How to step up an elevation is the best movement for pumping your buttocks at home

What is good about stepping up an elevation

This is a functional movement that occurs all the time in everyday life - for example, when you are going up stairs or climbing a stool to grab something from the top shelf.

Despite its simplicity, striding effectively pumps several muscle groups at once, and in some cases even has an advantage over such strength training icons as squats and lunges.

They pump the buttocks better than many other movements

The main function of the gluteus maximus muscles is to extend the hip joint, so exercises that include this action are used to pump them. For example, glute bridges, bench-supported hips, squats, and deadlifts.

In stepping, the gluteal muscles have to not only unbend the pelvis, but also participate in stabilizing the hips and knees, keeping them from excessive adduction and rotation. Due to this, the muscles receive more stress.

A review of 16 scientific studies with electromyography (EMG) data found that walking outperformed many other movements.

While hip extension activates the gluteus maximus only 75% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVIC), the deadlift by 61%, and the back squat by 53%, different strides provide 125% of the load.

But here it is important to note that by performing the same hip extension or squat, in which both legs are firmly on the floor, you can take a lot of weight and load the buttocks to the fullest.

At the same time, it is unsafe for even experienced athletes to step on an elevation with significant weights, and beginners should not even think about it: the risk of injury is too great.

Walking is one of the best movements for pumping the buttocks when working with weights is impossible.

Loads many muscle groups

In addition to the gluteus maximus, striding also works well for the gluteus medius, quads, and hamstrings. Moreover, you can shift the load on any muscle groups by changing the performance option.

Also involved in the work are the muscles of the body, which are responsible for the sense of balance and keep your body in a straight position.

Corrects imbalances in muscle development

If the muscles on one side of the body are stronger than the other, in bilateral movements such as squats, the stronger side will take the load. Over time, using large weights can result in injury.

Stepping works equally on the muscles on the left and right sides, helping to get rid of the skew.

Develop a sense of balance and reduce the risk of falls and injury

Unlike squats, which are performed on the spot, striding teaches the body to move effectively back and forth while maintaining balance on one leg.

Because of its functionality, the movement is recommended for older adults to strengthen muscles, rely less on arm support, and eliminate the habit of scuffling when walking.

Stability of the hip and knee joints, a good sense of balance and the habit of correct technique in the long run can reduce the risk of injury in people of any age.

Allows you to practice without equipment and special training

In the gym, steps are done on a step platform, box or skirting board for weightlifting. But, in fact, any stable elevation can be used for exercise - a chair, a step, a bench in a park, or a high curb.

If you don't have dumbbells, you can use a backpack full of heavy things as weight, or pick up bottles of water or sand.

In addition, the exercise can be easily scaled to suit any fitness level. Elderly, poorly trained and very overweight people can step on a platform 10–20 cm high, trained athletes - on a 45–50 cm box, while holding dumbbells in their hands or with a barbell on their shoulders.

Who Shouldn't Walk an Eminence

Since the height of the platform can always be adjusted to the level of the student, there are practically no contraindications for stepping.

However, if you have severe balance problems, make sure you have something to grab onto to prevent a fall in time. Or exercise under the supervision of another person to support you when you lose your balance.

How to walk correctly

Make sure the support is stable and firm. Wobbly step platform structures and chairs with soft padding or insufficient seating will not work.

Stand in front of the support, you can put your hands on your belt or hold them loosely at your sides. Straighten your shoulders and straighten your back, tighten your abs.

Place your right (working) foot on a raised platform so that the entire foot is pressed against the surface, and the heel is near the edge of the platform.

Keeping your back straight, transfer your body weight to your working leg, and then rise to the platform and straighten your leg at the hip and knee joints. After that, you can place the other leg next to a full foot, on toe, or even leave it on weight.

Smoothly and under control, lower your left foot to the floor as you descend from the platform. It is allowed both to substitute the working leg to the supporting leg, and to leave it on the platform for the next step.

Do a full set on the right foot, then repeat on the left.

What mistakes should be avoided

There are several common mistakes that can make your steps ineffective and even dangerous.

Slouching back

Make sure that during lifting the body does not lean towards the knee: this spoils the shape and takes the load away from the legs.

Taking off from the floor with the supporting leg

This movement takes the load off the working leg, which means it makes the exercise less effective. Make sure that only the leg on the dais is making all the effort when lifting.

The second simply rises with the body and is substituted only at the end of the phase.

Inversion of the knee inward

By curling the knee inward during the lift, you put it in a biomechanically disadvantageous position and increase stress on the anterior cruciate ligament.

Keep your knee pointing in the same direction as your toe to help prevent injury. You can even turn it outward a little to prevent it from rotating inward.

Extension of the leg until fully extended

By shortening the lifting phase, you reduce the load on the muscles. Straighten your knee completely, and if it does not work, choose a lower platform.

When to take the weight and how to do it

If you can easily complete 10 strides on each leg, try adding weights. Take 2-4 kg light dumbbells or bottles filled with water or sand.

If you don't lose balance and the form of the exercise does not deteriorate for 10 repetitions, you can increase the weight even more. In the case of access to dumbbells with different weights, add the load until you reach a pair with which you can only do 10-12 times.

If you feel confident, you can try walking with a barbell on your back. To get started, take an empty bar weighing 15–20 kg, or even better, a 7–8 kg bodybar.

Add pancakes as you get used to until you reach a weight that you can perform 8-12 times without turning your knees inward and leaning your body forward.

How to take steps to shift the load on different muscle groups

One study examined how different types of strides - classic, sideways (lateral), diagonal and cross - change the load on the muscles.

15 trained women performed the exercise on a 45 cm box with additional weighting (6RM), and the scientists tracked the activity of different muscle groups using EMG. Here's what they found.

Sideways (lateral)

According to the results of the study, lateral steps are recommended to be done to shift the load on the rectus femoris, one of the heads of the quadriceps, which is responsible for hip flexion.

Stand to the left of the box - right side to it. Place your right foot on a dais, transfer your body weight to the bent leg and lift up until you are fully extended.

As with classic strides, you can place your other foot next to your working one or leave it suspended. In the first case, place the foot of the working leg 10–12 cm from the edge of the support; in the second, you can place it directly on the edge, as in the video.

Diagonally

Such steps load both the straight and medial heads of the quadriceps better than the classical ones. In addition, it is recommended for good pumping of the muscles of the back of the thigh.

If you are stepping onto a box or chair, stand to the left of the support one step further from the edge. If you are climbing a stable bench, you can stand in front of it, as in the video.

Place the foot on a support so that the thigh is located diagonally from the body and perform strides, observing all technical points.

Crosswise

This is the last option that was tested in the experiment. Scientists have concluded that such strides pump the gluteus medius muscles better than others.

Stand to the left of the box with your right side facing toward it. Place your left foot on the box close to the edge. Then, straighten your knee and hip as you step up the dais, and place your right foot next to your left. You can also not substitute your leg, but leave it suspended.

Get down from the dais with your right foot and repeat the movement.

How else can you perform steps

The following types of strides have not been tested in experiments, but since they use additional movements, it can be assumed that they will increase the load on the muscles.

With hip flexion at the highest point

Do the classic step up with your right foot, but instead of just substituting your left, bend your hip and bring your knee forward. Climb back down from your left foot and repeat the movement.

With hip extension at the highest point

Take a step with your right leg, and at the top point, straighten your left thigh, while straining your buttocks. Climb back down from your left foot and repeat the exercise.

Lunge

Step with your right foot and bring your left knee forward, then slide down your left foot and lunge backwards with your right. Get up out of the lunge and repeat the exercise.

How to add walking steps to your workouts

Whether you exercise at home or outdoors, you can do this exercise every workout, combining it with squats, lunges, and other hip and glute movements.

Do steps in 3-5 sets of 15-20 times per leg if you are working without weights, and 10-12 times if you take a weight with which you can tire the muscles enough for that number of repetitions.

If you are building muscles in the gym, you can add dumbbell and barbell strides on the day of your leg workout to diversify your program.

Since back squats, machine leg presses, and barbell hip extensions allow you to take more weight, you should not replace them with strides.

However, you can periodically add this movement to the program to "finish off" the gluteal muscles or quads, restore symmetry and build a sense of balance.

Step in three sets of 8–12 times per leg with weights that will tire your muscles sufficiently without compromising your technique.