Step Aerobics

Moves In Your Stepping Workout

There are several different step aerobics moves that you can use to add variety to your stepping workout. If you are just doing the basic step, you are missing out on a lot! It is important to add variety to stop you getting bored during your workout as well as working as many different muscles as possible.

Basic Step

The basic step is something that you will want to begin your workout with and then come back to between other moves. It involves stepping up onto the bench with one foot, bringing the other foot up, and then stepping down. Hands are on hips or you can make fists and move the arms as if running, to work the arms a little more.

It is important of course that you don't always lead with the same foot, or you would be exercising one side of the body much harder than the other. However, trying to alternate every step can be confusing, so most people do either three or four steps leading with the right foot, then change to the left. You will often see three steps recommended but doing four instead can fit better with the beat of your music, making it easier to keep count.

Backward Lunge

From a standing position on the platform, take the right foot backward off the bench so that the toes touch the floor, then up onto the bench again. Bend the left knee as you go down and bring the arms out and up in front of you (elbows bent). Repeat with the left foot.

Although we call this a lunge, don't try to step back too far or you could lose your balance and overturn the bench. Just step back a comfortable distance.

Knee Lift

Standing on the bench, lift one knee so that the thigh goes straight out from the hip and the lower leg hangs down. Repeat with the other leg.

Side Step

Like the basic step, but sideways. Stand sideways to the middle of the bench (the bench is on your right). Step up onto it with your right foot, then bring the left foot up next to it. You should be facing along the length of the bench. Step off the other side. The bench is now on your left. Repeat, leading with the left foot.

Crab Scoot

Stand beside the end of the bench so that it is on your right. Step up sideways onto the bench with the right foot. Scoot across the length of the bench and off the other end. Swing arms from left to right as you go. Repeat from the other side, leading with the left foot.

If you are new to stepping you could begin with just repeating each of the steps for a while then moving on to the next. Doing each one through the length of a song (usually 3-4 minutes) would give you a 15-20 minute workout.

As soon as you are used to the different steps you can choreograph your own workout by combining the steps in more varied routines. You can also include other exercises such as floor jumps (as if you were jumping rope, including arm movements). Keep moving the whole body during your workout, and begin and end with stretching exercises.

As you progress you will want to increase the length of your workout. Keeping it flexible and varied is important and you may want to have 20 minute, 40 minute and 60 minute workouts that you do on different days depending on your schedule.

Increasing the height of the bench will also make you work out harder as you get fitter. However, never have the bench so high that your thigh has to go above a 90 degree angle when you step up. Instead, keep the bench at a comfortable height and add ankle weights if you want to boost your fitness further.

You can also use wrist weights or hold a small bottle of water in each hand to work your arms a little harder during your step aerobics moves.

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