I did 50 step-ups a day for a week to strengthen my glutes – here's what I learned

ActiveWorkoutsI did 50 step-ups a day for a week to strengthen my glutes – here’s what I learnedStep ups are one of the best beginner-friendly compound exercises for your lower bodyWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Step ups are one of the best beginner-friendly compound exercises for your lower body

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Two ladies doing step ups on park bench

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jump to category:Benefit of step upsHow to do step upsThree things I learnedVerdict

Lately, I’ve become a little more obsessed with targeting my glutes. Not because I’m trying to get a booty like Kim K (I’ve made with peace that that will never happen), but I’ve noticed what a difference glute strength makes to my lower back, balance, workout performance, and they look nice.

Recently though, I feel my glutes have been slacking. My lower back pain started to kick in again and I noticed my usual go-to glute exercises just weren’t firing up my booty like they used to. “My glutes are broken again” I messaged my coach. Maybe this was my backside’s way of telling me “we’re bored with those old exercises, give us some new ones”, who knows. But I was desperate to get them fired up again, so I thought of what exercises I hadn’t tried – step ups.

Step ups are one of the best beginner-friendlycompound exercisesfor your lower body and, while they target the legs, they also work your bootyhard. So, I set myself the challenge to do 50 step ups a day, for a week to see if I could kick my glutes back into action.

What are the benefits of step ups?

According toPuregym: “Step ups work the glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductors and abductors, calves, and core, and can help to improve stability and reduce muscle imbalances between the two legs”.

They’re also very beginner-friendly as they don’t require much skill to execute – you simply step up onto a box or weight bench and then lower yourself back down. They’re also easy on the joints too, particularly the knees.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Woman doing step ups with dumbbells

(Image credit: Getty Images)

How to do step ups

The great thing about step ups is that you can do them practically anywhere – at home or the gym – you just need a box,weight bench, or a raised surface to step onto. Even your stairs would be a great starting point.

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Tip:“Avoid pushing with the bottom leg and avoiding dropping down quickly from the top,” says Luiz Silva, Head of Fitness and Wellbeing and Personal Trainer atCastle Royle. “Lean your trunk forward slightly to help with the push from the top leg and try to control the pace on the way up and on the way down.” This is a key part of the movement to help increase glute and hamstring strength.

Three things I learned

I train four times a week, so on my non-training days I would do my step ups using my coffee table, then at the gym I would use a weight bench. I’d do two sets of 12 reps on each leg, to make a total of 50. Here’s what I noticed during my week:

1. Weights aren’t necessary

When I did eventually add weights (and this wasn’t until day 4) I only used 2.5kg dumbbells, because I still wanted to really concentrate on using just my glutes to lift my leg and not compromise my form, which can easily happen if the weights start getting too heavy. I urge everyone to leave their egos behind and start with just their bodyweight first to see where you’re at, as the focus should be nailing the exercise, feeling the muscles that are meant to be working, then progressing onto weights.

2. I quickly spotted my imbalances

I’ve always known that my right glute is stronger than my left, but doing step ups made this far more obvious. This is because step ups are a unilateral exercise, which is a move that trains one limb at a time, like a side lunge or a single overhead press. TheAmerican Council on Exercisesays the main benefit of this type of training is that you’re using both sides of the body equally, which can prevent (or correct) muscle imbalances.

3. It relieved some of my lower back pain

Verdict

I thoroughly enjoyed doing step ups, I think they’re an excellent booty burner and great for your core too, as you really have to work hard (especially when lowering the leg) to stay balanced. I’m going to continue doing 50 reps in my warm ups, as it really wasn’t that bad, but increasing the weight load as I progress.

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What are the benefits of step ups?#

How to do step ups#

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Three things I learned#

1. Weights aren’t necessary#

2. I quickly spotted my imbalances#

3. It relieved some of my lower back pain#

Verdict#

What are the benefits of step ups?

How to do step ups

Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox

Three things I learned

1. Weights aren’t necessary

2. I quickly spotted my imbalances

3. It relieved some of my lower back pain

Verdict