Band Step-Up

Setup

1. 01Place a sturdy box or bench around knee height in front of you.
2. 02Put one foot fully on the box with the middle of a band trapped under it.
3. 03Pull the band ends up to your shoulders and hold them there.
4. 04Square the hips toward the box and brace.

Execution

1. 01Drive through the whole foot on the box to stand up on top.
2. 02Bring the trailing leg up to a tall standing position without pushing off the floor.
3. 03Reverse under control, lowering the trailing foot back to the floor slowly.
4. 04Keep the working foot on the box for all reps, then switch sides.

Checkpoints

• -The box leg does the work; the floor leg does not bounce or jump.
• -Knee tracks over the toes as you drive up.
• -Torso stays tall with only a slight forward lean.
• -Band stays under the mid-foot and at the shoulders throughout.

Common mistakes

• -Kicking off the back leg to cheat the concentric.
• -Dropping quickly to the floor instead of lowering under control.
• -Using a box so high the lower back rounds at the start.
• -Letting the knee collapse inward on the drive.