Step aerobics is to group fitness what the immigration issue is to politics — divisive.  Members either love it or hate it, walk out if the instructor taps, get confused if she doesn’t, one bench or four…  As for me… I’m one who loves to take a highly-choreographed, super-advanced, prancing all over as many benches as we can fit in the room.  But teaching it?  Holy crap, I can barely cue one move every four counts and I seem to fall off the step at least once a quarter.  (I’d like to blame my clubs slippery floors, but alas, I am that clumsy.) 

So I admit it, I am a weak Step instructor.  How, then, does one explain why one of the more popular classes at one gym where I teach happens to be my Step class?  Is it possible to teach Step using the K.I.S.S. forumla and still keep die-hard Steppers satisfied?  I dare say it is.  Here are my secrets to satisfying all ends of the Step Spectrum.

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Here is an easy, but fun vertical step combo that I used last night.  It is simple to follow and teach, but criss-crossing the step gets the heartrate up nicely.

Combo:

Note: Start on the left side of the step, towards the back.

4 - Over the Top, R Lead

4 - Diagonal Over the Top, L Lead.  Move to the front of the step.

4 - Over the Top, R Lead.  Stay at the front of the step.

4 - One knee:  Use it to back up again.  I usually cue it as “One hop back”

6 - Two-knee Repeater

2 - Two bounces in place, like jumping rope

4 - Rocking Horse: One hamstring curl (2) One knee (2)

4 - One Jumpshot

Reverse.

 I usually teach this one by doing three of everything, then shortening it up; therefore, no fancy layering techniques.  :) 

Have fun!

Yesterday, using Cadence Revolution Show 20, my early morning class did a Pyramid Ride.  Usually a pyramid ride means that you start with a basic movement then start adding movements to build a chain that you repeat every time you add a movement.  There are an infinite number of ways that you can do a Pyramid; I opted for the “Member’s Choice”/Rolling Build option today.  The “Member’s Choice” means that I had each rider choose a movement to add to the sequence.  The Rolling Build means that we will only repeat a few of the segments before dropping the one at the beginning of the sequence to add another to the end.  This method allows every person in the room to contribute without running out of time, even when the room is full.

In a 40-minute ride minus 10 minutes for warm-up and cool down, there are 30 1-minute segments.  We divided those segments up for a class of 9 attendees and 1 instructor, telling us to only have three segments in the chain at a time.  For our Rolling Build, the segments get added on in this manner:

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This final combo in my July series is almost too easy to post, but sometimes even the no-brainers are hard to come up with.  So here is the basic combo, with definitions.  No progression, because there really isn’t one:

Around the world, anyway you like it (16)
L step (8)
Figure 8 (8)

Definitions:

Around the world, anyway you like it - I like to give my students  the choice to work whichever move they like around the world.  Mix ‘em up for fun or try a different variation everytime you start the combo.  Leg sides, knees, extensions, inner thighs, leg curls, jumpshots, taps, hops, kicks…  so many choices, so little time!

Figure 8 - Step hop R on the bench to turn and face the back (12) two steps LR on the floor facing back (34) step hop L on the floor to turn and face the front (56) two steps RL on the floor moving forward (78)

Enjoy!

In this series of four posts, I’m providing a different step combo with teaching progression - as best I can explain my mad methodology!  Enjoy!

Combo 3:

1/2 V Shake(4) R lead
hop 1/4 turn off the end (4) R lead, exit to the right of the step
split basic (8) L lead
repeater turn (8) L lead
hop turn (4) R lead
4 party marches (4) L lead

Definitions:
V-Shake -   
(1) Step up R
(2) Step up L wide (like you are starting a V step) 
(3-6) shake your hips RLRL
(78) Exit RL

1/2 V-shake  -
(1) Step up R
(2) Step up L wide (like you are starting a V step) 
(34) shake your hips RL

Split Basic -  
(12) Step up RL
(3) tap the floor behind you (or lunge back) R
(4) step on the step R
(5) tap the floor behind you (or lunge back) L
(6) step on the step L
(78) Exit RL

Repeater turn -
3 knee repeater the same as usual, but gradually rotate 1/4 turn around the corner of the bench

Party Marches -
march while shimmying your shoulders and partying with your hips

Teaching progression:

March on top of the bench RLRL (4) + hop R (2) [step R and hop R on top of the bench] +
exit LR to home(2) + 2 basics L.  Reverse and repeat as needed.

Repeater knee R, 1 hop L march 4 steps RLRL.  Repeat as needed.

Add together to create the full combo skeleton:
march on top of the bench hop exit.
2 basics
repeater knee
1 hop march on the floor

Now you will start to layer in all the fun stuff.  I add them in this order:
Party marches in place of the last marches on the floor
Split Basics
Direction changes
V Shakes

Have fun!

 In this series of four posts, I’m sharing the combos I created to sub a step class recently.  Included are my definitions of each non-self-explanatory step and the teaching progressions - as best I can explain my mad methodology!

Combo #2:

3-knee repeater with kick (8) R lead
single knee (4) R lead
mambo across and back (4) L lead
mambo cha cha x2 ** (8) L lead
2 knee repeater (5) ski (3) L lead
Reverse

** To add to this, make the first mambo cha cha ”normal” and do the second on the floor swapping a  pivot turn for the mambo.
 

Definitions:
knee repeater kick - Do a three knee repeater the way you always do.  On count 8, instead of stepping or tapping, do a kick with your lead foot so that you do not reverse.

mambo across and back - Just like a regular mambo, except that instead of taking the first step on the bench, take your lead foot over to step in front of the step.  Step your second step in place.  Then complete the mambo as usual with your lead foot behind and second step in place.

ski - Start with your lead foot slightly behind your other foot, weight evenly distributed. Jump to quickly switch your back foot to the front at the same time the front foot switches to the back.

Teaching Progression:

Teach mambo across the bench and back.  Set aside.

Knee repeater kick x2 or x4 +  knees to 3 corners + mambo across the bench and back 12 counts. reverse.
Then, steadily condense it to one of each step as in the combo.

2 knee repeater(5), march 2 counts(2), clap on 8 - no feet (1).  Repeat to get comfortable with the rhythm.  Either here or later in the progression, change “march 2 clap” to 3 skis.

Mix in the mambo cha chas, starting with each on the bench, then change to one on, one off, and eventually one on, one pivot.

When you have this block down, add it to the first block to complete the combo.

Have fun!

I don’t teach Step regularly anymore as interest in it at the main club where I teach has waned significantly.  It has never really been my forte as an instructor either.  However, I got a call to sub at a different gym last night, and I had the pleasure of putting a few combos together.  Since I wasn’t sure of the audience, I tried to vary the choreography difficulty, without going overboard.  In this series of four posts, I’m including each combo with teaching progression - as best I can explain my mad methodology!

Combo 1: Mambo Madness 

5-count mambo x 2 (10) R lead
3-count mambo x 2 (6)  R lead
reverse turn      (4)  R lead
3-count mambo x 2 (6)  R lead
2 knee repeater (6) to reverse

Definitions:

5-count mambo -
Angle the body to the left front corner of the room. 
 (1) Step R foot on L corner of the step
 (2) Step L foot on floor slightly left of the step.
 (3) Step R foot on the L corner of the step (it stays in the same place, essentially)
 (4) Step L foot on floor behind R foot
 (5) Step R foot on floor next to L foot facing the front

3-count mambo -
Angle the body to the left front corner of the room.  
(1) Step R foot on L corner of the step
(2) Step L foot on floor directly to the left of the step.
(3) Step R foot on the L corner of the step (it stays in the same place, essentially)

Reverse turn -
Angle the body to the left front corner of the room.  
(1) Step R foot on L corner of the step
(2) Face the back of the room, step L foot on the step
(3) Step R foot on the floor, continue turning
(4) Step L foot next to R on the floor, facing front

Teaching Progression:

Teach 3 count mambos, set them aside.

Teach 5 count mambo, 6 marches. Repeat as needed.

Teach reverse turn, 6 marches, 2 knee repeater.  Reverse and repeat as needed.

Combine to have: 5 count mambo, 6 marches, Reverse turn, 6 marches, 2 knee repeater.  Reverse and repeat as needed.

Demonstrate the 3-count mambo in place of the 6 marches then let them go crazy!

Have fun!

I just wanted to share this really great combo I got from Turnstep last week.  I’ve used it twice with excellent results and thought you might want to see it yourself.  Thank you Tina for some easy-to-read, easy-to-teach, fun-to-do choreography!

 http://www.turnstep.com/Patterns/2007/March/Mar07.2.html

This morning, I worked with my early morning class on improving their pedaling technique.  I throw pedal drills into my rides every now and then, but today’s Spinning Profile was dedicated to form and efficiency.

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I subbed a sculpting class called “Hot Muscle” last night at Eco Fitness. I knew the girls who attended would be expecting a non-stop, body-slimming, fat-blast of a workout so I put this together to work them into a sweat. They were a quiet, suspicious group, which was not unexpected because of the well-known loyalty they feel towards their regular instructor. However, by the end, we were all drenched, a red and feeling like Super Women. So here. Go kick some butts with this:

The Basic Structure

1. Warm up (5 minutes)
2. Perform 16-24 reps of each exercise in numbered set 1. Use the following timing:
   1. “Double Counts” (2 counts eccentric, 2 counts concentric) for the first 8 reps
   2. “Single Counts” (1 count eccentric, 1 count concentric) for the last 8-16 reps You’ll choose 8 or 16 depending on :
      • Your music tempo (fast beat, can fit more reps in the alloted time)
      • Your class level (more advanced, more reps)
      • Whether or not you have to repeat on the other side (save time by doing fewer each side - err on the heavier side with the weight to ensure muscle fatigue)
3. After you work each of the four exercises, repeat set 1.
4. Rest 1-2 minutes. You should be about 15-20 minutes into class by now.
5. Follow the above steps to work through numbered sets 2, 3 and 4. Each set should take you 10-15 minutes if you stick to the timing and avoid dilly-dallying.

Equipment

The equipment you’ll need is listed after each exercise. “Light,” “Medium,” and “Heavy” are of course, relative terms, so provide your students with some guidance on selecting the appropriate weight.  At the start you’ll need:

• Stability Ball
• Medium-to-Heavy Barbell that can be lightened during class
• Light, Medium Hand weights
• Heavy Hand Weights (optional)

The Moves

(1)

1. Push ups on a stability ball (Stability Ball)
2. Barbell squats (Medium-Heavy Barbell or Heavy Hand weights)
3. Floor push ups, alternate dropping chest toward right hand, then left hand (none)
4. one-legged wall squats (Stability Ball, bare walls)

(2)

1. Bent-over row. Second set can be done on one leg for greater challenge (Medium Barbell)
2. Static Lunges (Medium Barbell or Medium Hand Weights)
3. One-Arm Row with Twist (One Medium-Heavy Hand Weight and optional Stability Ball under support hand)
4. Alternating Reverse Lunges. Second set do Alternating Forward Lunges (Medium Barbell or Medium Hand Weights)

(3)

1. Overhead Press (Light - Medium Barbell)
2. Skull Crushers on a ball (Light - Medium Barbell)
3. Hamstring Curls on a ball (Stability Ball)
4. Barbell Bicep Curl (Medium Barbell)

(4)

1. Tricep Push Ups (none)
2. Open angle Bicep Curls (Med-Heavy Handweights)
3. Forward Raises (Light Hand Weights)
4. Reverse Fly (Light Hand Weights)

That’s it!!  Have fun, play with it.  Change the moves, whatever.  Just let me know what you thought and how you implemented it!  Leave a comment so we can learn from each other and each continue our journey of self-improvement!