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Introduction to step safety

© Soumy Ana

You can buy your step in different variations depending on the price. A basic step will cost you around fifty dollars. It looks like a stool and it is usually made of plastic material. A more sophisticated step will cost you up to two hundred dollars and will provide you with the best security.

I advise a step with an adjustable platform adjustable to your height and your level of fitness. You should be able to step at a ninety-degree angle, which means your thigh should be higher than your knee, allowing you to step up comfortably. The height of your step will entirely depend on your physical constitution; it will not depend on your height but on whether you have big legs or short legs. To choose the appropriate height of the step may also depend on your level of fitness. If out of shape, you should use no risers at all; fit, you should use one riser; very fit, you can go as much as two risers. I do not recommend adding up more risers since it becomes unsafe to workout beyond two risers. You should actually raise the steps between four inches to twelve inches maximum.

Make sure the platform is large enough to place both your feet comfortable on its top, and small enough so you can straddle comfortably. Some steps are so cheap, they might not offer enough safety for you in particular. The standard platform is one foot wide and three feet long with round edges for safety in case you slide.

Before every workout you should test the platform for sturdiness and strength, especially at the center. Check if it is well set up too. Nothing is more dangerous than a riser set slightly astride or to workout on a slipping ground! Basic safety is essential; you should not neglect it. Your body is all you have for a lifetime; damage it and it will take a long time to repair. Your body is more important than anything else; it cannot be replaced while aerobics classes or your step are temporal and replaceable.

If you do step regularly, make sure your shoes have an extra arch support and strong laterals. Your feet are your major tool when you are stepping; they do most of the job. The tempo of the music should be slow and regular (118 to 126 BPM).

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