One of the most fun and enjoyable types of exercise in my opinion. Who forgets Jane Fonda’s step workouts with the beautiful and sexy outfits? Very popular in the 80’s and 90’s, still one of the favourite forms of exercise for many people up until today.
I still remember my first step class at the age of 14, and, almost 30 years later, this type of exercise still makes me happy, excited and makes me feel full of energy.
If you are still wondering what a step is, it is the small platform that you can use to step up and down, like taking the stairs, and use it for aerobic workout. It helps you improve your cardiovascular system, and of course burn calories and fat to loose weight. And to add one more from me, I think it makes you feel beautiful and sexy- yes, men too!
What You Need To Know Before You Begin Your Step Workout
You need to wear comfortable gym shoes, you cannot do it barefoot, because you need to protect your joints from injury. At this point I need to stop the old myth that step is bad for your knees. I hear it until today. No. Bad technique is bad for your knees.
Let me explain. First you need to step your whole foot on the step, do not let your heel hanging off the step. This is dangerous as you could loose your feet and fall.
Second, step on your platform the same way you would walk, which is heel-toe, not with flat foot like you would perform heavy, army walk. Your step should be light, and you should barely hear any noise when you step up.
Keep in mind that the higher the step, the harder it gets. If you have never tried doing step before, then start with a lower one.
If you follow these simple rules you should not have any injury problems. I have been doing step workout for almost 30 years now and my knees are perfectly fine.
If you don’t have a step platform at home you could use your house stairs. However, this will limit your movements in only one side of the step. If you want to buy a good quality step for home use you can find one here.
So put some music with beat, not too fast, and just have fun and burn calories at the same time. For my overweight and elderly friends, I would suggest using a slower music that you would feel comfortable following it’s beat.
The Moves…
Next, you will find some of the most basic movements for step workout, suitable for beginners, overweight and elderly people. Try to perform each move for about a minute. At the end, if you feel comfortable, try to combine them all together in a small choreography! So what are you waiting for? Put your favorite music and begin!
1. Basic Step
2. Side To Side Knee, Kick, Heel
3. Three Knee Repeaters
4. Over The Top
5. Turn Step
6. Mambo Cha-Cha
7. L- Step
Fun Time…
So there you have it. Try to do at least 20 minutes of non-stop step workout to burn calories and work your cardiovascular system. And most important…smile and have fun!