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Step Aerobics Guide - Learn The Basic Exercises and Techniques
Step Aerobics - Basics
- Bring foot flat up and centered on board to avoid board instability.
- Don't hang heels off the board to avoid straining the Achilles
tendon.
- Lower toes to the floor first then heel when coming off board
to absorb shock.
- Keep within 12 inches of board when coming to floor, except
during lunges.
- Keep heel off the floor when doing lunges, keep weight on the
ball of the foot.
- Power up onto to the board only, don't jump off board.
- Lean from the ankles, not the hip.
- Keep abdominals tight to improve muscle tone and balance.
- Continue breathing, never hold the breath.
- Knees should be soft not locked to provide shock absorption
and reduce back strain.
- Keep hands on waist until comfortable with leg movements, when
learning coordination.
Step Aerobics - Class
Warm Up
- Begin with wide stance deep breaths to oxygenate the blood.
- March in place, side step, grapevine.
- Include wide stance toe tapping with reach out and up.
- Extend reach across the centerline of the body.
- Transition from reaching across to reach up, each side.
- Stretch Calves, Hamstrings statically.
- Shin (Tibialis Anterior) dynamic flex.
General Technique
- Step up with whole foot flat on the board.
- Step off board to floor with toe to heel.
- Slight lean forward at the waist.
- Heels stays off floor during lunges.
Safety
- Limit step and cool-down music tempo range from 118 to 122 bpm.
- Limit warm-up tempo range from 120 to 134 bpm.
- Avoid moves that require stepping forward off the board.
- Limit power moves (propulsion) to 1-minute intervals.
- Limit repeater moves to five repeaters at time.
- Use no weights on the board, except where one foot is on the
floor.
- Avoid pivoting moves on a loaded knee.
- Never change more than one move at a time (i.e., legs then
arms)
- Always provide low impact alternatives to high impact moves.
Discontinue stepping if:
- Legs become fatigued and uncoordinated.
- Any pain becomes evident.
- Dizziness occurs.
- Rapid heart rate.
Step Aerobics - Basic Left
Basic Left (Reverse for Basic Right)
Start Position
- Centered in front of the bench.
Description
- Step up on the bench with the left foot
- Step up on the bench with the right foot
- Step down left foot, then down right foot.
Count Breakdown:
1. Step up on bench with left foot
2. Step up on bench with right foot
3. Step down backwards to the floor with left foot
4. Step down backwards to the floor with right foot
Notes:
- Basic left is one of the simplest and most basic of all step
moves
Step Aerobics - V Step
V-Step
Start Position
- Centered in front of the bench.
Description
- Like a basic but step wide on the bench.
Count Breakdown:
1. Step up on bench with leading foot as wide as possible
2. Step up on bench with the other foot as wide as possible
3. Step down backwards to the floor with lead foot
4. Step down backwards to the floor with left foot
Notes:
- Feet together on the floor, and spread apart while on the bench
Step Aerobics - A Step
A-Step
Start Position
- In front of the bench, but off to one side.
Description
- This is a modified basic step in the shape of a letter A
Count Breakdown:
1. Step up with leading foot at the center of the bench
2. Step up with the other foot next to the lead foot
3. Step down backwards to the floor with lead foot
4. Step down backwards to the floor with left foot
Notes:
- Start and end with feet together on opposite ends of the bench.
Step Aerobics - Turn Step
Turn Step
Start Position
- In front of the bench, but off to one side.
Description
- Start on side of bench and do a modified basic while turning.
Count Breakdown:
1. Step up on the bench with the left foot
2. Step up on the bench with the right foot while turning to the
left
3. Step off the bench with left foot; turn to the left slightly
4. Bring the right foot down on the floor next to your left
5. Step up on the bench with the right foot
6. Step up on the bench with the left foot while turning to the
right
7. Step off the bench with the right foot, turn to the right slightly
8. Bring the left foot down on the floor next to the right
Step Aerobics - Z Step
Z-Step
Start Position
- Centered in front of the bench.
Description
- Step across the bench, off diagonally, and across the floor
to form the letter Z.
Count Breakdown:
1. Step onto left side of bench with left foot
2. Step up with right foot next to the left (feet are together
on the left side of the bench)
3. Step to the right side of the bench with right foot
4. Step to the right side of bench with left foot (feet are together
on the right sideof the bench)
5. Step back diagonally to the ground with left foot (left foot
is now in front of the bench on the far left side)
6. Step back diagonally to the ground with the right foot (feet
are together on the left and on the floor)
7. Step on the floor to the right with right foot
8. Step on the floor to the right with left foot (feet are together
on the left and on the floor)
Notes:
- When left foot leads, counts 3-8 for the letter Z
Step Aerobics - X Step
X-Step
Start Position
Description
- Start from a straddle position at one end of the bench.
Count Breakdown:
1. Step up to center of bench with right foot
2. Step up to center of bench with left foot
3. Step down and forward with right foot to the floor on the right
side of the bench
4. Step down and forward with left foot to the floor on the left
side of the bench
5. Step up and backward to the center of the bench with right
foot
6. Step up and backward to the center of the bench with left foot
7. Step down & backward with right foot to the floor on the
right side of the bench
8. Step down and backward with left foot to the floor on the left
side of the bench
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