Step Aerobics Exercises And Benefits

If you are looking for a quick solution for fat loss, take up step aerobic exercises! Aerobic exercises can help you reach your fat burning zone as these are a great way to lose weight, and also improve lung capacity, and increase heart rate. They lead to increased metabolism and help kick-start your body’s normal rhythm and functioning. Step aerobics make it more effective and fun. Read on to learn about the best 12 step aerobics workouts, their benefits, and a few useful tips.

Workout Blueprint: Step Aerobics

• Frequency: 2 times per week
• Benefits: Increase oxygen intake, burn calories, and improve muscle performance.
• Equipment Needed: Step box, sturdy workout shoes.
• Space Required: Small area
• Assistance Required: No
• Who Should Avoid: Anyone with knee, foot, ankle, or mobility issues.

12 Step Aerobics Exercises

1. Basic Right And Left

How To Do

1. Stand in front of a step box and start marching along with the music beats.
2. You may place your hands on your waist.
3. Place your right foot on the step and then your left.
4. Step down with the right foot first and then the left.
5. Do this 10 times and then step up first with the left foot and then the right. Do this 10 times.

2. V Step

How To Do

1. Place a step box in front of you.
2. Place your right foot on the step box in the diagonal direction.
3. Place your left foot on the step box in the left diagonal direction. Your feet should be wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Place your right foot on the ground in its initial position and then the left foot.
5. Do this 10 times, alternating between the right and left feet.

3. A-Step

How To Do

1. Place the step box vertically in front of you. Stand to its left.
2. Place your right foot on the step and then the left.
3. Place your right foot on the floor on your right side and then place the left.
4. Place your left foot on the step and then the right.
5. Get down on the floor with your left foot first to your left side and then your right foot.
6. Do this 15 times.
   

4. Tap Up

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Place your right foot on the left side of the step box.
3. Tap your left foot on the step box and get down on the floor with the left foot first and then the right.
4. Place your left foot on the right side of the step box.
5. Tap your right foot on the step box and get down on the floor with the right foot first and then the left.

5. Turnstep Move

How To Do

1. Place your right foot on the step.
2. Place your left foot on the step a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Place your right foot behind the left, on the floor. Turn your body to the left slightly.
4. Place your left foot on the floor for a second and quickly step up on the step box with it again.
5. Place your left foot on the step.
6. Place your right foot on the step a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
7. Place your left foot behind the right, on the floor. Turn your body to the right slightly.
8. Place your right foot on the floor for a second and quickly step up on the step box with your right foot again.

Quick Tip

Buy heavy-duty polyurethane, polyethylene, PVC, and ABS aerobic steps for convenient stacking and height adjusting.

6. T Step

How To Do

1. Stand near a step box.
2. Place your right foot on the step box and then the left.
3. Place your right foot on the ground on your right.
4. Place your left foot on the ground on your left.
5. Get back up on the step box. Place right foot first and then the left.
6. Get back to the starting position. Place the right foot back and then the left.
7. Do this 15 times.

7. Across The Top

How To Do

1. Place a step box on your right.
2. Step on the step box from the right and get down on the left.
3. Step on the box from the left and get down on the right.
4. Do this 20 times.

8. Charleston

How To Do

1. Place your left foot on the step box in front of your right leg.
2. Lift your right foot off the floor, lean back a little, and kick your right leg.
3. Place the right leg back on the floor.
4. Place the left foot on the floor and repeat from step one.

9. Grapevine

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet close together.
2. Take a step to the right with your right foot.
3. Place your left foot behind the right.
4. Bring your right foot beside the left foot.
5. Take a step to the left with your left foot.
6. Place your right foot behind your left foot.
7. Bring your left foot beside the right foot.
8. Do this 20 times. 

10. Repeater

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet close together.
2. Place your left leg on the step box diagonally to the right.
3. Lift your right leg off the floor, bend your knees, and kick up. Do not crunch.
4. Place the right foot back on the floor. Then, place your left leg on the floor.
5. Place your right leg on the step diagonally to the left.
6. Lift your left leg off the floor, bend your knees, and kick it up. Do not crunch.
7. Place the left foot back on the floor. Then, place your right leg on the floor.
8. Do it 15 times.

11. High Knee March

How To Do

1. Stand straight as you keep your feet hip-width apart.
2. Keep your arms at your sides.
3. Lift your right leg off the ground, bend your knees, and lift it as high as you can, aiming for the waist level.
4. Swing your left arm forward and right arm backward.
5. Repeat the same with the left leg.
6. Perform this for 2 to 4 sets of 15 to 30 repetitions per leg.

12. Low Step-Ups

How To Do

1. Stand in front of a bench with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Lift your right foot and place it on the bench.
3. Press through your right heel and elevate your body until your other foot is on the bench.
4. Get back on the ground by lowering your right foot first. This is one repetition.
5. Repeat with the left leg.
6. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions for each leg.

These are the 12 best step aerobics you can do at home or the gym. You can also add other postures, weights, resistance bands, etc. to step aerobics. Here are a few examples.

Different Aerobic Step Bench Exercises

Here is a compilation of the different types of aerobic step exercises that can be included in your regular workout routine:

1.  Plank Holds On Steps: A core conditioning exercise that works on abdominal muscles and obliques.

2.  Straight Arm Plank-Ups: A core conditioning exercise for beginners that works on the muscles in shoulders, arms, abdomen, and obliques.

3. Lateral Box Jumps: A plyometricⁱ  XA form of exercise involving fast and repeated stretching movements within short periods of time to increase muscle strength and flexibility. exercise for beginners that works on the adductor muscles of the body.

4. Weight Plate Step-Up Knee Drives: A lower body conditioning exercise for intermediates that provides strength to the body and makes the core stable through proper balance and coordination. Therefore, it is one of the best exercises to build lower body strength.

5. Double Leg Drop Cable Pullover: A core conditioning exercise for advanced exercisers that work on the muscles in the arms, core, and back.

Did You Know?

Fitness instructor and athlete Gin Miller was the first to introduce step aerobics. Her doctor asked her to step up and down on a milk crate after a knee injury in the 1980s.

15 Benefits Of Step Aerobics

Aerobics or cardio has many health benefits. Adding a step box or doing step exercises without a step box also increases oxygen supply to the cells and helps in the following ways:

1. It helps improve body composition (1).

2. Improves functional fitness in the elderly (2).

3. May improve the neuromuscular function of the legs (3).

4. Increases oxygen uptake (4).

5. Improves muscle performance and cardiovascular fitness when mixed with resistance training (5).

6. Step aerobics, along with resistance training, may lead to increased energy levels and help lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health (6).

7. It helps improve sleep quality in postmenopausal women (7).

8. Step aerobics can lead to reduced anxiety and depression as well as anger, tension, and fatigue (8).

9. Improves balance and quality of life in the elderly (9).

10. Burns calories and improves confidence levels leading to improved self-esteem.

11. It is a fun and low-impact exercise with amazing results.

12. It helps burn a huge amount of calories.

13. Speeds up the process of effective weight loss.

14. Tones up a few major muscles in the body, including the ones present in the buttocks and legs.

15. It increases the flexibility of the body over time.

Step Aerobics Tips 

• Put on a pair of cross-training shoes while practicing step aerobics.

• Warm-up for 10 minutes so that your muscles become relaxed, and your heart rate goes up.

• Place your step bench on a perfectly flat surface and start from the lowest level of it until you get comfortable with the entire process.

• Your foot should be placed completely on the bench whenever you take a step.

• Try to maintain a good posture all through your practice period. Keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed, and abs tight to avoid injuries.

• Make sure you have a pre-workout meal at least 1 hour before starting your workout session. Also, stay hydrated.

Infographic: A Comprehensive Guide To Step Aerobics

Step aerobics is a great way to burn calories, lose weight, and improve cardiovascular health. It also helps relieve stress and promote better sleep. In the infographic below, we have compiled a comprehensive guide that gives you a look into two easy step aerobic exercises you can include in your routine, along with their benefits. Check it out!

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories do you burn in 30 minutes of step aerobics?

You can burn around 100-200 calories in a 30 minutes step aerobics session.

Is step aerobics bad for the knees?

Step aerobics can strain your knees. Avoid it if you have a knee injury or are recovering from knee surgery.

Is step aerobics good for toning the legs?

Yes, step aerobics is good for toning the legs. It works on the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.

How often should you do step aerobics?

You may do it twice a week. Add other forms of exercise, like weight training, resistance bands, dancing, swimming, and playing a sport, for full conditioning of the body.

Is step aerobics a HIIT?

No, step aerobics is an aerobic exercise (cardio). HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is an anaerobic exercise and doesn’t use oxygen to fuel the workout. HIIT uses glycogen and/or fat stores to fuel the exercise.

Does step aerobics tone the stomach?

Yes, step aerobics helps tone your stomach, target your core and abdominal muscles, and trim your waist.

Is step aerobics good for osteoporosisⁱ  XA medical condition where the bones become weak and brittle due to a decrease in bone mineral density, increasing the risk of fractures. ?

Yes. In studies, step aerobics was found to help boost fitness levels in post-menopausal women with low bone mass (10).

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Rakesh RathodCertified Personal Trainer

     

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