Glute, Hip and Thigh Exercises Part 2

By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Updated June 21, 2010

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Step ups are great for the glutes and one way to add some variety to your workout is to do side step ups. While you're still working that glutes, hips and thighs, you'll change the emphasis of the exercise, adding a bit more inner thigh. Anytime you change something, you force your body to use different muscle fibers in response to those new movements.

Watch your step height on side step ups to avoid any knee pain. You might need to work at a lower level than regular step ups.

1. Stand sideways on a step or platform (at the highest level, the leg on the step should not bend more than 90 degrees) and hold a medium-heavy dumbbell in both hands.
2. Step down with the right leg, lowering into a squat and keeping the back straight, the torso upright and the abs in.
3. Focus on the leg that's on the step as you push into the heel, bringing the right foot back onto the step.
4. Keep the movement slow and controlled and imagine that the leg on the step is doing all the work.
5. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps on both sides.

Previous

• Leg Extensions
• Side Step Ups
• Seated Inner Thigh Squeezes
• Ball Taps
• Crossover Step Ups
• Straight Leg Raise

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