Exercise of the Week - Squats With Side Step

One of the few downsides of lifting weights is that it's easy to get bored doing the same old exercises. How many squats can you do before your head explodes? According to my clients, not that many.

For that reason, I have to sneak in squats in different ways and sometimes, that even works. One of my favorite ways to change things up is by adding a resistance band and a side step along with your squat. Now, you're not using heavy weights, so this move is more about endurance than strength, but by adding a step step, you're making the move dynamic and using more muscle groups. The side step also involves more outer thigh as well as challenging your balance and coordination.

The key to this move is to adjust the tension of the band by wrapping it around your hands if you need to. You also want to take wide steps to the side and keep tension on the band as you squat - you can even press the band overhead as you squat if you really want a challenge.

Do it right: Place a medium resistance band under the feet and hold onto handles with both hands. Take a wide step to the right, and lower into a squat, knees behind toes and keeping tension on the tube. Step the feet together and continue stepping to the right for 8-16 reps or the length of the room before switching sides.