Exercises like squats have their place in a workout, but most of us have imbalances in lower-body strength, prioritising one leg over the other during gym workouts, cardio sessions, and even walking around in daily life, because it is stronger.
The step-up exercise corrects this, as you use your body weight as resistance (with dumbbells to make it harder) and lift yourself onto a chair or bench, one leg at a time. It's a movement that targets the entire lower body, from ankle stability to core strength, and it can be done almost anywhere.
