Is this normal?

[wannabefit83]

I am also like Ruthie and can do more weight with the step ups. I LOVE Cathe workouts and I use 4 risers under my step. Do I need to add more??

[missjane]

I would go higher, if I were you. You'll increase the difficulty and increase your ROM and target your glutes more. Try a weight bench, but you will need to drop your weight and focus on not using your non-working leg.

[Nikster]

one thing I find I do (sometimes) to "cheat" is slightly swing the weights forward--and can't seem to keep them perfectly still at my sides.....does this change anything? I try to focus more on standing STRAIGHT up tall and this helps but some sets are sloppy. Anyone else do this? And when I say slightly, I mean barely.....not perfectly still, not like I am swinging them Just wondered if that makes a huge difference?

[Celestialmom]

Found this thread while trying to figure out my stepup form...thanks to input from MissJane. I agree with those above, I'm going to lower my weights and work on making sure that back leg isn't helping very much at all. Thanks for the vids!
Celeste

[DirtyMartini]

I did that in stage 2 and it's made a world of difference! I did a low step (13") in stage 1 with heavy weights, then started over on a high step (18" or so) with just my bodyweight and am now in stage 4 closing in on the weight I was lifting at the end of stage 1, but on a much higher step. I'm glad I changed; it's really helped with my stability and my glute strength!

[missjane]

Those doing them on a low step (not that there isn't a purpose for low steps) are really missing out on that full ROM and the glute work. It may be an ego killer to up the step height and drop the weight (sometimes to just BW at first) to really focus on form, but I found it SOOO worth it.

[akimbo]

Great thread! I obviously need to move to a weight bench (I've been using a typical aerobic step with 3 risers). Hopefully no one in the weight room will complain about shoes on the benches

I've also been alternating legs, not doing all left leg first for example. It didn't occur to me not to until I saw the video! More stuff to work on... it never ends

[DirtyMartini]

One thing I found with a weights bench, too, was that since the top of it is foamy/squishy, I had to work on my stabilization even more. You should have seen me when I started on the weights bench - my bf was getting frustrated with me because I was having such a hard time with my balance and he was trying to tell me how to fix it and I couldn't follow his guidance very well. Thankfully, it got better pretty quickly.

I am really impressed at how much my balance has improved since moving to the weights bench. I hated it at first but now sing the praises of high step-ups.

[foodfromafar]

I've been trying to get my husband to join the gym so he can critique my form. I think I'm doing step ups OK. I am straight up and down...maybe use my back leg a little too much toward the 3rd set. I don't think I'm doing the knee thing, but I really don't know. Maybe I'll watch next time. I find holding 10# weight plates is a lot easier than holding dumbbells. My hands just fit into the holes around the edge so they can hang straight down at my sides instead of the dumbbells hitting my thighs or butt every time I do up and down.