Don’t get your gym pants in a twist—we’re not bringing step aerobics back. But the step itself? It’s one of the most versatile and underutilised pieces of equipment. Just as the platform revolutionized cardio back in the day, this newer take gives a fat-blasting boost to your strength- and interval training workouts.
However, this is not your typical exercise step workout. Instead of working on the step for an hour or more, we put our own spin on it (don’t we always?) and made the intervals intense enough that you will have broken a sweat and fit in a good workout in less than 15 minutes, saving you time for strength training and/or a nice long cool down and stretching routine.
Starting with the first move, complete as many reps as you can in 60 seconds. Proceed immediately to the next exercise without resting, and repeat. Continue until you’ve finished all four moves, then rest for one minute. Do three circuits two or three days a week.
1. Offset-pushup Crossover:
How to:
- Get in a pushup position with your left hand on the step and right hand on the floor (A).
- Do a pushup (B).
- That’s one rep.
- Walk your hands over the step until your right hand is on the step and your left is on the floor and do another pushup.
- Continue alternating.
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2. Squat Pop-over:
How to:
- Squat with your right foot on the floor and your left foot on the step, your left-hand fingers lightly touching the step (A).
- Leap into the air (B), landing with your left foot on the opposite side and your right foot and hand on step (C).
- Quickly reverse the move to return to start.
- That’s one rep.
Related article: Love Your Upper Body With These 6 Muscle Defining, Body Toning Exercises
3. Bulgarian Split Squat:
How to:
- Stand about two feet in front of a step; extend your right leg back and place your foot on the step and your hands on your hips (A).
- Bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can, keeping your shoulders back and chest up (B).
- Pause, then press through your left heel to return to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Complete as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
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4. Decline Mountain Climber:
How to:
- Get in a pushup position with your feet on the step and your hands planted shoulder-width apart on the floor, your body forming a straight line from head to heels (A).
- Lift your right foot off the step and slowly draw your right knee toward your chest (B), then return to start.
- That’s one rep.
- Repeat with your left leg; continue alternating.