Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Band Step-Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The band step-up is a lower body exercise that targets the glutes, with secondary emphasis on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It involves stepping onto a platform with resistance provided by a band around the thighs, enhancing muscle activation and stability.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Quads , Calves
Equipment
Band
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the band step-up
Front view: muscles worked by the band step-up. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings, quads and calves.
Back view: muscles worked by the band step-up. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings, quads and calves.
Primary Secondary

How to do the band step-up

  1. Step 1: Place a band around your thighs, just above your knees.
  2. Step 2: Stand facing a step or platform with your feet hip-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Step up onto the platform with your right foot, pushing through your heel.
  4. Step 4: Extend your left leg behind you, keeping it straight.
  5. Step 5: Lower your left foot back down to the ground.
  6. Step 6: Repeat with your left foot stepping up onto the platform.
  7. Step 7: Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the band step-up by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Band Step-Up alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.