Step Bench — Page 2

Step HIIT Workout for Lower Body – 15 Minutes

March 18, 2019 by Nicole 1 Comment

Step HIIT Workout for Lower Body - This HIIT workout uses a step bench and weight to burn out the lower body. #stepper #hiit #lowerbodyworkout #stepworkout

This step hiit workout will take you just under 15 minutes to complete and targets lower body. I’m using a cube stepper, but a longer step bench works great, too.

When I was home visiting my parents last week on the Vineyard, I shot a bunch of stepper workouts. I keep my step bench there because I have zero space in my apartment. I know not all of you have a stepper, so I’ll spread out publishing the workouts I shot using mine. In between will be bodyweight, resistance band, etc. workouts.

Step HIIT Workout for Lower Body

EQUIPMENT I USED:

Stepper (a step bench works, too) – I’m using all four risers; use fewer to make the exercises easier.
1 heavy weight (or two medium weights) – I’m using a 20-lb dumbbell, scale up or down to match your fitness level. A kettlebell or medicine ball would work, too.

This step hiit workout uses an interval structure of 30 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. You’ll go through five exercises a total of four times. The middle three exercises in the circuit isolate one leg. The first time through the circuit, do them all on the left leg. Second time through, all on the right leg. And so on.

If you’re following along with the video, at the halfway point, I give you 30 seconds of recovery instead of 10 seconds.

As with all workouts, you want to make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. Always listen to your body, modifying or stopping as needed.

Step HIIT Workout Breakdown

See 1:31 in the above video for a preview of all the exercises and how to modify them.

Squat to Sit – This is the one exercise that will be more challenging if you use fewer risers on your step bench. If your bench is too low to sit down completely, just do a regular weighted squat.
Uneven Squat Pulse to Step Up – Use the weight for this one unless modifying.
Uneven Squat Hop to Step Up – This builds off of the previous exercise, adding in more explosive movement and ditching the weight.
Pistol Squat – If you’re advanced, do this with the weight.
Up ‘N Overs

If you enjoyed this workout, I have a couple other lower body stepper workouts you’d love:

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Hand Weights/Dumbbells, Interval Training, Lower Body, Step Bench, Video, Workouts Tagged With: stepper

Tabata Stepper Workout (Lower Body)

October 1, 2018 by Nicole Leave a Comment

Hope you all remembered to say “Rabbit rabbit” this morning. (Anyone else try to do that on the 1st of every month?? I started as a kid thanks to Nickelodeon and now I’m 30 and can’t stop.) I’ve been posting a lot of leg workouts recently, so if you’re dismayed at seeing another one today, just know that the next several weeks are upper body, core, full-body. We’ll switch it up! But in the meantime, try this lower body tabata stepper workout. It’s short but tough!

Before we get to the workout, just a reminder: WELL Summit is THIS Friday & Saturday in Brooklyn, NY and there’s still time to get your tickets if you’re interested in attending! The code WSNicole will get you $75 off your ticket. Let me know if you’re going so we can meet up! 🙂

Tabata Stepper Workout (Lower Body)

EQUIPMENT I USED:

Stepper
1 medium dumbbell (10 lbs, use whatever works for your fitness level) – option to have a heavy one or two mediums for certain exercises

This workout is broken up into three tabata supersets. For each tabata, you’ll complete 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. You alternate between the two exercises as you go. Rest for 30-60 seconds between supersets. With rest, this workout will take you just under 15 minutes to complete (12 minutes of tabatas).

As with all workouts, make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. I have a 5-minute warm-up on the blog, or you can do your own. Always listen to your body, modifying or stopping as needed. In the video above, I demonstrate modifications for each exercise.

Exercise Breakdown

Tabata 1

See demo of the exercises and how to modify them in the above video @2:14

Squat Jacks to Stepper with 2 Pulses – Hold the wide squat on the floor and the narrow squat at the top of the bench for two small pulses in between jacks. Do these holding the weight if possible.
Knee Drivers – Alternate target leg each interval. Use the weight during these and if you want a challenge, go heavier with the weight or use two mediums.

Tabata 2

See demo of the exercises and how to modify them in the above video @6:53

Squat Jump to Step Jump – No weight for this one, just bodyweight.
Split Lunge Hops – Alternate target leg each interval. No weight for this one either. But if you’re modifying and pulsing instead of jumping, you might want the weight.

Tabata 3

See demo of the exercises and how to modify them in the above video @11:29

Uneven Squat Jump Up ‘n Over
Isolated Up ‘n Overs – Alternate target leg each interval. Can use one medium, one heavy or two medium weights.

WEARING | Michi leggings (old but these new ones by Michi are similar in dark blue) // Fabletics tank // Adidas sneakers

xo Nicole

This post contains affiliate links.

Filed Under: Hand Weights/Dumbbells, Interval Training, Lower Body, Step Bench, Tabata, Video, Workouts

Strength + Cardio Heavy Lower Body Workout

September 10, 2018 by Nicole 5 Comments

Greetings from California! I’m currently in San Francisco and will be heading down to Santa Barbara to attend CJU with Under Armour until Friday. I’ll have some free time tomorrow afternoon and would love any Santa Barbara suggestions you have! Eat? Workout? Things to see? I’ve never been!

I finally invested in some heavier dumbbells for my at-home gym collection (20-pounders woop woop) and we’re putting them to use in this heavy lower body workout. It’s divided into weighted strength sections and bodyweight cardio sections and will take you about 25 minutes to complete.

Strength + Cardio Heavy Lower Body Workout

EQUIPMENT I USED:

Stepper – I used it with 3 out of the 4 risers. The more risers, the harder it’ll be. Pick the height that works for you!
Set of 20-lb dumbbells (use weights that work for your fitness level!)

In this workout, you’ll alternate between heavy weighted sections and bodyweight cardio sections. You rest for 30 seconds after each 3-minute section and get a full 60 seconds to rest at the halfway point (after your first cardio section).

Here’s a breakdown of the structure:

Warm Up
Strength – Right
Strength – Left
Cardio
Strength – Right
Strength – Left
Cardio

All the exercises are done for 60 seconds. If the two weights get to be too heavy at any time, you can drop down to one weight.

As with all workouts, make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. Always listen to your body, modifying or stopping as needed. Take some time to cool down and stretch afterwards. This workout starts with 3 minutes of gentler work before getting to the body of the workout, but I still recommend warming up beforehand. I have a 5-minute warm up or you can do you own.

Exercise Breakdown

For a preview of all the exercises, fast-forward to 3:33 in the above video.

Warm Up – use just one dumbbell

Good Mornings
Good Morning Squats
Alternating Reverse Lunges

Strength – Right leg

Bulgarian Lunge
Squat to Step Up
Back Lunge Pulses to Curtsy Lunge Pulses (can drop down to just one dumbbell)

Strength – Left leg

Cardio

Up and Overs
Sit to Squat Jump – if stepper is too low, just do regular squat jumps
Hot Feet with Step Jump – if following along with the video, jump when you hear a beep; if doing on your own, just jump every 10ish seconds

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Hand Weights/Dumbbells, Lower Body, Step Bench, Video, Workouts