Can steps to music tone the whole body and help in the fight against excess weight? They can, if we are talking about step aerobics – one of the most popular areas of fitness training. Rhythmic movements and an incendiary pace are all that is needed for effective fat burning with benefits for the emotional and physical condition.
Step aerobics as a direction
Step aerobics is the simplest direction and therefore the most preferable for those who are not able to endure active cardio training or are just starting their path to physical and emotional recovery. These aspects are not in vain, because it was the desire to restore former mobility and restore health that prompted Jean Miller to create these simple, but very effective exercises. It all started with a knee injury that Jean received while already a fitness instructor. Fighting spirit and perseverance led her to an unexpected and ingenious in its simplicity method of restoring the mobility of the knee joint – she used the porch of her own house to develop it. In fact, the steps of her stairs were the first platform for step aerobics. Fascinated by the process, Jean did not notice how quickly she was able to return to duty and continue her work, already inspired by her own experience. This helped her create her own direction, which is now popular among many adherents of a healthy lifestyle.
You can use the stairs in your home for step aerobics, buy a special platform or make your own – here the decision depends on your budget. The main criteria for choosing a site for performing exercises are:
the stability of the surface on which you will step, it should not slide on the floor, move from a place;
non-slip shoe soles or special rubberized pads on the platform so that the foot itself does not slide on it;
the minimum height of the working platform must be 30 cm;
your weight, width and length of the foot – the sole should fit completely on the top platform of the working platform, and it should not bend much.
Following these guidelines will help reduce the risk of injury during exercise.
For the most effective training, you need to choose rhythmic music that will support the pace of your workouts. If you are exercising at home, and not in the gym with an instructor, it is better to immediately pick up interesting tracks, the duration of which will be the duration of your entire workout. In addition, to get an extra load, you can use such sports equipment as an elastic band, dumbbells up to two kilograms, balls of various sizes, weights on arms and legs. Their use is relevant after you learn to confidently perform all the basic steps and their combinations.
Step aerobics mode
Regular step aerobics training promotes regeneration processes in cartilaginous tissues, therefore this type of physical development is safely used during the rehabilitation period after injuries. In addition, this type of aerobic exercise has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, accelerates oxygen metabolism in the body, which helps to burn body fat faster. But there are some caveats for step aerobics.
As before any training, you must make sure that nothing threatens you – you can’t exercise if you have a high temperature, unstable pressure, nausea, dizziness. It is worth taking seriously any aerobic exercise for people with abnormalities in the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. In particular, rhythmic movements can cause an inadequate response of the brain in epileptics, causing an attack, and stress on the heart can make breathing difficult in asthmatics. In general, a cardio load that is disproportionate to your capabilities can be dangerous for the health of the heart muscle! You can not do step aerobics with unhealed fractures and dislocations, with varicose veins and chronic joint diseases.
With all these precautions in mind, build your workouts so that they do not harm your health. Experienced instructors advise not to exceed the limit of two days a week for beginners and three days for already “experienced” steppers. The average duration of one workout is from thirty minutes to an hour. If during the exercise, you are very out of breath, breathing is difficult due to shortness of breath, then slow down and shorten the session until you overcome your own physical barrier.
Step aerobics and weight loss
You can quickly lose weight with step aerobics. Sticking to the schedule two days a week, after a couple weeks, you will be able to notice a noticeable effect from your training. Of course, provided that you stick to a reasonable diet! This type of aerobic exercise is especially good for burning body fat – blood circulation is accelerated, all tissues are intensively supplied with oxygen and nutrients. In addition, after exercise, the body more effectively gets rid of toxins and toxins – the metabolism is normalized.
It is worth noting the positive emotional component. The positive attitude you get during class is the key to a healthy, no-frills appetite and the foundation of your self-confidence. Thus, step aerobics is not only a physical training, but also an excellent psycho-emotional simulator, which improves sleep, increases endurance and performance.
Don’t forget to drink regularly while exercising. The timely use of water contributes to an even more effective fight against body fat and maintaining normal health during intense rhythmic exercise. It is enough to take a few small sips between one or two main exercises.
To further enhance the effect of weight loss from step aerobics, special gels and creams with fat burning and anti-cellulite effects will help – heated muscles and accelerated blood flow will do their job and increase the efficiency of the cosmetic product used!
Be sure to take a contrast shower after your workout. It will help relieve stress, charge you emotionally and consolidate the results achieved.
Basic elements of step aerobics
The basis of this direction is steps. They form the whole complex of exercises. The first thing to do before a workout is to warm up. For this, a regular step in place at a fast pace is suitable. As a rule, the warm-up is performed more rhythmically and faster than the main set of elements. To achieve the maximum effect of losing weight, it is recommended to change the rhythm and pace throughout the entire session.
Jumps in place, lunges, side and sliding steps, jumps and jumps with a change of legs, leg and arm swings with and without weights are added to the basic steps. The main advantage of step aerobics is that all this can be constantly combined, the order of execution can be changed – there is no strict order. exercises, so each lesson becomes unique and exciting. In addition, step aerobics is also one of the most convenient types of fitness training that can be easily organized at home with minimal investment.
The basic element of step aerobics is a step in place and alternately rearranging the legs to the platform and back at a different pace. At the same time, you can step both directly in front of you and on the side of the platform, taking steps to the side.