step ups

Illustration: Florie Duhau

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Alternating Single Leg Step Ups

1. With a dumbbell in each hand and your arms at your sides, place your right foot on top of a bench or elevated surface that's firm and steady. You want a surface that's no lower than 12 inches and no higher than 18 inches from the ground.
2. Press your weight into your right heel and squeeze your right glute as you rise up onto your right leg on top of the bench or surface. Drive your left knee up as you rise until your knee is out in front of you and level with your hips.
3. Drop your left foot and reach it behind as you as lower back down to the ground, so you land in a lunge with your left knee 2 to 3 inches off the floor. Come out of the lunge to return to starting position.