The Box Step-Up

The box step-up is a single-leg (unilateral) lower-body movement that is common to functions that occur in everyday life. It demands lower-body strength, balance, posterior-chain engagement, and the ability to absorb force (decelerate) to enhance efficiency and performance. The movement can be performed with only your body weight or with loading in a variety of positions, and the height of the box can be adjusted to achieve an intended stimulus and to increase or decrease the difficulty.  This movement is a nice addition to programs that incorporate traditional bilateral squatting movement,s such as back squats. Read further to learn everything you need to know about the box step-up:

• What Is the Box Step-Up?
• Box Step-Up Benefits
• Muscle Groups Worked
• How To Prepare for the Box Step-Up
• Equipment Needed
• How To Warm Up for the Box Step-Up
• How To Perform the Box Step-Up
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• Box Step-Up Modifications
• Box Step-Up Variations
• Common Box Step-Up Workouts
• Get Started Today!

What are Box Step-Ups?

The box step-up is a unilateral lower-body exercise, common in conditioning workouts, that develops strength, stability, balance, and endurance. The movement can be completed competently for nearly any individual by altering the height of the surface.  

You’ll see box step-ups programmed in warm-ups, conditioning workouts, as an accessory strength movement, and as an occasional scaling option that can be utilized for box jumps.

Box Step-Up Benefits

The box step-up can be used to develop cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance, strength and stability, balance, and athleticism. 

Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Endurance

The box step-up can be performed for a very high number of reps and the sustainable nature of this movement can be utilized to develop cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance. 

Strength

The box step-up can be performed with load and, although not typically performed for max loads for very low reps, can be used as a strength developer. The unilateral nature develops strength in a different manner than bilateral movements and can be implemented to reduce muscle imbalances. 

Balance

For many athletes, the single-leg nature of the movement will require balance and coordination to perform the movement effectively. 

Athleticism

The box step-up can be utilized in a manner to develop powerful, controlled hip extension necessary for high-level performance. The box step-up will also require the demand for the athlete to decelerate on the lowering phase and correctly change direction. 

Muscle Groups Worked

The box step-up primarily works the muscles of the lower body and core. 

Lower Body

The muscles of the legs, including the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors, contribute to extending the knee and hip of the working leg when moving to a standing position on top of the box, as well as when performing the controlled lowering phase of the movement. 

Core

The muscles of the core, including the abdominal and spinal erectors, work to maintain stability about the spine throughout the large range of motion demand of the movement.

How To Prepare for Box Step-Ups

Although unloaded box step-ups can contribute to an effective warm-up drill, particularly at a low height, the movement will benefit from a sound general warm-up to get the body ready for the range-of-motion demands. 

Equipment Needed 

The box step-up requires a surface area to step onto that is a height to provide the athlete with the intended stimulus of the day. The surface area may be a box, a bench, or a few bumper plates, as well as any other surface that is safe and stable. 

How To Warm Up for Box Step-Ups

To warm up for the box step-up, the athlete can perform general exercise that increases core temperature, along with movements that target the lower body through a large range of motion. For example, rowing, biking, running, jumping jacks, and jumping rope are movements that can be utilized to raise core temperature. Movements like air squats, bodyweight lunges, GHD hip extensions, dynamic Samson stretches, and standing leg swings will work to meet the range-of-motion demands. The general warm-up can be followed by a specific warm-up that starts with step-ups at a low height that progressively increase over the course of a few warm-up sets. 

How To Perform Box Step-Ups

Performing a box step-up involves establishing the correct step-up position, followed by many characteristics similar to a squatting motion, albeit on one leg. 

Setup Position

Start facing the box with feet approximately hip-width apart. 

Ascent

Step the full foot on the box and drive through it to stand to full hip and knee extension. The knee of the working leg should track in line with the foot, and the spine should remain neutral. 

Finish Position

After achieving full hip and knee extension of the working leg on top of the box, the non-working leg is now placed on top of the box as well. The ascent is finished when the hips and legs are fully extended. 

Descent

The working leg typically reaches back toward the floor to initiate the controlled descent. After both feet have returned to the ground, the next rep will be initiated with the opposite leg. 

Common Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

There are several common box step-up mistakes that athletes should be aware of and avoid. 

Excessive Use of the Non-Working Leg

The non-working leg may be used to aid with the movement; however, this assistance should be minimized to develop strength and stamina of the leg being placed on the box. 

To address this issue, focus on driving the foot of the working leg aggressively downward into the box or reduce the box height. 

Knee Caving Inward

Similar to a squat, correct execution requires that the knee tracks in line with the foot. However, an inward movement of the knee is common. To aid with this issue focus on pushing the knee outward while keeping the full foot on the box. 

Not Reaching Full Extension on Top of the Box

The leg and hip of the working leg is intended to extend completely before the non-working leg touches the top of the box. If this demand is not being met, that rep may need to be slowed down with a focus on full extension, or the height (or load) may need to be reduced. 

Excessive Torso Lean or Loss of a Neutral Spine Position

Leaning forward excessively or losing stability of the trunk can fatigue the lower back prematurely. Focus on keeping the torso relatively upright throughout the rep. 

Box Step-Up modifications

Modifications can be made to reduce the range of motion, or another unilateral movement can be performed if balance or stability is an issue or if equipment is not available. 

Reduced Box Height

Athletes may reduce the height of the box to meet their range of motion and strength needs. The height can be reduced to as little as a couple of inches, making this a very accessible movement. 

Perform an Alternative Unilateral Lower-Body Movement

If the athlete lacks balance and stability to perform a step-up variation, they can perform another single-leg variation on the floor, such as a lunge or split squat. To further reduce the demand, the athlete may hold the post of a pull-up rig to place less demand on balance.

Alternative single-leg movements can also be performed if adequate equipment is not available. 

Box Step-Up Variations

There are several variations of box step-ups that are common in CrossFit workouts. 

Weighted Box Step-Up

Box step-ups are often programmed with load being utilized. Common loading options include dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, weight vests, and rucks. Barbells may also be utilized. Workouts can further be varied by the designated position of the load. For example, holding dumbbells by the sides versus holding dumbbells at the shoulders. 

Box Step-Overs

This variation requires the athlete to step onto the box and to continue the rep to the opposite side from which they started. This variation may require more balance, coordination, and agility to perform correctly. 

Lateral Box Step-Up

The variation of the step-up involves the athlete starting facing parallel to the box instead of facing directly toward the box. This change of direction requires the athlete to move laterally and requires a different musculature and range of motion demand. 

Common Box Step-Up Workouts

CHAD1000X

For time:

1,000 weighted box step-ups

♀ 35-lb ruck, 20-in box

♂ 45-lb ruck, 20-in box

Monti

5 rounds for time of:
50 barbell step-ups
15 cleans
50 barbell step-ups
10 snatches

♀ 35-lb step-up, 20-inch box, 95-lb clean and snatch
♂ 45-lb step-up, 20-inch box, 135-lb clean and snatch