Poliquin Step Ups

There are two important components of a poliquin step-up: the working foot is elevated (about 3”), and the working heel is elevated even further (another 3”). This means you need something to serve as a riser (e.g., a stack of plates or an aerobics stepper), and then something else to prop up your heel (e.g., squat wedges, a slant board, a hex dumbbell, more plates).

Since this is a one-footed exercise, maintaining your balance is often challenging. While a pair of dumbbells is featured in the demo video, you can use a single dumbbell held in one hand, with the other hand on something sturdy. You may find that body weight is sufficient at first, which leaves both hands free to help keep you steady. Standing in a rack and using the posts for balance works great. Another option is to set one of those fixed-weight barbells upright (provided the end of the weight is flat) so it functions as a steady post that you can hold on to.

You know you’re doing these right if you feel your quadriceps burning like crazy just above and to the inside of your kneecap. This tear-drop-shaped section of your quadriceps is called the VMO, and it helps to keep your knees healthy, strong, and resilient.