5 Plyo Box Exercises for Stronger Glutes

Plyo box is the perfect way to spice up your training with a variety of different movements that will leave your hands on your knees tired while still developing some serious power and strength.

Plyo boxes — also called box jumps or step boxes — make it possible to perform full-body workouts without the need for extra equipment or a pricey gym membership.

With these plyometric exercises, you can improve your power, endurance, and stability all at once.

Five Plyo Box Exercises to Help Your Glutes Get Stronger

Here are five plyo box exercises you can start doing today to get better results from your workouts. Jump boxes come in different sizes. Before you start a workout, choose the one that's right for you!

1) Box Jump

Plyo box jumps are a classic exercise for building explosive power in the legs. Start with a smaller jump box if you have never done this exercise before.

Here's how you do this exercise:

To do a box jump, start by standing in front of the box.
Your feet should be shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing forward.
Swing your arms to help power the jump while mainly focusing on using your legs to jump onto the box.
As you land on top of the box, pull your knees up to your chest.

2) Lateral Step Ups

Use this exercise to target your glutes, whether you use a box or a dumbbell. The lateral plyo box step up is like a forward-facing step up in that it's more effective at targeting your glutes than a standard step up.

To do this exercise:

Step up onto the plyo box with your left foot.
Bend your knee, then push up with your left leg until you're standing on the box.
Squeeze your glute at the top of the movement before stepping back down to starting position.
Make sure your right knee stays behind the toes of your left foot as to avoid excessive strain.
To maintain balance, engage your core muscles.
Perform all repetitions on one side before switching to the other.

3) Single Leg Box Squat

Plyo box squats are a great way to build unilateral glute strength, and they can also be used as a progression exercise to perform a pistol squat without any additional support.

Here's how you do this exercise:

Stand with feet hip-width apart, lift one foot off the floor, then go into a one-legged squat.
Sit on the box so that your glutes turn off, then fire up from the bottom position to stand back up.
Push back up from the box, squeezing your working leg's glute hard at the top of the movement.
Perform all reps on one leg (preferably starting with your weaker side) before changing sides.

4) Bulgarian Split Squat

This exercise is designed to challenge you physically, as well as test your lower-body strength and power. It's not recommended for beginners.

To perform this exercise:

Stand on your left foot with your right foot in a wide step stance while on the plyo box.
Lower down into a lunge, then explosively push through with your front leg so that it leaves the ground.
Land softly through the bending of your knee back into a lunge, as to avoid too much impact.
Repeat this process until you have completed all your reps on one side before moving onto the next side.

5) Shoulder Push-ups

This exercise can be done on a bench, but plyo boxes come in a range of heights/sizes, so you can easily find one that’s right for you.

How to do it :

Place your feet on the box and your hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Push up with your hips (in a pike position) until your arms are straight.
Bend at the elbows as you lower yourself down and push back up.
If you're new to this exercise, start with your knees on the box.
Straighten your legs to increase the focus on your shoulders.
The more vertical your body is in your pike position, the more you will target those shoulders.

Key Takeaway

Plyo boxes are an excellent addition to a fitness program and can provide great results when supplemented with a balanced fitness routine.

The main thing to remember with plyometric training is that it's a high-intensity interval workout. You're trying to train your muscles in the shortest amount of time possible, you still want to go fairly light on the weights. This doesn't mean don't go hard – you should be challenging yourself throughout the exercises.

However, if your focus is on getting bigger and stronger, don't overdo it. The key is to pace yourself while learning the moves, though. Plyos can be tough, but with practice, they can also be a lot of fun!