9 best exercises on the step platform (video)

A step platform is a sports equipment that is a small bench with an adjustable height level. This platform is designed not only for step aerobics, but also for performing strength and cardio exercises. Most often, this sports equipment is made of special plastic and has a corrugated surface that prevents slipping during exercise.

The step platform is a truly versatile fitness equipment. You can do aerobics with it, perform strength and plyometric exercises, complicate and simplify classic exercises. In general, using this equipment will help you create an effective set of exercises for losing weight and strengthening the muscles of the whole body, especially the legs and buttocks.

What are the benefits of training with a step platform?

Both cardio classes and strength training using the platform pump up all the muscles of the lower body and improve coordination. “They develop the cardiovascular system, coordination and reaction speed. During one workout, you can burn from 200 to 450 kcal, depending on the intensity of the lesson,” notes Olga Savitskaya, head of group programs at the Fitness Practice - Dynamo club.
The schedule of almost any club includes step aerobics, that is, cardio training with this equipment. “Such classes are usually built on the principle of learning a dance combination from simple to complex. Usually, a lesson is divided into several levels according to the degree of difficulty: at basic step aerobics, only the basic steps and the technique of performing them are honed, and at the intermediate and advanced levels, the training becomes more and more reminiscent of learning a special dance on a platform,” explains Olga Savitskaya.

For those who don’t really like dancing, we can recommend strength exercises on the platform. These are basic movements - lunges, squats, push-ups and their variations, in which the platform acts as a kind of “complicator”. “They are aimed not so much at burning fat, but at strengthening and growing muscles, but nevertheless they help you lose weight,” says Stepan Proshin, trainer at the Fitness Studio 29 personal training studio . “In this activity there are no jumps and complex coordination movements, unlike step aerobics.”

Strength exercises for step can be done without music. “It is only important to maintain a uniform pace of the lesson; this can be done, for example, by counting,” notes Stepan Proshin. “The main thing is to perform the exercises correctly, technically and do the required number of repetitions and approaches.”

Step classes are suitable for beginners and experienced fitness practitioners. Observing safety precautions, they can be carried out not only in the gym, but also at home.

Exercise 10 - with hand support

To perform this exercise, you need to stand to the side of the platform.

One foot must be placed on the platform. Legs should be parallel to each other.
Transfer your body weight to the leg that will carry the main load. Pull your pelvis back.
Use the hand closest to the platform to lean on it and jump to the other side.
Then you need to change your leg and repeat this exercise.

Safety precautions

You need to follow it in class regardless of whether you are performing cardio exercises with a platform or strength exercises. “All students need to remember the technique of working during the lesson: enter the platform only with your entire foot, and lower it down as well. You cannot stop abruptly during a lesson, and if such a need arises, then go to the basic step and only stop after completing this step 5-10 times. It is also important to maintain a drinking regime,” warns Olga Savitskaya.

Exercise 5 - for the hips

This exercise is aimed at working the thigh muscles.

Stand to the side of the platform so that you are facing away from it.
Step forward, jump with both feet, then jump back to the platform.
Next, try to jump onto the platform with both feet and come down from it on the other side. Repeat the same movements: step, jump, step back to the platform, jump onto the platform and then jump off the platform.

Do this exercise for three to five repetitions on each side.

To make the exercise more difficult, perform the movement with slightly bent legs or with a more intense load.

How to build a lesson

Start your workout with a simple warm-up.
Perform the exercises sequentially in 3 sets of 15 repetitions each.
Skip exercises that are difficult for you. “If some movement is still very difficult for you, do not perform it, but return to it after 4-5 workouts - let the muscles adapt and get stronger,” says Stepan Proshin.
Do this program 3 times a week .
Finish your workout with light stretching .

To perform the exercises of the complex you will need a step platform and a mat.

Exercise 8 - Jumping

Stand in front of the step platform (narrow side).
Start the movement with your right foot. Raise your leg onto the step, then the other, then jump to the floor so that the step is between your legs.
Then you jump again and jump to the floor again.

Repeat this exercise several more times.

To make it more difficult, add arms and increase the intensity of the exercise.

Video of exercises on the step platform

Start doing the exercises at a comfortable and even pace and try to maintain it throughout the session. As your stamina level increases, you can speed up.

Squats on the steppe

Stand in front of the step platform, feet hip-width apart. Step onto the step with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees, move your pelvis back and lower into a squat. Place your palms together in front of your chest. Then straighten up and step down from the step, placing one foot at a time on the floor. This will amount to one repetition. Complete them as required.

Squats with leg raise

Stand in front of the step platform, moving to its left edge. Step onto the step with your right foot, move your left leg to the side, bend your right knee, and lower yourself into a squat. Place your palms together in front of your chest. Then lower your left foot to the floor and step off the step. This will amount to one repetition. Perform the required number of them in each direction.

Jumping on the step

Stand in front of the step, place your feet together. Jump onto the step with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down with your palms together in front of your chest. Step down from the step, placing one foot at a time on the floor. This will amount to one repetition. Complete the required number of them.

Walking with leg lift

Stand in front of the step. Step your left foot onto the right edge of the step, bend your right knee and pull it towards your stomach. Then lower your right foot to the floor, step off the step and step onto the left edge of the platform with your right foot. Bend your left knee, pulling it towards your stomach. This will amount to one repetition. Complete the required number of them.

Walking plank

Take a lying position, resting your palms on the step, with your feet together. With your toes on the floor, spread them wider than your shoulders, then return them to the center one at a time. This will amount to one repetition. Complete the required number of them.

Twisted plank

Take a lying position, resting your palms on the step, place your feet hip-width apart. Bend your left knee and pull it towards your stomach, pointing towards your right elbow. Then return to the starting position and bend your right knee, pointing it towards your left elbow. Work your abdominal muscles, do not bend your lower back. This will amount to one repetition. Complete the required amount.

Pelvic lift

Place a rug near the step. Lie on the mat with your back, press your lower back to the floor, place your feet on the steppe, bending your knees. Place your palms behind your head. Turn your right foot out and place it on your left knee. Leaning on your arms, shoulders and left foot, smoothly lift your pelvis off the floor and lift it up. Work the muscles of the abs, legs, buttocks. Then slowly lower yourself to the floor. This is one repetition. Perform the required number of them in each direction.

Push ups

Take a lying position, leaning on the step with straight arms. Place your palms slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your knees to the floor. Don't arch at the waist. Bend your elbows, lower your body down and touch your chest to the step. Then straighten your arms and return to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Exercise 7 - intensive for legs

This exercise must be performed intensively.

To begin, stand on the step, put your hands on your waist.
Jump with one foot to the floor, come back, jump with the other foot and come back.
When performing this exercise, you need to jump as high as possible.

If the step platform is low for you, then perform it on a higher one.

Before jumping, make sure the floor is not slippery to avoid slipping and injury!

Exercise 12 - to stretch the thigh muscles

This exercise will help you warm up your thigh muscles - both before and after a fitness class.

To do this, you need to stand facing the step platform. Place one leg on it and shift the center of gravity of your body, bending and unbending the other leg.
Change your leg.

It is recommended to perform this exercise for 3-4 approaches on each side.

What equipment will be needed for classes?

For classes you need special support. It is not necessary to purchase a professional platform for step aerobics. A cabinet, bench or ordinary stair steps will do the job perfectly.

You can perform basic up and down steps at different heights. It is recommended to start with a low step, even if you can lift your legs higher. It is necessary to control your hips: while performing high steps, they need to be kept shoulder-width apart.

Additional weights – dumbbells, kettlebells – will help increase the load. The kettlebell must be held with both hands by the handle in front of you in a deep squat. The apparatus can be replaced with a dumbbell.

When using paired equipment, the technique is different: the shells must be held in the hands, extended along the body or bent towards the shoulders.

What is step aerobics

Step aerobics originated in the 80s of the last century, in the USA.

American fitness trainer Jean Miller was recovering from an injured knee and received a recommendation from her doctor to do step-ups on a low platform to develop the joint.

After successful rehabilitation, Jean decided to use this equipment for training.

And then the trend spread throughout the world, gaining popularity among different age groups and physical conditions. At the same time, not only girls, but also men did it.

The dance version of step is characterized by a set of alternating steps that are combined into a sequence.

Exercises are performed with a step platform. Its height varies to adjust the load.

The class is intense, with dynamic music playing in the background.

The workout begins with light warm-up movements, and then the level of difficulty increases through a combination of simple exercises.

Beginners complete the basic elements in two or three steps. Experienced athletes perform complex sequences at a fast pace.

If at first you don’t have time to repeat after the instructor, don’t worry! Time will pass and you will get used to the load, improve coordination and get the desired result. The key point is regular training.

The lesson lasts 45-60 minutes. The exercises follow each other without pauses, and the intensity increases.

To recover when moving to the next sequence, students simply walk in place, trying not to stop.

At the end of the workout, movements are often used that target the arms and abs, and the main part of the complex works the legs and gluteal muscles.

The level of load can be increased by using dumbbells or weights.

Step aerobics classes are not as simple as they may seem at first.

However, these are not the most impactful exercises in fitness, so they are suitable even for those who have not previously engaged in physical activity.

It is only important that the person chooses the right level of load and does not have problems with coordination.

Is it possible to lose weight by doing step aerobics?

It is logical that losing weight during step training will depend on compliance with the main principles of fat burning.

Losing body weight occurs under the condition of a calorie deficit, so exercise alone will not help you get rid of extra pounds.

Aerobics is a variant of cardio, which is very effective for weight loss.

One training session will burn approximately one meal of calories.

Muscles become toned and blood circulation improves, which will also help expend energy faster and remove excess fluid from the body.

Step is perfect as an addition to strength training, as a complete weight loss program.

For example, you can work out in the gym 3 times and attend a group aerobics class the same number of times.

When to use weights and how to do it

If you can do 10 steps on each leg without any problems, try adding weights. Take light dumbbells of 2-4 kg or bottles filled with water or sand.

If you don't lose your balance and the exercise's form doesn't deteriorate after 10 repetitions, you can increase the weight further. If you access dumbbells with different weights, increase the load until you reach a pair that you can only do 10-12 times.

If you feel confident, you can try step-ups with a barbell on your back. To start, take an empty bar weighing 15–20 kg, or even better, a bodybar weighing 7–8 kg.

As you get used to it, add weights until you reach a weight that you can perform 8-12 times without turning your knees inward or leaning your body too much forward.

Advantages and contraindications

Training has a number of benefits:

Helps speed up fat burning (you can burn up to 500 calories in 1 hour)
Joints are subject to less stress compared to other types of stress
The muscles of the thighs and buttocks acquire tone
Exercise is a good way to prevent diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
Improves the functioning of the heart and respiratory system
Metabolism accelerates
The body becomes more resilient, stronger and stronger
Classes can be done at home

There are also a few disadvantages. For example, the main movements in step involve mainly the legs and glutes. But it is also important to train the upper body, otherwise the figure will not develop proportionally.

Step aerobics is not suitable for people with knee injuries. And if the technique of stepping onto the platform is incorrect, damage to the Achilles may occur.

Sometimes it’s difficult for beginners at the beginning, they don’t have time and stop training due to lack of motivation. This can also be considered a disadvantage.

Training with a step platform also has contraindications:

Cardiovascular diseases
Joint pathology
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Increased blood and intracranial pressure
Varicose veins
Severe obesity
Pregnancy
Long break after training

Before starting classes, it is recommended to consult a doctor for advice.

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Getting to know the style: 5 myths about tap dance What a beginner dancer needs to know.

Tap has long ceased to be a dance from Broadway musicals. 19-year-old Gabi Diaz, a professional tap dancer, won last season’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and even at the casting made the judges applaud her and shout “bravo.” The Syncopated Ladies team attracts audiences no less than show business stars to their performances, and the Lombard brothers created a step dance show together with salsa star Tito Puente. In Russia, tap dance is still viewed with prejudice and is still seen as the star dance of Fred Astaire. Elena Veselovskaya (choreographer, dancer, teacher of artists of the musical “Singing in the Rain”) and Vasily Sedykh (dancer, choreographer, actor of the film “Boomer”, TV series “Soldiers”) more than ten years ago combined two styles - Broadway tap and hoofing - and They have created the only school of its kind, Hoofing&Broadway, a place where you can learn everything about tap dance and even a little more. Which is what we took advantage of. Lena and Vasily destroyed the most popular myths about the steppe. Myth No. 1. Those who are not accepted anywhere else go to step dance

Why is there an opinion that step is a refuge for everyone who cannot dance any other dances? This is not true... Many, even professional dancers of other styles, consider tap to be an easy dance to learn and perform. But step is a technically complex dance and very musical.

“After watching the film “Winter Evening in Gagra” (the story of a respected but forgotten tap dance master who undertakes to teach a young dancer with no sense of rhythm and a broken leg), many newcomers enroll in our school. When asked why you came to step dance, they answer that other styles were not for them,” laugh Vasily and Lena, the heads of the Hoofing&Broadway studio. - In fact, this is a good reason to come to the dance studio, because talent in tap dance may be hidden, but maybe the hard work that any good tap dancer needs will awaken in you, or you will feel at the subconscious level that this is yours. But in any case, you must be able to move.” “Tap is a unique type of dance, and there are more subtleties in it than it seems. For example, beginners put a lot of effort into their first workouts, working their foot muscles. This results in loss of speed and sound quality. With experience, they understand that tap dancers work with a relaxed foot. And, as practice shows, learning to relax it is more difficult than tense it,” says Elena.

Myth 2. Tap is a dance from musicals

The musicals 42nd Street, Singin' in the Rain, Chicago and West Side Story are all about romance, and learning to dance like Broadway stars will make you proud. Broadway step is more popular in Russia and it is through it that newcomers get acquainted with this world. However, there is another direction - hooding - which is rhythmically more complex. Here the dancer requires more technique and more musicality, because the hoofer is essentially a musician. The profession of a hoofer is equated with elitist ones, such as an artist, performer, writer, that is, with creative loners.

Myth No. 3. Step - dance for weight loss

Elena and Vasily often receive calls from girls who are interested in whether it is possible to lose weight by doing step dance. And they get very upset when they are told that they don’t. Therefore, if you are looking for classes where you can tighten your shape with stepper exercises, then you need a gym.

Myth No. 4. Step is a dance of the 20s of the last century for retro lovers

In Russia they still think so. Europe and the USA are more progressive in this regard. In fact, any direction is based on principles and techniques that have been known since the origin of the style, but under the influence of music the dance changes greatly. Today, step miraculously complements any music and with its help you can create incredible performances and collaborations.

Myth No. 5. Only thin and young people dance tap

“It all depends on how comfortable you are with dancing. If you feel it. If weight is a hindrance, it means you need to lose weight. If it doesn’t bother you, then continue dancing. Age doesn't matter either. The main thing is hard work. Although it is always clear that someone needs a year to learn, and someone needs 50 years. And at what age you start – at 7 or at 47 – it doesn’t matter at all. The main thing is to determine for yourself, at least at the beginning, the level that you want to achieve: for yourself, for friends, to perform on stage, to earn money. In general, step dance is the most “long-lived” type of dance. You can dance it until you are very old,” says Vasily.

And step is also a dance that does not require the start of a season or a new group. “You can join any group now. If it’s mentally difficult, then there are always schools where they recruit newcomers every 2-3 months, and you can join when your schedule allows,” explains Elena. After all, as we found out, nothing prevents us from dancing the same way.

Ekaterina Perminova collected truth and myths. Source

Other ways to do it

The variability of traditional steps facing the stand is limited only by the athlete’s imagination.

Among these methods:

Knee lift at the top point

Rising onto the stand, the knee of the free leg rises up towards the chest.

Such a movement additionally engages the muscles of the second leg, without removing the load from the target muscles. And this increases energy costs.

Leg abduction at the top point

In the upper phase of the movement, the free straight leg is moved back (the amplitude of the movement is small).

This variety helps to additionally load the back of the thigh and buttocks.

With a lunge

A very energy-intensive exercise, as it combines two complex movements - steps and lunges.

First, do a classic rise up, and when you come down, lunge back.

The exercise is suitable for well-physically trained people.

Exercise 14 - back push-ups

This exercise is aimed at push-ups.

Push-ups require you to sit on a platform, place your palms on it and move your legs forward so that your body is suspended.
Bend your elbows, and while exhaling, lower your pelvis lower to the floor. As you inhale, rise up.
You need to lower your pelvis so that it does not touch the floor. Repeat the exercise several times.
Next, lift your left hand from the step and stretch it to the toe of your left foot. Repeat the same with the other hand.

Repeat the steps at least 10 times.

To lose weight, you need to perform these exercises more intensely and alternate with cardio exercises.