Barbell Step Ups

How to do the Barbell Step Ups

1. Stand up straight while holding a barbell placed on the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) and stand upright behind an elevated platform (such as the one used for spotting behind a flat bench). This is your starting position.
2. Place the right foot on the elevated platform. Step on the platform by extending the hip and the knee of your right leg. Use the heel mainly to lift the rest of your body up and place the foot of the left leg on the platform as well. Breathe out as you execute the force required to come up.
3. Step down with the left leg by flexing the hip and knee of the right leg as you inhale. Return to the original standing position by placing the right foot of to next to the left foot on the initial position.
4. Repeat with the right leg for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	calves, glutes, hamstrings, quads
Equipment	barbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No barbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Dumbbell Lunges Dumbbell Dumbbell Rear Lunge Dumbbell

Easier than the Barbell Step Ups

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Barbell Squat beginner · Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge beginner · Barbell Bodyweight Walking Lunge beginner · Bodyweight

Harder than the Barbell Step Ups

Reverse Band Power Squat expert · Barbell Power Jerk expert · Barbell Overhead Squat expert · Barbell

Superset the Barbell Step Ups with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Power Clean hamstrings Romanian Deadlift hamstrings Snatch Pull hamstrings Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Barbell Step Ups work?

The Barbell Step Ups primarily works the quads, with the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quads as secondary movers. Barbell Full Squat, Barbell Lunge, and Barbell Squat train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Barbell Step Ups?

A Barbell. Without a barbell, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, Freehand Jump Squat, and Bodyweight Squat train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Barbell Step Ups suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Barbell Squat, Barbell Walking Lunge, and Bodyweight Walking Lunge and work up.

Where should the Barbell Step Ups go in a workout?

Early — the Barbell Step Ups is compound, working 5 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Power Clean and Romanian Deadlift later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge Barbell Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight