What is Step Up with Knee Drive?

Step Up with Knee Drive is a unilateral leg exercise where you step onto an elevated surface and drive the opposite knee up. It primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves and is classified as an easy-level move for building single-leg strength and balance.

How to Do Step Up with Knee Drive

  1. Set up position: Stand facing a stable bench at knee height; place one foot flat on the bench and keep the other foot flat on the floor for balance.
  2. Brace and inhale: Inhale and brace your core, maintain a tall posture and a slight forward lean to shift weight onto the front leg before pushing up.
  3. Drive through heel: Press through the front foot, gripping with toes and drive the hip up while extending the knee, minimizing assistance from the back leg.
  4. Drive knee upward: Explosively drive the rear knee toward the chest until reaching single-leg stance; squeeze the glutes at the top for stability and control.
  5. Controlled descent: Slowly lower the rear foot back to the ground with control, keeping tension in the working leg; repeat reps then switch sides.

Muscle Groups

Quadriceps, Hamstring, Calves, Glutes

Description

Place one foot flat on a stable elevated surface, ideally knee height, the other foot flat on the floor.
Keep a tall posture, and lean slightly forward so you can shift most of your weight to the front leg.

Grip with your toes and try to drive your front foot downward, creating tension throughout that leg.

Inhale, brace your core, and push through the elevated leg. Drive the back knee to the sky and come to single leg standing position. Squeeze the glutes to help you stablilise.

Pause at that top, and then try to control the descent. Repeat for repetitions and then switch sides.

Try to limit the use of the back leg.

Movement Group

Legs

Required Equipment

Bench

Progressions and Regressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of the Step Up with Knee Drive?

This exercise improves single-leg strength, hip drive, and balance while targeting quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. It also enhances functional power for stairs and sprints and requires minimal equipment, useful for strength, rehab and conditioning.

What are common mistakes to avoid?

Common mistakes include using the back leg to push, rounding the torso, ignoring core bracing, stepping onto an unstable surface, and uncontrolled descent. Focus on pressing through the front heel, maintaining tall posture, bracing the core, and controlling the return.

How can I progress or modify the exercise?

To progress, increase step height, add weight (dumbbell or vest), perform slower negatives, or add explosive drives for power. To modify, lower step height, use a hand for balance, or perform regular step-ups without the knee drive.