10 each leg, low step first.

Start on the bottom stair

A 10 cm step-up was one of the gentlest single-leg loads for the kneecap. Our knee pain on stairs guide builds from the bottom stair to 3 sets of 10 each leg, then a normal stair.

Source 2

Step down with the working foot first

Stepping down loads the kneecap more than stepping up. With kneecap pain, let the other leg lower you, and add step-downs later.

Sources 2, 19

Tendon pain below the kneecap

20 and 30 cm step-ups were among the lowest patellar tendon loads measured, so they suit the early stages of our jumper's knee guide.

Source 3

Knee arthritis

Our arthritis routine uses low step-ups at 2 sets of 8 to 10 each side; keep within the pain rule and see our knee arthritis guide.

Older adults

The NHS asks older adults to do strength and balance activities on at least 2 days a week, and stepping programmes improved strength and stair climbing in older women. Hold a rail, start on the bottom stair, and build up slowly.

Sources 24, 9, 10

Knee pain

Start on the bottom stair, step down with the working foot first, and follow our knee guides' pain rule.

Pregnancy

Strength training is fine in pregnancy if you did it before; start anything new gently. With pelvic girdle pain, skip step-ups if stairs hurt and do sit-to-stands instead, as our move page advises.

Source 25

Osteoporosis

Step-ups are one of the Royal Osteoporosis Society's extra exercise groups: a step at its first level, a step-up at the second and a barbell step-up at the third. It also lists stair climbing as an impact exercise for bones. Talk to your doctor or physiotherapist first if you've had several broken bones or spinal fractures.

Sources 26, 27

Shaky balance

Hold a rail or a wall, use a lower step, and do them slowly, as our move page advises.

Call 999 (911 in the US)

For chest pain that feels tight or squeezing, or spreads to your arms, neck or jaw, or severe difficulty breathing. Don't drive yourself to A&E.

Source 28

NHS 111 now: your knee

If your knee is very painful, you can't move it or put weight on it, it's badly swollen or has changed shape, it locks, gives way or clicks painfully (painless clicking is normal), or you have a very high temperature with redness or heat around it. In the US, your doctor or urgent care.

Source 29

Same day: a pop and a knee you can't straighten

A pop, then a gap or dent just above or below the kneecap and not being able to straighten your knee, can be a torn tendon. Get it checked the same day, as our patellar tendon rupture guide says.

See a GP

If knee pain hasn't improved within a few weeks.

Source 29

Stop the session

For chest pain, feeling faint or unusual breathlessness, as our plans' safety note says.

"Step-ups are only for beginners"Mixed evidence

We found no evidence for it. Trained women did them with their 6-rep maximum on a 46 cm box, young rugby players trained them heavy for 8 weeks, and the Royal Osteoporosis Society's top level is a barbell step-up. Height and load make them as hard as you need.

Sources 5, 7, 26

"Step-ups are bad for your knees"Emerging evidence

A 10 cm step-up loaded the kneecap less than a two-leg squat to 60 degrees, a full squat or a lunge, and 20 and 30 cm step-ups were in the lowest tier of tendon load. Step-downs and high boxes load the knee more.

Sources 2, 3

"The higher the box, the better"Emerging evidence

Higher boxes load the knee more, and in older women a 20 to 30 cm step already worked the thighs hard. Height is a dial to turn up slowly, not a goal (our reading).

Sources 2, 13

"Step-ups are the best glute exercise"Emerging evidence

They topped one muscle activity ranking, but the figure came from 15 trained women with a wide spread, and activity in a few reps doesn't predict growth. They're a good glute exercise among several.

Sources 4, 5, 6