Barbell Step Up to Balance

Position: Stand in front of step/box, with feet about shoulders width apart, and bar resting across the upper traps. The abdominals should be “Braced.” (“Bracing” consists of tightening your abdominals as if you were going to take a punch to the stomach).

Movement: Take a step forward onto the step/box. The heel should make contact to the surface first and then the toes should follow. Once the front foot is stabilized securely on the surface, drive though the heel of the front foot extending the hip and knee (standing up on the step/box) simultaneously driving the rear leg forward into triple flexion, with knee held high. Be sure to accentuate the squeeze of the glute on the supporting leg in order to really drive that hip into extension. Then repeat.