Stepping up and down on a stationary block may seem too easy to gain significant step aerobics benefits. But those daily step-ups and taps have pretty powerful effects on both mind and body.

And the best thing is you don’t even have to go out to do step aerobic exercises and reap its rewards. All you need is a sturdy aerobic stepper, a simple routine and great music.

Here’s the rest of what you’ll get when you start your step aerobics routine today!

Table of Contents

1. Better Cardiovascular Health

Doing step aerobics for 1 hour has been likened to 7 miles of fast-paced running. That’s how powerful it is! In turn, you get to increase your heart rate and work out your lungs by improving your cardiovascular fitness.

With better blood flow, your risk of heart disease becomes significantly lower, too. Also, as muscles need oxygen to perform, your enhanced lung power makes it easier for you to do regular or intense aerobic step workouts.

But that’s not all. You also get step aerobics benefits outside these essential organs like increased stamina, efficient calorie burn and body fat loss.

2. Stronger Bones and Muscles

Step aerobics is a weight-bearing exercise. That means you are carrying your body weight as you step up and down the stationary block.

Aside from muscular fitness, this physical activity has a direct effect on your musculoskeletal health, too, particularly bone mass and density. You see, as you perform your aerobic exercise, you are also encouraging bone cell reproduction.

More bone cells mean stronger bones and better protection from degenerative diseases like osteoporosis. Healthier bones also improve your mobility and body balance.

A 2015 study even concluded that aerobic step exercises in postmenopausal women help reduce the risk of falling.

3. Joint Protection

You may think that step aerobics benefits are only for people who can dance and do quick movements. But the truth is step aerobics is a very adaptable form of exercise.

You can do moderate to intense aerobics to match your progressing fitness level. It’s easy to increase your heart rate with regular aerobics and then switch to heavier moves to burn more calories.

More importantly, it’s low-impact by nature, meaning you get to keep one foot on the ground to avoid joint pain or stress. This feature further emphasises that the benefits of step aerobics are also for the elderly, beginners and you!

Active young woman stepped with both legs on top of the stepper

4. Healthy Weight Loss

Step aerobics is probably one of the most enjoyable forms of cardiovascular exercise to lose weight. I especially like how it lets me do a variety of movements in time with my favourite beat.

So, if you’re exercising to achieve or maintain healthy body weight, step aerobics will not bore you down. Even simple steps let you burn about 300 to 400 calories. You even get better results when you team them up with a good diet.

And if you want to lose more, you can always step up and down faster or adjust the height of your stepper. Of course, we all know that staying within our ideal body weight is more than looking and feeling good.

It also protects us from obesity-related health conditions like heart diseases or breathing and mobility issues. Step aerobics benefits even those at risk or with diabetes as exercise increases insulin sensitivity.

5. Mental Wellness

Yoga and Pilates may be the exercises of choice when you want to improve your mental health. But step aerobics is just as excellent for your psychological well-being.

That’s because it encourages the release of feel-good hormones called endorphins. These happy neurotransmitters from the brain block away negativities like pain, stress and anxiety.

Researchers even found that step aerobics can improve the mood by lessening feelings of fatigue and anger. So, when you are unhappy or frustrated, do a few minutes of step aerobics to turn things around!

And once you start losing weight through exercise, the self-confidence boost makes us feel even better. Besides, who doesn’t feel good while doing a step aerobics dance routine, even with two left feet?

6. Increased Leg Power

A large part of your step aerobic workout goes to your lower body. And so physically, the muscles in your feet, ankles and legs get the most step aerobics benefits.

It also explains why step aerobics suit athletes who use their legs to perform, like marathoners and cyclists. But, in general, we all get to increase our leg strength because of step aerobics’ unilateral movement.

Stepping up and down the stationary block allows you to work out your legs separately. As a result, you get to stabilise each leg and build up leg muscles faster.

Woman performing renegade row stabilising with one hand on the step platform

7. Continuous Fitness Progress

Consistency is crucial when we want to gain the benefits of step aerobics or any other exercise. Good thing step workouts are versatile enough to help us stay on track.

Beginners can choose to do low-impact step aerobics, then eventually switch to high-intensity exercises. They can also adjust the stepper height, use weights or add arm movements for variation.

The stepper is easy to take wherever, too. So, if a change in scenery keeps you faithful in your daily workout, then take your aerobics platform to the garden, sidewalk or park.

You don’t even need a large room or budget for your aerobic fitness routine. Even a sturdy box, ledge or stairs will make a good workout partner.

But if you prefer working out with other fitness enthusiasts, you can do that, too. Go dance to the beat with your family or take step aerobics classes!

Sharing step aerobics benefits with your favourite people is better, after all.

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