How To Do Up and Overs

Up and Overs is a simple but effective cardio exercise using a step or platform to move over the top in a side to side motion accelerating your heart rate and burning calories fast! Up and Overs is simple to follow once you get a rhythm going. This move can be as small or as big as you choose. It is easy to begin and learn at a lower level keeping your feet closer to the floor. It is also doable to move with the low-impact option of crossing your feet over without actually hopping or jumping. Once you learn the move you can make it bigger with more of a vertical jump to challenging both your leg muscles and your heart rate. This exercise helps you practice not only your cardio ability, but also your agility and coordination. These elements of training are crucial both for athletes for the every day person that is aging. Agility and coordination keep you sharp as you move throughout your daily activities and help prevent trips and falls.

There are many options for cardio exercise, from cycling to running to elliptical machines, but some of them get monotonous and boring, particularly if you are stuck inside. If you learn how to do Up and Overs, you will have a new cardio move you can do anywhere. This is a great move for incorporating into circuit training as well. Do a minute of Up and Overs, then drop and do 15 push-ups. Move back to Up and Overs, then perform 15 squats.

We recommend that you start slow when you learn this move. Begin by walking over the bench or platform slowly. Keep it low impact for a few times. Then pick up your pace and increase your range of motion a little at a time. Eventually, you should be moving in a big, almost plyometric way! In addition to starting slow, start on a bench or step that is low to the ground and once you learn how to do the move consistently, you can move to a higher level.

Try Up and Overs in place of the jumproping in this 15 Minute Jump Rope Circuit Workout!

Here are the steps to performing Up and Overs:

1) Start in a squat position with one foot on the center of your step.

2) Use your lower body muscles to jump up and over the step.

3) Land in a squat with your other foot on the step and repeat back and forth quickly.

Targets: glutes, quads, hamstrings