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08 January 2016

I am getting on now... When should I stop Freestyle Stepping?

I am getting on now... When should I stop Freestyle Stepping?

Countless studies have shown that there are numerous benefits to exercising later in life. Keeping your body active also acts as mental stimulation, partly because of the concentration and co-ordination that you need to get your limbs moving in the right way at the right time. Of course, there's the added bonus that the increase in oxygen intake benefits your cells, keeping them working healthily and efficiently for longer.

With that in mind, where do you draw the line? At what point do the practicalities and realities of getting older outweigh the health benefits? When is the right time to hang up your gym gear and draw your Freestyle Step days to a close?

If you started a long time ago and have been working your way up through the ranks over the years, you'll have seen already that Freestyle Step has many different levels to suit people of all abilities. Just because you're used to doing pretty challenging, intense workouts now, it doesn't mean that you have to carry on in the same way forever.

Remember those early days, when routines were more simple and less strenuous? Well, why not consider winding back to those classes, to make it a little more comfortable on your body?

Don't think of Freestyle Step as a continuous uphill, where you have to keep pushing yourself to go harder, stronger, longer forever. That's not the case at all. Instead, it's more like an adjustable moving bar; a sliding scale. You could even look at it as a loop, where you can slowly come back to the point where you started, to give yourself a relatively easy workout.

If, at some point in the future, you feel like you're ready to start pushing yourself once more, then you can always start re-introducing more challenging moves to make yourself more active again.

This isn't always an easy decision to make. Sometimes deciding to reduce the intensity of exercise classes can be embarrassing - especially if the other members of your group keep moving up into more advanced classes. Isn't it easier to just bow out quietly?

In short, no.

Stopping exercise altogether is just about the worst thing you can do. This is particularly true if you've been working out for many years, because your joints and muscles are used to working. If you thought that time and age had given you aches and pains already, then you'll be in for a shock if you quit Freestyle Step now. Abruptly stopping exercise will cause your body to seize up - and that's when you'll notice the real aches and pains.

A much better idea is to keep up with gentle, non-strenuous activity on a regular basis for as long as possible. Your joints work in a similar way to mechanical hinges: keep them well-oiled and they'll keep flexing smoothly, but if you stop and leave them to dry up, they'll become squeaky and rusty!

So, how do you go about making your Freestyle Step routines slightly less intense?

This is where your instructor comes in. Don't forget that they're specifically trained to deal with all sorts of physical challenges, whether that's old age, injury, disability, or even pregnancy! Chances are that they've been doing this a long time, so they'll know exactly how to adapt the routines to suit you and your body.

Freestyle Step is a very flexible form of exercise, so there's a whole wealth of ways in which you can make it easier. You can start by removing any weights that you might wear, then think about performing slightly less taxing moves, before gradually reducing the height of the step. Ultimately, you can even get rid of the step altogether!

In contrast to most other forms of aerobics and step aerobics (including the Les Mills programs), the steps are not set in stone. Each instructor comes up with their own individual routines, so they're entirely free to change anything as they wish. That's fantastic news for you, because they're not limited to any confines - they can switch up the moves or suggest easier versions that will work for you.

Take your instructor aside and have an open conversation about how you're feeling and discuss how to move forward. If you're honest about your situation, then they'll be happy and willing to find a way to make Freestyle Step fit in with your needs. Instructors are passionate about what they do, so the last thing they want is for you to stop! Instead, they'll do everything they can to set things up so that it's comfortable and appropriate for you to stay.

When you pair together the flexibility of the Freestyle Step routines with your instructor's knowledge and experience, you can begin to see that this is one form of exercise that is entirely suitable for everyone, regardless of age or ability. There really is no upper age limit.

It really doesn't matter whether your energy levels are dropping or whether you don't quite feel as flexible as you used to. Freestyle Step is a non-contact activity which can provide your entire body with a very gentle workout if you so choose, so there's really no excuse for discontinuing your classes. Some gyms have members well into their 70s (and beyond!) who are still stepping and going strong, so you won't be out of place at all.

Of course, it's important to talk about the health benefits of enjoying Freestyle Step classes, but don't forget the social aspect to it, as well. As time goes on, many people find exercise a great reason to get out of the house, see some friendly faces every week and have a good time. You probably know all about this already, but consider what impact it would have on your lifestyle if you cut this out altogether. You might still be able to meet and socialize with your friends from the class in an alternative environment, but the endorphins that are released during exercise are great mood-boosters. Experiencing these in a group environment is a tremendously enjoyable experience which bonds the group together - and this is a connection that you simply won't find anywhere else.

So, your original question was: when should I stop Freestyle Stepping? In all honesty, the answer is never.

Don't use 'getting on' as an excuse to give up. Now is not the time to let all your hard work go to waste. Freestyle Step can always be adapted to suit you, your needs and your body - and if you don't believe us, try us. Keep going with Freestyle Step, and you'll end up being stronger and healthier (in body and mind) for longer!


That was our article for January 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 "Why is it so Difficult to Find a Freestyle Step Aerobics Instructor to Cover a Class or a Times" here we will looking at what forces influence the decline of Freestyle Step classes.

In the February 2016 article... I will try to analyse why gyms and instructors alike are choosing to replace freestyle step classes on the gym's timetable for other gym programs.

Bruno Jimenez
January 2016
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Location: Australia
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