Step: step you need to lose weight

Published: 01/15/2010 - Updated: 06/01/2016

If you want to lose weight and you do not know what exercises to do… If you're toning your legs and improving your buttocks… if you need to perform an aerobic activity to improve your quality of life … Look no further: STEP practices. You'll see that a single activity combines a cardiovascular and muscle workout at a time. Go up the step and know that the practice of Steps provides a significant improvement of aerobic endurance, physical strength and body flexibility.

Its creator was Gin Miller aerobics instructor who injured her knee by high-impact aerobics, and physical therapist advised exercises up and down a step. That's how she adapted music and she noted the ideal intense exercise.

What is Step?

The step is a platform that has a slip resistant surface whose heights can range from: ten, fifteen and twenty inches, and which serves to do different jobs such as choreography, toning, dancing, etc … The base of the step, is based on an intense workout and low impact.

Its choreographed part improves coordination and response capabilities of the student, also working at the mental level, stimulating memory and concentration. As practice, you can see how the physical strength and agility develop, regardless of age and the physical possibilities. Step Practice is a sport accessible to all ages since the step height is adjustable and the intensity of work is flexible and can adapt to the particularities of each person.

Benefits

  • The basis of this form of aerobic fitness makes it perfect to increase oxygen uptake capacity and cardiovascular performance improvement.
  • Moreover, this aerobic nature makes each session with a high number of calories consumed and therefore become a sport for reducing the volume of fat.
  • It tones up the muscles. Above buttocks, hips and legs.
  • Improves overall physical strength and endurance of the body.
  • Its practice builds strength, flexibility and response capacity and coordination.
  • Mentally is a sport to unwind from the daily concerns and in turn, train your powers of concentration and memory.

How to choose a good STEP?

There are numerous steps in the options market. You will see that depending on the brand and design, we can find different types of steps but they all must meet basic requirements: by definition, the step consists of a rectangular platform with a slip resistant surface and a set of substrates that can regulate the height. It must be stable and specially prepared to absorb the impact of physical work performed on it.

There are different levels to regulate the step height depending on the level of student experience. The higher presents the higher physical work but it should be borne in mind that the knees should not ever get to spend a 90 degree angle:

  • Level 1 (10 cm height): for people who are not accustomed to do sports regularly and have never played in step.
  • Level 2 (15 cm height): for people already that already started and with some experience on a practical step.
  • Level 3 (20 cm height): for persons with physical fitness and experts in the discipline.

Correct technique

  1. Stepping always whole foot into the platform
  2. At the lower support the toe and then the heel
  3. Look at the platform
  4. Work around the platform
  5. If you can track the movements of arm, take up the toes
  6. Top smoothly, do not hit the platform
  7. Do not go back to step
  8. You can jump from floor to step, never the reverse.

Guidelines to consider:

Good posture on the Step is very important to avoid any injuries.

  • Anatomically correct posture: shoulders back, stomach in, buttocks contracted, knees relaxed
  • Tilt the whole body to take steps, do not bend at the hip
  • No hyperextended back
  • Do not lock your knees
  • The knees should not exceed an angle of 90 degrees, so we must choose the right height.
  • When you lift or lower the platform, always be careful of not endangering the back

Recommendations 

Before you begin practicing Step, there is a set of basic guidelines that you must know to ensure a smooth implementation and reduce the risk of injury:

  • The practice of sport involves some adjustment time to become familiar with step aerobics and aerobic potential. You'll notice how you've improved gradually.
  • Drink water before, during and after class to stay hydrated.
  • In case of having some kind of knee injury, the sport may not be highly recommended. Talk to your doctor.

About the author
  • Jorgelina Reyente

    Expert in healthy cooking recipes and healthy lifestyle habits. She has a degree in communication sciences from the University of Buenos Aires.  She has completed postgraduate training in social sciences at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University - Paris III, France.

2 Replies to “Step: step you need to lose weight”
  • Helen says:

    I was searching for recommendations about sports easy to perform and that have great results in the body and well according to this article, Step is the exercise that I must try! It looks like fun and you can perform it with a class, without having to endanger yourself too much if you have the precautions, I can?t wait to join a class!

  • Stacy says:

    Nice article! I know from personal experience how effective stepping is. It will even get you in shape for hiking, running, and biking too! I don’t have a specific step workout tool, but I use the steps to our porch at home, and they do just fine. I even jump up onto higher ledges, doing “box jumps”, which even target the abs! These are great exercises, just try them, regularly.