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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