How to Exercise doing Freestyle Step Aerobics

Before we start you need to know if you “should” even consider start exercising doing Freestyle Step Aerobics. Why do I say that? Because no matter how much you want to do one of the Freestyle Step classes, no matter how agile you feel, no matter how great your coordination is, our bodies do change, and yes, they also wear out. For these reason, you need to ask yourself first… “Do I need to see my doctor before I start?”

Do I need to see my doctor before I start?

In order to begin your exercise program safely and effectively, answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge, and follow the directions at the end of this section. If you are unsure of any answer, it is recommended that you see a doctor to accurately determine the safety of beginning an exercise program. If have been told by a physician that you have any cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, or metabolic disease such as diabetes, obtain permission from your doctor before beginning or changing your exercise program.

1. Are you a man over 45 years old?
2. Are you a women over the age of 55? Or, are you less than 55 years old and past menopause, but not taking estrogen?
3. Has any male family member died of a heart attack before age 55? Or, has any female family member died of a heart attack before age 65?
4. Do you smoke cigarettes? ... or even other types?
5. Has a doctor ever told you have high blood pressure? Or, has your blood pressure been measured more than once at greater than 140 over 90? Or, do you take high blood pressure medicine?
6. Has your doctor ever told you that you have high cholesterol? Or, do you know if your total cholesterol is greater than 200? Or, is your HDL cholesterol less than 35?
7. Do you consider yourself physically inactive at work and during your leisure time?

The Basic Workout Outline:

Now that we got the "Do I need to see a doctor?" question dusted, we come to the crunch of things. What makes up an standard, basic freestyle step routine? What are the most common sections within one of these group classes.

The below list is a common, standard breakdown of a freestyle step class, in the order that it should be presented. 

1. Warm Up
2. Stretch
3. Step Workout
4. Cool Down
5. Stretch

Freestyle Step Exercise Guidelines:

The following guidelines are based upon "The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness in Healthy Adults," American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand, 1990. 

PLEASE NOTE: There is going to be quite a bit of "technical" names coming up in the next few headings, however I have also attached how to obtain such information a bit further down in this article. 

Mode:

• Type of exercise - Freestyle Step aerobic exercise

Frequency:

• 3-5 days per week

Duration:

• 20 to 60 minutes of continuous freestyle aerobic activity

Intensity:

• 50 - 85% of maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 max), or
• 50 - 85% of Heart Rate Reserve, or
• 60 - 90% of Maximal Heart Rate

• Low Intensity: 
• 35 - 60% of Heart Rate Max or 
• 50 - 60% of Heart Rate Reserve
• Moderate Intensity: 
• 60 - 80% of Heart Rate Max or 
• 60 - 70% of Heart Rate Reserve
• High Intensity: 
• 80 - 90% of Heart Rate Max or 
• 70 - 85% of Heart Rate Reserve

How to Determine Your Heart Rate Training Range:

1. Heart Rate Reserve: The Karvonen Formula
• Find your Resting Heart Rate (RHR) (maybe use your fitbit for this info?)
• Find your Predicted Maximal Heart Rate (HR max)
• HR max = 220 - age
• Find your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
• HRR = HR max - RHR
• Find the lower limit of your Heart Rate Training Range:
• Multiply your HRR by 50% and add your RHR
• HRR x .50 + RHR = Low Target Heart Rate
• Find the upper limit of your Heart Rate Training Range:
• Multiply your HRR by 85% and add your RHR
• HRR x .85 + RHR = High Target Heart Rate
2. Percent of Heart Rate Max:
• Find your Predicted Maximum Heart Rate (HR max)
• HR max = 220 - age
• Find the lower limit of your Heart Rate Training Range
• Low Target Heart Rate = HR max X .50
• Find the upper limit of your Heart Rate Training Range
• High Target Heart Rate = HR max X .90

Principles of exercise prescription for fat loss

Exercise plans should include planned activity such as gym sessions with an appropriate balance of resistance training and cardiovascular workouts to meet the specific needs of each client.

Exercise plans should also include recommendations for 30 minutes daily of moderate intensity aerobic exercise such as walking.

In addition, if clients want to improve fitness, they should do 30 minutes of vigorous activity such as running or playing sport, three to four times a week.

The plan should incorporate increased ‘incidental’ physical activities that people can fit into their lifestyle. Walking is the simplest, cheapest and easiest exercise to incorporate into lifestyle.

Other suggestions for specific groups:

Pre-menopausal women

• Long duration, low intensity exercise

Post-menopausal women

• Aerobic exercise
• Resistance training

Pregnant women

• Low–impact activities such as walking and swimming

Younger men

• Any form of physical activity for younger men

Older adults

• Resistance training

The very overweight and obese

• Small, cumulative increases in daily physical activity
• Non-weight bearing exercise initially e.g. aqua activities, cycling
• Start at a low to moderate intensity and gradually increase
• Low-impact activities (walking, water exercise, low-impact aerobics)

The unfit

• Short cumulative sessions of aerobic activity (e.g. 10 minutes)

Remember that clients need to enjoy and be able to stick to any exercise prescription.

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Disclaimer

You must get your physician's approval before beginning any exercise suggested in this blog. These recommendations are not medical guidelines but are for educational purposes only. You must consult your physician prior to starting any suggestions in this blog, or if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity. The suggestions in this blog article are designed for individuals 18 years and older that have been approved by their physician to take any of the suggestions above.

The information in this blog article is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training. All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. As such we advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the exercises in this blog article, be sure that your equipment is well-maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training and fitness. The exercises and dietary programs in this article are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or treatment or dietary regime that may have been prescribed by your physician.

Do not lift heavy weights if you are alone, inexperienced, injured, or fatigued. Do not perform any exercises unless you have been shown the proper technique by a certified personal trainer or certified strength and conditioning specialist. Always ask for instruction and assistance when lifting. Do not perform any exercise without proper instruction. Always do a warm-up prior to resistance training and interval training.

See your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. If you are taking any medications, you must talk to your physician before starting any exercise program, including Freestyle Step Aerobics. If you experience any lightheadedness, dizziness, or shortness of breath while exercising, stop the movement and consult a physician.

You must have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 30 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician. If your physician recommends that you do not do Freestyle Step Aerobics, please follow your Doctor's orders.
 

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That was our last article for 2017. Remember to feel free to comment, or contact me via email to FreestyleStepXTRVGNZ@gmail.com, and comment on what you think of this article, or any article you have read, or just any improvements you may want to see happening.

For our first 2017 article, we will looking at the subject of "Applying Music to Step Aerobics" here we will looking at why is music so important when doing a Freestyle Step Aerobics Class.

Bruno Jimenez
December 2016

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What is Step Aerobic Exercise?

Step aerobic exercise can be defined as an activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature. It is a type of exercise that overloads the heart and lungs and causes them to work harder than at rest. The important idea behind step aerobic exercise today, is to get up and get moving!! There are several 'flavours' to choose from, whether it is a new step style, basic, intermediate or advance, or you could even choose an 80's freestyle step style. No matter what you choose, find a step class that you may enjoy, challenges you and that keeps your heart rate elevated for a continuous time period. The perfect way to a healthier life.

The Benefits of Step Aerobics Exercise

Like many other aerobic type of exercise, regular step aerobics exercise is extremely beneficial for long-term health and well-being.

Health Benefits of Step Aerobics Activity:

•    Reduce the risk of premature death
•    Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
•    Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
•    Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
•    Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
•    Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
•    Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
•    Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
•    Reduce depression and anxiety
•    Improve psychological well-being
•    Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance

Benefits of Step Aerobic Exercise:

• Increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)
• Improvement in cardiovascular/cardio-respiratory function (heart and lungs)
• Increased maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped every minute)
• Increased maximal stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat)
• Increased blood volume and ability to carry oxygen
• Reduced workload on the heart (myocardial oxygen consumption) for any given sub-maximal exercise intensity
• Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen
• Lower heart rate and blood pressure at any level of sub-maximal exercise
• Increased threshold for lactic acid accumulation
• Lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with high blood pressure
• Increased HDL Cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
• Decreased blood triglycerides
• Reduced body fat and improved weight control
• Improved glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance
• Increased muscular strength (lower extremities)
• Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
• Potentially improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
• Improved strength, balance, and functional ability in older adults

Types of Step Aerobic Exercise

Equipment Needed:

• proper foot wear (shoes designed for Step Aerobic, General Aerobics, or Dance are recommended)
• light weight, well ventilated clothing
• spacious area or room
• floor surface that provides cushion and stability
• motivating music
• music player
• music 120-135 beats per minute (standard speed for music)
• an instructor if at a Gym studio, an exercise video/DVD/MP4 if at home, or other various platforms like Youtube streaming, Freestyle Step XTRVGNZ videos, Facebook videos, etc...

Muscle Groups involved :

• predominately lower body muscles
• upper body muscle groups used predominately to gain added aerobic intensity

Low-Impact Step Aerobics

• What is low impact Step Aerobics:
• step aerobics utilizes stepping up and down from a platform
• step aerobics can offer a moderate- to high-intensity cardiovascular workout with low impact stresses
• intensity of the class can be individualized by changing the platform height and use of propuplsion
• Movements (those movements involving large muscle groups used in continuous rhythmic activity) in which at least one foot contacts the ground or the step platform at all times
• Basic Step Aerobics evolved to decrease the lower leg overuse injuries associated with high-impact classes
• Although special populations, such as seniors, pregnant women and overweight individuals can perform basic step aerobics, it is not recommended to be done unsupervised. However, it can be used under supervision and approriately modified for its use within these groups to achive weight loss, joint movement extension/contraction workouts, blood circulation management.

• What “Tips” should I have into consideration:
• when stepping up, do not allow any part of the foot to hang over the edge
• when stepping down, step close to the platform and do not bounce or step on the balls of the feet
• make sure to step with the heel first when stepping up and down
• do not pound the feet on and off the platform
• do not constantly focus on the platform or drop the head too far forward while stepping
• do not step down with the back toward the platform
• maintain good posture with abdominals tucked in, back straight,
• arm and leg movements should be controlled as participant problems with the knee may occur due to the repetitive use of the flexed knee
• with low impact, more fit individuals may have difficulty achieving adequate intensity and, therefore, must use larger movements
• Using large movements in the upper body will also increase the intensity of the class 

High impact Step Aerobics:

• What is High impact Step Aerobics:
• Advanced Step Aerobic, Step dance, and other Step “flavours” in which there are moments when the body is moved through space and both feet lose contact with the ground
• high impact step aerobics utilises aerobic movements such as jumping and hopping
• provides great cardiovascular advantages along with good metabolic benefits (i.e., kilocalories utilized per minute of exercise)

• What “Tips” should I have into consideration:
• Advanced or high impact step aerobics has a high reported injury incidence, particularly in the lower body
• high impact aerobics may be inappropriate for individuals with bio-mechanical or other factors that predispose them to injury in the lower leg and foot regions
• Although members do come to an advance or high impact step aerobics class for the purpose of achieving their desired goals, some members may have not realised what they have come in into (class intensity/complication), thus the low impact variation should be shown during class teaching of any advanced move. The basic or “base move”

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That was our article for November 2016. Remember to feel free to comment, or contact me via email to FreestyleStepXTRVGNZ@gmail.com, and comment on what you think of this article, or any article you have read, or just any improvements you may want to see happening.

For the last month of 2016, we will looking at the subject of "How to "Step Aerobic"" here we will looking at what is required to succesfully run and participate in an Step Aerobic Exercise Class.

Bruno Jimenez
November 2016

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Freestyle Step Vs. Treadmill Machines

There are many ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness. In this article we will look at both, freestyle step and treadmills and their impact on cardiovascular fitness.

Most gyms have treadmills and steps for members’ workouts. Both types of equipment are also easy to purchase for home use. You might prefer one kind of workout over the other, or want to incorporate both into your fitness routine.

Freestyle Step v's Fitness?

The step platform is quite a nifty piece of equipment, if you have a close look at it. I mean it is quite versatile.

To start with, it is adaptable. Those tall members and those not so tall, or those that want to either increase or decrease their workout intensity can graduate the height of the step by adding additional step risers, or removing some, or..... removing them all together, until the desired height is achieved that will match your physical height, and the level of workout you want to do. .

Needless to say the varied areas you could actually use the step platform. I mean, you can use the step in a Gym's group exercise class if you want to be part of a Freestyle step or Les-Mills BodySTEP class. If shaking your bootie at a group exercise is not your cup-o-tea, or the weather is really bad to adventure out there, or for whatever other reason you could not make it to the class, you have the option of stepping it at home with a DVD, or simply with your best rhythmic music playlist, or for those that want to still go to the gym, but coordination in a group environment is not their thing, they can still use the step as part of their weights program by intermixing the step with other gym and weight exercises. .

For all of the above situations you could do some step-ups using your step platform. Step-ups are an easy exercise/move that simply involves stepping up and down off the step, also known as the "Basic Step". Such a simple exercise increases your heart rate and with repetition it also increases your legs strength and resistance. You could do a minute or two of these between sets of resistance exercises to add cardio to your workout. .

If you had to look at the cost of having a step, or a treadmill at home for exercising, it is needless to say that a step is less costly than a treadmill while also easier to store away. .

As discussed in one of my previous blog articles, "Step Aerobics: In Prevention of Osteoporosis" it suggests that step aerobics might help increase bone density, protecting against osteoporosis. While I have not been able to find any sources that state such a claim in relation to the treadmill. .

Now, let's talk about the "C" word..... "Calories". "Calorie burn" to be precise. As you know calorie burn depends on the vigor of your moves, that may be running on the treadmill or using your step, and on your weight and the height of your step or the length of your stride. However it is known that using your large group muscles in your legs to step up and down, lifting your entire weight off the ground, and to safely put it back again, does burn more calories than running on a treadmill for the same period of time. However, as the step up and down is a higher energy consumption and effort "cost" to your body, running on the treadmill for a longer period may achieve the same number of burning calories, but at the same time less taxing to the body. As an example, a person of about 61Kg in weight, that exercises doing low-impact step for about 30 minutes would typically burn about 215 calories, but on the other hand, if the same person decides to change the low-impact for high-impact step for the same period, the number of calories burned would be of about 325... not bad for a simple platform!

Boredom, The Killer Of Exercise

The study, out of University College in London and published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, found that "bored people die earlier", and the same can be told about exercise regimes. If you get bored while doing your exercising regime, sooner or later the exercise regime will die!.

People has to confront the fact that the majority forms of exercise battle with the boredom factor. That is applicable to both, the treadmill and the step. This is true with some regular runners, where they In fact, some runners ardently dodge the "dreadmill”, choosing to run outside, even sometimes with fierce weather.

But by no means I am saying that the treadmill is boring. You can always adapt it to your needs, specially when it means to make it more interesting. You could vary its speed regularly, and for more vigorous workout you can play with its inclination angle feature, if it has one. You could include a short bursts of one minute intervals of hard and easy paces to keep you engaged on your ultimate goal... the workout.

We face boredom also with step. Imagine doing basic step (step up and down) for long periods of time. I get bored just of thinking about it!!. With boring step exercises, without variety of change, either may drive you insane, or get you totally bored and feel like you had enough and wanna quit right there and then. To avoid these black holes of boredom, try to use a stop watch to try to jam in more steps in the same period of time. Do interval stepping with fast and slow stepping, or change the style with some personal flair. Or simply, why not go to a step aerobics class, to use the members and enthusiasm of the class to keep you motivated, and if you bring a friend or two... to keep each other motivated.

Treading and Stepping Safely

Know that "Safety is always first". With that in mind, you need to be aware that both treadmill and step exercises do have their fair share of safety hazards, which are mostly created by the member performing the exercise.

If you have ever been on a treadmill, you can tell me how many times your mind gets so bored that seeks for things to place its attention to. This normally results in.... "Distraction" from the exercise itself. It’s so easy to get distracted on a treadmill, that many people have fallen, and/or have catapulted off the back of the treadmill by the running belt.

These situations occur doing absolutely normal everyday stuff, like drinking water, reaching the treadmill controls, looking to the side at someone talking to you, etc... however these actions are "normal" in a firm un-moving floor, and are a total different story over a fast moving belt.

Avoiding these situations is very easy indeed. Lets say your warmup is over, and you need to remove a piece of clothing to enable a more free run while on the treadmill, do not do a "Houdini" performing the straight-jacket routine, instead you would need to slow the treadmill down until it is slow enough to safely step off from it. If someone is trying to get your attention, or approaches you for a chat, don't try to turn your head in their direction like a paranoid ostrich and make eye contact while moving and bouncing that you trip over, fall flat on your face and the treadmill's running belt centrifugal energy throws you out the back like an elephant dung. I beg you to think of "Safety first" by resting your fingers of a hand on the side hand-railing should you suddenly need to hold onto it for dear life.

In humans, height is not everything, however for step aerobics and its safety, it is very important. Always choose the right amount of step raisers, if any at all, that matches your body height, and or step ability. If you happen to be a step "green apple", you should begin with the step board only, without adding any raisers. Once your brain and your feet start understanding each other while on a step, then you start adding raisers to your board, however it is recommended for safety reasons not to exceed 25 centimeters in height. On the other hand, many exercise councils do warn us not to elevate the platform to a level that makes you bend your knee more than 90 degrees for the purpose of lifting your body onto the step, and always put your entire foot softly and fully on the step platform; don’t let your heel hang over.

And finally, as part of the "Safety" section of this article, people with joint problems, specially on their knee, should talk to their doctor before taking up step aerobics.

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That was our article for August 2016. Remember to feel free to comment, or contact me via email to FreestyleStepXTRVGNZ@gmail.com, and comment on what you think of this article, or any article you have read, or just any improvements you may want to see happening.

Next month, we will looking at the subject of "Freestyle XTRVGNZ - Zumba, Cinemotion Dance and Freestyle Step Aerobics" here we will looking at the event that was scheduled by the "Freestyle Step XTRVGNZ" Facebook group.

In September 2016 article... I look at how the event went, what was in offer, some pictures, videos to give us an idea on what this sort of event does bring to the Step-a-holic community.

Bruno Jimenez
August 2016

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