Step aerobics is a useful and enjoyable activity. Appearing in the 90s, this type of fitness quickly gained popularity around the world. To perform special exercises, you need a step platform, it is also a step deck or step board.
The basis of such aerobics is step-by-step movements, and with the help of a deck, an imitation of climbing stairs occurs. Osteoprosis and arthritis, problems with the respiratory, cardiovascular system and blood pressure can be a thing of the past thanks to a well-chosen set of exercises. And increased endurance, a positive effect on the nervous system and the whole body as a whole are guaranteed.
Correction of the shape of the legs, strengthening the muscles of the back of the thigh - constant training will allow you to be in great shape. Moreover, the step platform can also be used to develop
abdominal muscles
, arms and back, which will make the body more flexible.
The main criterion for choosing this simulator is its height. Moreover, the lower the training level of the trainee, the correspondingly, the board itself should be lower. For a beginner, the optimal height is 10 cm, and a professional will prefer a high step platform - 25 cm or more, which provides a significant load. Manufacturers of sports equipment took into account that a regularly trained beginner eventually turns into a professional, and currently models with height adjustment are being produced. The standard is considered to be a width of 40 cm, and as for the length, put your feet shoulder width apart - ideally, the classroom board should go beyond this distance by about 10-15 cm.
What else is worth paying attention to when choosing? High-quality material, high strength and stability, a surface that provides the proper “adhesion” to shoes are the most important properties that a good step platform should fully possess. Reebok, for example, produces certain models with a corrugated ribbed surface. The peculiarity of some is the center of gravity, shifted down.
These measures make it possible to ensure safety when practicing step aerobics - tipping and slipping are practically excluded.
Especially popular among professional athletes are multifunctional (combined) models. The transforming step platform allows you to use it with a variety of power loads. There are several configuration options, you can turn the deck into a seat with a back - just lift a part of the board at an angle.
In addition to conventional platforms, in the market of sports equipment you can see balancing ones, the surface of which is an inflatable silicone hemisphere. With their help, you can not only strengthen the muscles of the legs, back and abs, but also
develop a sense of balance. Bundles may include expanders and gymnastic balls.
Steps, jumps onto the platform and jumping over it, touching the toe of the free leg, lunges to the side, step with the body turning 90 degrees, push-ups, exercises for the abdominal muscles, performed while lying on the back, and for the muscles of the inner surface of the thighs, lying on their sides - exercises on the step platform, you can perform a variety of. Unleash your experimentation with
dance moves while enjoying your favorite music classes. However, remember that it is advisable to carry out the warm-up, the main unit and the final part of the steps in step aerobics with constant monitoring of the pulse and general condition. Strength loads should be appropriate for age and physical fitness, and in order to get the desired result, the pace and complexity of exercises should be increased gradually.