High-step box step-up strength
4 sets of 6-8 slow step-ups per leg onto a high box, 90 s rest.
- Slot
- Strength
- Focus
- General strength
- Time
- 10 min
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Injury risk
- Moderate
- Intervals
- 4 rounds, 1:30 rest
- Equipment
- Bench, Box, Added weight
How to do it
Use a box or bench about knee to hip height, like a big high step. Put one foot on the box and stand up by driving through that foot, without pushing off with the foot on the floor. Lower slowly back down. Do 6-8 reps per leg, 4 sets, with 90 seconds rest. Keep the knee pointing over your toes, and hold light dumbbells once it gets easy.
Who it’s for
High steps and rock-overs, which need strength at the very bottom of a single-leg range, exactly where most people have none.
Common mistakes
- Pushing off with the trailing foot. That’s cheating the hard part. The bottom foot does nothing.
- A box that’s too low. Knee to hip height. A low box trains a range you already have.
- Knee falling inward. It tracks over the toes. If it caves, drop the height.
- Dropping down. Lower slowly. The descent is half the value.
How to progress
Height first, then weight. Once you can do eight clean reps a side from a hip-height box, hold light dumbbells. Getting the knee to stay out under load is what carries onto the wall.
When it fits
The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.
- Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
- Strength Stronger fingers and pulling, with weight you control.
Related blocks
Start with a ready-made block
A six-week strength plan with a deload, as a file for the app, and seven short emails on how to run it.