≡ March 21, 2021 Category: Cardio
Women try hundreds of different diets to get rid of extra pounds and unattractive folds in the waist, hips, and sides. But they often turn out to be ineffective, while physical activity can help you lose weight and lift your mood throughout the day. An excellent choice would be step aerobics for weight loss at home. It has a beneficial effect on the body, acting as a health therapy, so it is recommended for both adults and children of all ages.
Benefits of classes
Step aerobics at home brings no less benefits than regular training in the gym. But this is far from its only advantage. Among the many advantages, the main advantages of this training system are the following:
- During training, you hardly feel tired, which allows you to exercise for a long time and at the same time experience a surge of strength and a lift in mood.
- One activity, even one intended for beginners, can burn up to 500 kilocalories.
- You can increase the effectiveness of exercises with the help of special weights.
- Exercising to rhythmic music gives you energy, and it is much easier to cope with a gradually increasing load.
- During training, stress is effectively relieved, the functioning of the cardiovascular system improves, and blood pressure is normalized.
This type of step aerobics at home is recommended for everyone who wants to lose weight, tone up their body and make it more attractive, but there is absolutely no time to visit various fitness centers. In this case, it is enough to use video lessons and simply repeat the movements after the instructor.
What are the benefits of step aerobics lessons?
Typically, people take step aerobics classes to recharge their batteries and move to the music. But this is not just entertainment, but very beneficial for health. Step strengthens the leg muscles without unnecessary shock load. Regular exercise helps you burn calories, get rid of the effects of physical inactivity, and improve your mood and sleep.
All this is great, but almost every aerobic activity from Zumba to jogging has these benefits. What attracts women to step aerobics classes?
Atmosphere. The music is selected in such a way as to “get you going” and make you dance even after a grueling day at work. At the same time, it is not possible to completely turn off consciousness. It is necessary to remember the steps and connections. And this helps to take your mind off everyday problems.
The step is simple in terms of choreography. The chords are composed to fit the 32-beat “musical square.” It's easy to remember the steps. All this allows people with any level of choreographic training to practice.
What is the effectiveness of step aerobics?
The modern rhythm of life does not allow a person to eat right and move a lot; most often he has to spend 8-9 hours at the computer in one position. And if you do not perform industrial gymnastics, this will lead to the development of various diseases and the appearance of excess weight. Step aerobics for weight loss at home can be an excellent solution, as it will bring great benefits to the body:
- Works out all the major muscles in the body.
- Improved coordination and a smoother, beautiful gait.
- Increasing immunity and body resistance to various seasonal colds.
- Normalization of the cardiovascular system.
- Return of muscle tone.
- Improving the functioning of the respiratory system (shortness of breath disappears when climbing stairs without an elevator).
The exercises themselves are not difficult, but as you can see, they have many benefits for the body. Therefore, you should not neglect training and try to devote time to this fun activity as often as possible.
The benefits and benefits of step aerobics for weight loss
Not one-time, but regular exercises will help you find a thin waist and eliminate excess fat deposits from the sides. For people with poor physical fitness, there is aerobics for beginners, and for different goals, you can choose water aerobics, step interval, recreational, step aerobics. Dance aerobics for weight loss is very versatile; even pregnant women can do it, if there are no contraindications. The benefits of each set of classes are justified, because they are all designed for people of different sizes and ages.
What are the benefits of step aerobics for weight loss at home?
- For training, special equipment is used in the form of a step-elevation (not to be confused with a stepper). The height of the platform is selected based on the person’s preparedness and height: 15-30 cm for beginners and over 30 cm for experienced ones. The width of the elevation is about 50 cm.
- The duration of the workout does not give a person a feeling of rapid fatigue, so you can practice the step for a long time.
- Step aerobics classes burn between 250 and 500 calories.
- You can always improve the efficiency of burning fat deposits by exercising with dumbbells and weights.
- Feeling that you have already coped with the load of a beginner, you can complicate the movements on the steppe and/or extend the time of aerobics training for weight loss.
- Rhythmic favorite music is another bonus; it’s easier to conduct classes to fiery melodies. 120-130 accents per minute will be just right for training.
- If it is not possible to attend classes at a fitness center, you can always repeat the step aerobics complex at home using an ordinary small bench and even with an online teacher.
What's the best way to practice at home?
In some ways, it’s easier to start training with a group in the gym, because it’s more difficult to force yourself to go home and take care of all the little things so that the training takes place in comfortable conditions. Here are some tips on how to organize classes so that they please and bring a lot of benefits.
- Step platform. You should buy it in a specialized store, focusing on your height and level of training. For beginners, a height of 30 cm is perfect. Those who have already been involved in this area will need a higher height. There are platforms in which you can easily adjust the height; they are great for families where there are several people who are interested in this sport and practice at different times. It is better to give preference to a rubberized platform to avoid slipping during exercise.
- Weights. Beginners will not need them at first, but as training becomes more complex, it is worth purchasing dumbbells with a weight of 1 and 2 kg. This will help you achieve better results in a short time. You can start using them within a couple of months after starting intense training.
- Cloth. Sportswear in which you plan to exercise should be made of soft but elastic material that allows the skin to breathe freely. It shouldn’t be too tight or too tight, but at the same time it shouldn’t hang around the body. It is better to choose aerobics sneakers with hard soles, which would securely support the foot during exercise and reduce the load on the joints. In this case, the risk of spraining your leg is minimized.
That's all you need to do step aerobics at home. It is not difficult to find or purchase. It is especially important to devote time to this if you plan to work on a topic for more than one month.
What do you need to do step aerobics at home?
You already know what step aerobics is. Now let's talk about what you need to practice at home.
- Stepping platform . In other words, a step or an elevation, the choice of which takes into account a person’s height and preparation. A 30 cm platform will be enough for a beginner, but a person with experience will need a higher step. A beginner should not buy equipment that is too high, as it will be difficult for you to practice, and you may abandon the activity completely. The width of the platform is usually 40-50 cm, length - 1-1.5 m. The surface should not slip, and it should be securely fixed to the floor. Be safe to avoid harming yourself. In this regard, the best are considered to be rubberized or slightly textured surfaces, from which shoes cannot slip. At home, you may notice the platform as a regular bench or stool, but remember that convenience and safety come first.
- Dumbbells . Aerobic dumbbells will make step aerobics more effective for beginners. You can use dumbbells weighing 1.5-2 kg. This way you will make the activity more difficult for yourself and will not allow yourself to slow down.
- Shoes . Shoes should be comfortable, secure the foot and not squeeze the leg during exercise. Choose sneakers with cushioning and a rigid sole. Cushioning will help reduce the load on the joints and prevent the foot from dislocating. Even at home, you don’t need to exercise in socks or barefoot.
- Cloth . It is better to work out in a sports store in your size, which will allow the body to breathe and will not interfere with the body’s active movements.
During the exercise, your back should be straight. Try not to hunch over, pull your stomach in. Steps should be springy, stand on the platform with only your entire foot. Don't stop suddenly. Reduce the pace gradually, go to a walk and after a few minutes restore the pace of the activity.
Exercise technique for beginners
So, step aerobics – we already know what it is. The exercises will include dance movements, elements of oriental gymnastics and the simplest movements that we perform constantly and automatically. If you take a closer look at the technique of doing the exercises, you can conclude that this is a kind of mixture of walking up the stairs and classical aerobics. Everything is quite simple. Any specialist who offers step aerobics training will confirm that only the ability to step is enough. Here are the basic exercises for beginners:
- We place our right foot on the platform, bending the left leg at the knee. We pull up its top and place it on the floor next to the left one. We repeat the exercise at a fast pace, alternately starting with the right and left legs. Repeat several dozen times.
- Place your right foot on the step platform, then your left. We get off it in the same sequence. The movements should be performed at the same pace as the music playing in the background.
- We bend the right leg at the knee, raise the left leg slightly on the floor surface and lower it. We do a similar exercise for the other leg.
- We place the left and then the right foot on the platform. Then we lower it, first the right one and then the left one.
Repeat the exercises at a fast pace several dozen times .
It is advisable to do step aerobics at least three times a week. The duration of a lesson for beginners can be about 40 minutes. In the future, the time and frequency of classes can be increased. A video of step aerobics for beginners will help you practice correctly at home.
The load needs to be dosed , increasing it gradually. You need to be able to feel your body and not exhaust yourself right away. Caution is needed if you are prone to high blood pressure, problems with the heart, blood vessels, and joints. It will be interesting to know the following facts about step aerobics:
- Today, there are at least two hundred options for climbing onto and descending from a stepper.
- According to statistics, step aerobics is one of the safest.
- One hour of exercise allows you to burn 300-500 kcal.
- Experts confirm that step aerobics helps treat arthritis, since the latter is often caused by a lack of physical activity.
- This type of aerobics is practiced in more than 50 countries around the world.
- Regular exercise also helps reduce nervousness.
- If you increase the height of the platform by five centimeters, you will increase the load by 12%.
- A step aerobics program completed from start to finish is equivalent in load to 20 km of running.
- Brazilian football players begin their training with step aerobics.
Step aerobics is a fun, simple and effective way to get rid of extra pounds and tone yourself. You can do it at home, having prepared a minimum set of equipment. We invite you to watch video lessons of step aerobics for beginners, which will help you at the beginning of your training journey.
Basic Rules
As with regular aerobics for beginners, when doing step aerobics, you should consider a number of rules that will protect the beginner. In addition, following them will allow you to lose excess weight faster and increase the effectiveness of each workout.
- The foot should be placed completely on the platform (i.e. with the heel), and the step should be springy and soft.
- During the approach, you cannot hunch over, your back is straight, your abdominal muscles are tightened.
- You can’t start abruptly and also stop. The pace decreases gradually, and a few minutes are allocated to return to a state of rest.
- You cannot start performing the complex without warming up.
- If classes are aimed at losing weight, then do at least 20-25 approaches for each leg.
- When finished, you need to restore your breathing - slowly walk in one place.
- Just starting to practice, it is better to do everything as shown in the video without deviations. If the load is constant and training is regular, then subcutaneous fat will disappear quickly.
Step aerobics for beginners
Today, step aerobics for beginners is presented in the Basic Step, Step 1, Step Beginners lessons. In fact, the classes do not differ in anything except the naming. The group spends 40 minutes learning the basic steps of this type of aerobics, then performs exercises on the abdominal muscles for about 10-15 minutes, and ends with stretching.
In clubs that do not offer lessons for beginners, there are two options:
- a beginner comes to the general group, warns the instructor that this is the first lesson, and at the beginning of the training he is quickly shown the steps;
- The club administration encourages the purchase of introductory personal training. Its goal is to teach how to walk safely on a step platform and not get confused in steps.
Stepping for beginners can be a challenge. Even though we read about how simple and understandable it is, several difficult minutes still await the neophyte.
You shouldn’t bashfully sit at the very end of the hall. It is better to place your step where you can clearly see the instructor. Or at least his legs. The most advantageous places for beginners are in the center of the hall, in the first row, almost immediately behind the instructor.
You only need to make sure that you step with your full foot; everything else should be told and shown to you. At first, absolutely all people get confused, don’t get into the rhythm and get their feet mixed up. There is no point in worrying and quitting classes because of this.
Contraindications
Before starting exercise, you should clarify whether such sets of exercises are recommended by your doctor if you have chronic diseases. Step aerobics is contraindicated for people suffering from:
- High blood pressure.
- Heart pathology (or having undergone surgery).
- Varicose veins.
- Kidney or liver diseases.
- With pain in the legs or joints.
- During the period of exacerbation of acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections.
- Having suffered spinal injuries.
You should definitely consult with your doctor and make sure that the exercises will only benefit the body. Then step aerobics will be a real hobby that gives you a good mood every day.
Educational video lessons for beginners
Healthy fitness with a step platform is an effective method of burning calories and losing excess weight. With regular exercise, intense step exercises will become a real pleasure for a person who wants to get rid of subcutaneous fat. A set of elements of breathing exercises and the right steps will help a person who cannot go to the gym to train at home. Watch the videos to enhance your practice.
Basic exercises on the step platform for beginners
step aerobics at home for beginners.
Advanced class
Step aerobics with Oleg Tchaikovsky (advanced level)
Best dance aerobics
Dance-step aerobics, coach Olga Ochkasova
Home workout exercises
As we mentioned at the beginning, we have prepared for you a full-fledged step aerobics workout - such classes are perfect for beginners. The attached video lessons will help you master the correct exercise technique at home. As well as visual photos for each exercise.
- Exercise No. 1. Be sure to start with a warm-up and a small warm-up, gradually increasing the load. We bend our elbows, straighten our back and begin an intense step on the spot. We continue to repeat these movements for 4-5 minutes.
Warm-up is a must
- Exercise No. 2. We stand a few steps from the stand, placing our hands at the waist line. Take 2 steps towards the bench, and on the third step, stand on it with both feet. Then we jump back to the floor and take 2 steps back to the starting position. Repeat 20 times.
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- Exercise No. 3. Let's complicate the previous exercise. Again we take 2 steps towards the bench, but we add body turns to these steps - first to the right and then to the left. On the third step, we again stand on the step, jump off and, two steps back, again perform torso turns. Repeat 15 times.
- Exercise No. 4 . We begin to increase the intensity. Again we move a couple of steps away from the bench, bending our arms slightly at the elbows. We take 2 quick steps to the step, 2 steps back, 2 steps forward again and then jump onto it. With the same jump we return to the floor and take 2 steps back, becoming in the starting position. Repeat 15 times.
- Exercise No. 5 . We stand on the surface of the step with both feet. We bend our elbows in front of us. Jump off the bench to the right with your right foot. The left one remains on the steppe, the body leans forward slightly. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg - jump to the left with your left leg. We return the body weight to both legs again. Repeat the exercise 20 times, alternating legs.
- Exercise No. 6 . We stand in front of the bench, placing our hands on our waists. We take a step onto the bench with our right foot and at the same time raise our left arm. Let's go back. Then we take a step onto the step with our left foot, raising our right hand. And again return to the starting position before the step. Using this scheme, repeat the exercise 30 times.
- Exercise No. 7 . Starting position: stand in front of a bench, arms bent at the elbows and placed at the waist. We place our right foot on the stand and the next movement is the left one - so that we are on two legs. We return to the floor with the same movement, but in the reverse order - first we place the left one on the floor, then the right one. Perform the exercise for 5 minutes, taking short breaks (10 seconds each). Every minute you can increase the pace of movements.
- Exercise No. 8 . In the starting position, we again stand in front of the stand. We place our right foot on it, and with our left we swing our knee up, pulling it as close as possible to the chest. We return to the floor with our left foot and place our right foot next to it. We change legs, repeat by analogy - step with the left, swing the knee up with the right. Perform 30 times.
- Exercise No. 9 . We stand in front of the bench. We take a step onto the step with one foot, transferring our body weight to this leg. Then immediately swing the opposite leg to the side. With the leg that was swung, we immediately return to the floor (that is, you do not place it on the step at all). Then we return the second one to the floor, getting into the starting position on two legs in front of the step. Repeat with the second leg - step, swing the opposite leg, come back. Perform 30 repetitions, alternating legs.
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- Exercise No. 10 . Finish your workout with a brisk walk with high knees for 5 minutes. Restore your breathing - as you inhale, raise your arms up, and as you exhale, lower your arms. You can do a minute-long cool-down stretch to eliminate heaviness in your muscles.
This workout should be done regularly. The best option is 3 times a week for 30-40 minutes (you can start with 20 minutes). But if you can do it more often, you will lose weight even faster! Video lessons for beginners will help you quickly master step aerobics and achieve a luxurious, toned figure at home.
Have you tried step aerobics?