Just finished a personal training session his morning with a client who’s squats are hindered by his back
Plus a slight lack in hamstring mobility, especially under the weight of a barbell
So for getting some weight through his legs to improve strength, mobility and general physique , in a squat pattern..(Think big knee bend and hip hinge),
but without putting a big load through his spine yet
I like to use a variety of movements to help and this is one of my favourites
client Ash performing a step up
The step up is a great way of improving the squat pattern with the actual lowering your backside to the floor bit
You are bending at the knee and at the hip by varying amounts depending on how high the step is
So starting lower and increasing the height is effectively the same as squatting shallower and getting deeper…with a really high step up having a huge knee AND hip range of motion…meaning GREAT quad and glute recruitment
But there are a couple of differences that make it a nicer move than a back squat
Firstly its Unilateral…..ok 1 legged. This means that you are not using as heavier weight….like you would for a barbell squat, so there’s less pressure on your back
As its a single leg exercise, you don’t get the stability of 2 legs…so the assisting muscles have to work harder and also the strength of both combined is usually much greater than single leg…for example i can squat 150 but pretty certain i can’t single leg squat 75kg (The whole is greater than the sum of its parts)
You can stay more upright in the step up, again meaning there’s less load on the lower back
Using this exercise and adjusting where you hold the weight can make this exercise more or less difficult, recruit more or less core work and make it more or less fun…or depending on your viewpoint less or even lesser fun
The higher the load the harder it is, so from dumbbells by the side all the way to barbell overhead…the centre of gravity shifts upwards and becomes a killer
You can also have the load on one side only …either with the leg or opposite…this affects the balance a whole lot again….using dumbbells or kettlebells
To perform the exercise
- Take a firm foot position at the top with feet about hip width apart
- Step up and straighten the leg (not to violently)
- Squeezing the bum at the top
- And lowering yourself down slowly
- You can then either keep that foot up and complete ALL reps on one side and switch once completed
- OR bring that foot down and switch sides each time at the bottom (if fatigue is an issue)
- Remember to make sure that you don’t switch feet at the top and lower yourself down with the opposite leg you stepped up with…otherwise you are doing half reps
- try and prevent any knee tracking (moving sideways inwards as you step up)
- try and prevent placing the other foot down on top of the box until you have fully extended and stood up straight
So if squatting is something you don’t like, or perhaps isn’t something you feel safe with currently, or you just want to try something different…stick this in your programme for a few weeks
Increase either the weight, or the height or the position of the weight
Then either go back to the squat or start squatting and you should feel a lot more comfortable doing so.
If you struggle with any exercises, or if you need help with your form…programme or just some general advice feel free to give me a shout. I offer one to one personal training either at home or a park or in the private fitness facility here in south Woodford as well as both online and hybrid training
Paul