Side Step Arm Crossover

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand facing a low step platform with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
2. Extend your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
3. Engage your core and keep your chest lifted to maintain an upright posture.

How to do it

1. Step laterally onto the platform with your right foot while simultaneously swinging both arms across the midline of your body, crossing one over the other.
2. Exhale as you step up and cross your arms, squeezing your chest muscles at the center.
3. Push off the step with your right foot to return to the starting position while inhaling and opening your arms back out to the sides.
4. Repeat the movement by stepping with the left foot, alternating the arm that crosses on top each time.

Form checklist

• Keep your arms at shoulder height; do not let them drop as you fatigue.
• Ensure your entire foot is planted firmly on the step to avoid slipping.
• Maintain a tall spine and avoid leaning forward during the lateral step.
• Keep your core braced throughout to stabilize your torso during the arm swing.

Pro tips

• Focus on a forceful 'hug' motion during the crossover to maximize pectoral and anterior deltoid activation.
• Maintain a quick, rhythmic tempo to turn this into a cardiovascular challenge while keeping the movements controlled.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top of the step to ensure full lower-body engagement.

Make it harder

• Increase the step height to demand more power from the quadriceps and glutes.
• Hold light dumbbells or use wrist weights to add resistance to the arm crossover phase.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the side step arm crossover work?

The side step arm crossover primarily targets the glutes and quadriceps, and also works the obliques and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the side step arm crossover?

The side step arm crossover uses step.

Is the side step arm crossover good for beginners?

The side step arm crossover is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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