Yes, I have done it several times w/o my ball. I actually use my step most often. You can put it on a decline for chest fly's and hammer/bicep curls (5 risers at the top, and two risers at the bottom to secure it). A note about the bicep curls on a decline: Cathe does this in STS with a step, but she uses a green band instead of dumbbell's. She also states that you should not rest your head on the step, so keep it elevated.