Step Ups

[Chris Rice]

Have any of you done "Step Ups" as a serious exercise movement for any length of time? Over the years I have done them but it was just a once in a while kind of thing - and never for a long period of time. Due to my climbing goal for next year and the fact that step ups "seem" to be much more specific to the up hill hiking and climbing motion, I'm thinking of doing them seriously. Not eliminating squats but cutting them back in favor of the step up. I expect some sore knees for a while but hope that if I break into them slowly, I can build some strength and endurance in the right way for my goals. Any thoughts?

[Derek Simonds]

I did them a lot when I had a broken arm. I like them as something different, but I wouldn't cut out squats for them. Even if you think there is direct carryover from the movement. I think that the muscle built with squatting will carryover to hiking and climbing extremely well.

That being said add them in and have fun with them.

[David Aguasca]

squats are great...keep them. but step-ups are good too, especially if you're hiking or climbing. the balance component (especially deep into a workou, when you're fatigued) will be a great benefit to when you're hiking.

if you can, do them with the pack you'll be using for the hike. vary the weight you put inside the pack, obviously, so that you're not always using the same rep ranges.

[Mike ODonnell]

A better choice would be weighted (DB, BB, backpack, whatever..) lunges (step back, elevated foot, walking up a hill). Step ups tend to be too quad dominant and do not activate the hamstrings as much because you are coming down on your other foot and not really controlling the movement. Go find a hill and lunge up it....that sucks big time! In a good way....

[William Hunter]

More than any lower body exercise (all squats, lunges, split squats, sprints, hill runs etc.) step ups aggravated my knees. Not sure why, perhaps the eccentric motion while coming off the bench.

If not actually lunging up a hill, I at least make very long and powerful strides and it's a killer. Good ole hill runs are jolly good fun as well.

Squats should probably never be taken out of your program, just changed up to preserve freshness. DB variations will give the spinal loading a needed break from time to time.

[Garrett Smith]

"B" squats are awesome...

Old thread on them: http://www.performancemenu.com/forum...read.php?t=495

[David Aguasca]

garrett, the links describing the B squat are broken in that thread...

[Garrett Smith]

Updated link:
http://ironsports.tv/bsquat.html
I'm going to go change the link in the other thread as well.