TOPLINE FITNESS: Step aerobics 2.0
Tagline
The 1990s are back! Only this time we're not talking cargo trousers or brown lipstick, but step aerobics.
Start line
The famous workout was born after American fitness instructor Gin Miller was advised by her doctor to step up and down on a milk crate to rehabilitate a knee injury. Based on her physio exercises, Miller developed a fitness routine that became a huge 90s craze. Who didn't head to their local gym to bounce about to Haddaway's 'What Is Love' in Lycra shorts back in those halcyon days?
Down the line
Over the decades, step disappeared from gym timetables as hardcore, bootcamp-style workouts took over. That's now changing. Uber-trendy gym chain Frame, for example, has added the classes to its schedule, targeting 'Gen Z experiencing step for the first time' and older millennials 'who used to do their mum's VHS step aerobics'.
The 1990s are back! Only this time we're not talking cargo trousers or brown lipstick, but step aerobics (stock photo)
Get in line
Frame's new classes were booked out the minute they became available this autumn. Co-founder Pip Black believes gym-goers don't want 'intense and aggressive' Hiit classes any more. 'Post pandemic, people are asking, 'Why are we spending time doing something we don't enjoy, that we almost dread all day because we know it's coming after work?' she told The Times.
Laughter line
The fun aspect of step aerobics is definitely part of its appeal. In fact, it's a certified mood booster – a scientific study found that high-intensity step classes resulted in lower levels of tension, depression and fatigue.
Party line
One person who knows all about bringing the revelry to step aerobics is Emmanuel Houston. A bona fide step aerobics influencer with 914k Instagram followers (@staydownej), he attracts hundreds of fans to his dance-inspired classes in Atlanta, as well as thousands who join the livestream online. Houston told the US TV show Today that it's the combination of 'extreme movement and having fun' that keeps people coming back.
Online
Closer to home, UK fitness instructor Julius Burphy has also gone viral with Stepper-ton – his take on step aerobics, developed from watching videos of American and African instructors doing their thing during lockdown. The result? Class choreography so slick it wouldn't look out of place on stage. His videos have had up to 37 million views each on TikTok (turns out watching step aerobics is almost as uplifting as doing it; @juliusburphy).
The famous workout was born after American fitness instructor Gin Miller was advised by her doctor to step up and down on a milk crate to rehabilitate a knee injury (stock photo)
Bass line
A huge part of Stepper-ton's appeal is the music – think hip-hop and Afrobeats, rather than the club bangers of old.
Hardline
OK, step aerobics is a laugh, but does it actually keep you fit? Yes, says personal trainer Hollie Grant, founder of Pilates PT (pilatespt.co.uk). 'You're using big muscles in your legs, which strengthens the cardiovascular system,' she explains. 'It improves your ability to pump blood around your body and your lungs' efficiency at expelling waste gases and taking in oxygen. Lifting the weight of your body off the floor will also tone your glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves.' Got knee issues or arthritis? Stick to lower-impact swimming or spinning.
Beeline
Head to JD Gyms in Manchester, where Burphy teaches his Stepper-ton class. Alternatively, join a step class at PureGym (available nationwide for members) or search the Les Mills website (lesmills.com) for Bodystep sessions near you.
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