Other than weight benches, what are people using for steps?

[bekkilyn]

For the step ups, I have a stepstool, but it's a bit too low. I tested my weight bench, but there is no way I can even begin to step up on it without my other foot helping. My aerobic step is too low as well.

What else are people using for these?

Lately, I've been sitting on my weight bench and doing resistance against the floor with each leg since I can't stand up on one leg without my upper body helping. I do feel this method in my hamstrings, but I don't know if it's giving me the correct effect.

I think I may have found a solution to my push up problem in that everything I have at home seems either too high or too low for the incline. The edge of the bathtub! It's going to be really weird, but I'm going to try it later today!

[rubyam]

There is a ledge in my gym separating two sections. I put an aerobic step with a couple supports on that and it works great. I find the weight bench really hard to step up onto because it is squishy.

[GymBunny]

I'm not sure if the bathtub is worth the risk... What if you fall or drop one of the weights?

[missjane]

She's using the bathtub for push-ups...no weights involved.

As for the step-ups, the trainers at my gym (granted, they aren't the greatest) have every one of their clients use the weight bench. Even if they are having trouble doing the step-ups without cheating. Some even use the bench uprights for support, at first. I am assuming they are having them use the bench right off the bat so that they get full range of motion. I've watched them get better and better, so maybe if you just keep at it, you'll feel more comfortable on the bench.

[karozel]

I have an aerobic step that I put next to the bench. It's only a few inches, but it does seem to make enough of a difference. But then my step-ups still stink... last ones I did were only body-weight, because they were super-setted with BSS.

When I do them I actually start from the top, and lower myself until the toes of the non-working leg touch the step, and then (try) to straighten the working leg without pushing off of the step at all -- hope that makes sense.

[nancysmithwp]

My gym has a couple of pieces of equipment with a platform a foot or so off the ground. I put an aerobic step on this platform.

[LisaS]

Before I had a suitable step, I would use a brick planter (outside of course).

[mpipes]

got any stairs around? or a step bumper on a pick-up truck? concrete garden bench? make your own with some lumber? just a few ideas!

[bekkilyn]

The aerobic step next to the bench might work! I'm going to try it tomorrow when I do step ups again!

So many great ideas here, so if the above doesn't work, I might be able to try out some of them. Unfortunately, I don't have a gym ledge, a pickup truck (though I'd like one), concrete garden benches or planters (though hopefully this will change in the far future as I get this yard cleaned up), and I live in a single-story house with no stairs.

The lumber idea would definitely work so long as it didn't get halfway completed and then sit around for a few years in an unfinished state like certain other projects I've attempted, heh. I'll just have to pray that the aerobic step next to the weight bench works!

Thanks for all of these great ideas!

[AnnetteW]

At home I use a milk crate.

A bench is a tad too high for me.