What’s extra, stepping is historically a fairly low-impact exercise, which could be interesting to people with sure knee or ankle points. Even in high-energy, up to date step courses, you possibly can fairly simply maintain issues comparatively mild so long as you skip any jumps the choreography may embrace. “You are capable of get a really intense cardio exercise the place your coronary heart is racing, you’re sweating lots, however you by no means really feel that intense affect in your joints,” Peterson says.

2. Stepping strengthens your decrease physique and core.

With all that hoofing it up and down, you’re most likely going to really feel your decrease legs the following day. “Even when I miss one week of step, after I come again, my calves are sore,” Capers says. By stepping with correct type, instructors say you can too interact the remainder of your legs, together with your hamstrings, quads, and interior thighs, plus these glutes. Bonus: All these knee drives the place you’re bringing your knee towards your chest goal your abs, too. However even if you’re not interested by it, your core shall be firing all through class to maintain you regular every time you shift your weight up onto one foot.

3. Your stability and agility get a lift.

Staying upright and regular can turn out to be extra of a problem as we age, however stepping will help. “Steadiness does not simply stick with us like [when] we have been 20,” says Capers. “Being a stepper and shifting in that fluid movement helps us with our coordination. It helps us with our stability.” As you shift your heart of gravity from one foot to the opposite, and from down on the ground to up on the step whereas attempting to not journey—and sustain with the rhythm!—each your stability and your agility get a wholesome problem.

Simply make sure you all the time put your whole foot from heel to toe on the platform. In any other case, “there’s a great probability your heel can slip again and you’ll fall,” says Robbins, who additionally factors out that letting your heel dangle off the sting may pressure your Achilles.

4. Your bones will thanks.

As a weight-bearing train, stepping could be nice for bone well being. One small 2017 examine printed in Osteoporosis Worldwide discovered that when postmenopausal ladies did 10 weeks of standard step aerobics, they skilled higher bone metabolism (the place outdated bone is changed by recent stuff). That’s necessary, since estrogen, which regulates our bone metabolism, decreases as we enter menopause, so our danger of osteoporosis goes up if we aren’t proactive about it.

One other 2021 examine printed in the identical journal discovered that six months of high-impact step aerobics elevated bone mineral density amongst premenopausal ladies way over resistance coaching did. That’s to not say you must skip the load room—that brings loads of its personal advantages—however it does recommend step exercises could be a notably sensible transfer in your skeleton if lifting isn’t your favourite solution to transfer your physique.

5. It’s like Sudoku in your ft.

Step class isn’t the time to let your thoughts wander. “The second you take a look at, you’re lacking what’s coming subsequent,” says Peterson. As a result of instructors cue your subsequent section prematurely, it’s important to assume forward whereas your ft are engaged on the coordination for a special transfer. This offers your mind its personal exercise. Analysis exhibits that performing choreography can enhance our govt functioning (psychological expertise that enable us to focus and multitask) and processing pace (how lengthy it takes to answer information). So whereas your mouth may be muttering just a few selection four-letter phrases after that difficult new eight-count, your mind shall be benefiting from the problem.

6. You may choose up just a few buddies.

If you happen to attend group courses in particular person, don’t be shocked should you get invited to a post-gym completely satisfied hour. Since these exercises have everybody shifting as a bunch slightly than, say, doing burpees by yourself time, you may really feel satisfyingly in tune along with your fellow steppers. “We’re all shifting collectively, like an ocean wave. And it form of creates some enjoyable creativity amongst the members,” Capers says. There’s a slew of attention-grabbing analysis that exhibits shifting in sync can strengthen social bonds, make us like one another extra, and even foster extra compassionate conduct. Which may clarify why step pals could make for a number of the finest pals.

7. It’s significantly enjoyable.

step class could be a kind of exercises that’s such a blast you neglect it’s even train. “We’re like three or 4 songs in, and impulsively you’re dripping sweat, not likely realizing how laborious you’re working,” says Peterson. “It’s tremendous enjoyable.” The main temper increase of shifting collectively to that beat can stick with you even after class ends. Keep in mind: One of the best train is the type you truly like sufficient to maintain doing constantly, so whereas it won’t sound tremendous important, having enjoyable may truly be crucial perk of all of them.

So how will you get began?

If you wish to take a step exercise at a studio close to you, Peterson suggests heading to their social media pages for a vibe test: Take a peek at their clips so you possibly can see if it’s the form of class and choreography you’re after.