Exercise guide
Step Up With Knee Drive
- Beginner
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
The Step Up With Knee Drive is a functional compound movement that builds lower body power and core stability by combining a unilateral step-up with an explosive hip flexion.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand facing a sturdy step or flat bench with your feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and keep your chest upright with your arms at your sides.
- Place your entire right foot firmly on the center of the step, ensuring your heel is not hanging off.
How to do it
- Drive through the heel of the right foot to lift your body, exhaling as you rise.
- Simultaneously bring your left knee up toward your chest in an explosive drive until the thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Inhale as you lower the left foot back to the ground with control, followed by the right foot.
- Repeat the movement by stepping up with the left foot to alternate sides.
Form checklist
- Keep the knee of the working leg tracked over the second toe, avoiding internal collapse.
- Minimize the push-off from the floor leg to ensure the elevated leg does the work.
- Maintain a tall posture and avoid leaning too far forward at the hips.
- Keep your hips level and square throughout the knee drive phase.
Pro tips
- Drive your arms in a running motion—opposite arm to opposite knee—to improve balance and power.
- Focus on a slow, 2-second eccentric lowering phase to maximize muscle fiber recruitment in the glutes.
Make it harder
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand to increase the load on the primary movers.
- Increase the height of the step to increase the range of motion and hip flexion demand.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the step up with knee drive work?
- The step up with knee drive primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the step up with knee drive?
- The step up with knee drive uses dumbbell.
- Is the step up with knee drive good for beginners?
- Yes. The step up with knee drive is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.
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