Objectively ask yourself the following questions...

Have the choreography in your step classes become low intensity, so you feel a faster speed is necessary?

Have “The Moves” become more important than the cardiovascular benefits?

Have some participants left classes in search of something that gives them a better workout?

Step workouts can be both interesting and creative, and effective enough to deliver the cardiovascular responses that our clients demand. Heart rate readings were how we used to determine the intensity of a class, but we don’t seem to do this any more. So how do you verify that your classes are an effective workout?

Is this you sometimes?

You are looking at your class 20 minutes into the choreography and realise that it is not going so well.

Your front row participants are movin’ and groovin’, there is one participant in the front right corner embellishing the choreography and adding their own turns, and then the rest of the class is trying to pick up the choreography. And then… there is definitely three people who look completely lost and are standing still more often than they are moving.

If you are like me, you are not too happy. After all, you are a great group exercise instructor who enjoys having the whole class move successfully and not just the handful that are sure to return back next week.

The challenge for any freestyle instructor is how to cater for different levels within the one class. The beautiful thing about being a freestyle instructor is that we have the opportunity to try, so we do. The question is HOW?

There is no one foolproof method, but consider the following options.

Creating great workouts that are aerobically challenging, mentally simulating and achievable, begins with basic step building blocks.

One of the advantages of freestyle step, is that we can ensure that we can provide a workout that is suitable for different levels of fitness and ability.

What are the advantages of a step workout?

q  The adjustable platform allows the participant to adjust the workout to suit their fitness level or required intensity needs

q  Step is an excellent low impact cardiovascular workout.

q  Step music is slower so it provides the participant an opportunity to pick up the choreography

q  A 3 dimensional tool, step sequences can be manipulated in various different ways to create endless choreography.

q  Step is an excellent cross training modality that is uniquely different from any other group exercise program

q  Personal space – “This is my step and my space around it” is great for those participants who are concerned about “running” into other people

Step choreography has had several transformations since its initial conception - from repetitive basic moves that were strung together because of a similar foot pattern, to highly complex choreography that requires a familiarity and in-depth knowledge of intricate movement patterns on and around the step.

Somewhere along this evolution, a move called the Stomp was introduced. A stomp is a partial step move. A partial step move does not lift the body entirely onto or off the step, instead a rocking action is performed. An example is when the foot is placed on the step, and then taken off the step as in a marching action. In fact, this is how the stomp was initially conceived.

The stomp has been a huge revelation to step choreography as it expanded the options available. The main concern with this move is when instructors overuse it within a workout.

Step is one of the most successful programs ever introduced into the group fitness array of classes. Since the early 90’s participants have enjoyed the energetic and creative choreography that is truly unique to step and cannot be replicated by any other class type.

Over the past 18 years, step choreography has certainly changed. From the primitive basics of “basic step on the right… tap change, now let’s do basic step on the left”, to more sophisticated and complex routines. The issue with this, as always, is how to integrate beginners into main stream classes. The challenge is to ensure that beginners feel comfortable and confident with step as well as fulfilling the goals of the regular stepper. The reality is, that this is impossible to achieve 100% of the time. In truth, there is a compromise – beginners are challenged and intermediates will require a little patience.

Step is one of the most successful programs ever introduced into the group fitness array of classes. Since the early 90’s participants have enjoyed the energetic and creative choreography that is truly unique to step and cannot be replicated by any other class type.

Over the past 17 years, step choreography has certainly changed. From the primitive basics of “basic step on the right… tap change, now let’s do basic step on the left”, to more sophisticated and complex routines. The issue with this, as always, is how to integrate beginners into main stream classes. The challenge is to ensure that beginners feel comfortable and confident with step as well as fulfilling the goals of the regular stepper. The reality is, that this is impossible to achieve 100% of the time. In truth, there is a compromise – beginners are challenged and intermediates will require a little patience.

Organic: untreated, unprocessed, pure, raw

Organic step is about going back to the fundamental moves which begin the step choreography process. Learning curves need to build on a solid foundation of raw, unprocessed moves and progress simply and logically into the next move. Without this, we cannot ensure the success of our classes.

Aims and Objectives

• To explain what are the 3 base moves to any step move
• To demonstrate how each combination starts with 3 base moves
• To show how each combination is built and layered to achieve the end result with success
• To demonstrate 3 combinations using the base move and layered concepts
• To demonstrate how interesting and complex combinations can be taught effectively with base moves