What CAN you do with an aerobic step (aka-workout step, exercise step, fitness stepper, workout platform, etc.)? That’s a great question! The fact is, the original aerobic step has come a LONG way in the fitness industry and can be used in nearly every popular workout style to add intensity and fun to any routine.

Articles like the ones below are strong indications that the aerobic step is growing in popularity because people have realized it’s a ‘must-have’ tool for their home gym.

Grab Your Leg Warmers! Step Aerobics Classes Are Making a Comeback (Well + Good)

The Comeback of the Aerobic Step (Wall Street Journal)

And global market reports are projecting a continued boom in the aerobic step market which aligns with results seen by companies like One Strong Southern Girl who sell a high-end modern aerobic step and have reported an average sales increase of 137% from 2018 to 2020.

We experienced our best month ever in March 2020 when the pandemic hit and ran out of stock shortly after that.

We hired a team to help us redesign the original aerobic step (give it a modern facelift) at the end of 2020 and started selling our patent-pending step in April/May of 2022 in our online store and put our inventory on Amazon in late June 2022.

We saw a 155% increase in sales from June to July 2022 and are on track to continue that trend for our new modern design.

Mickie Carter, CEO, One Strong Southern Girl

The fact is, a full size workout step is one of the smartest pieces of equipment you can invest in for your home gym because of all the ways you can use it to hit your fitness goals.

Let’s go over all the ways you can use an aerobic step in your workout routine. And make sure you check out the links at the end of the article for more information about these amazing programs.

Plyometrics and HiiT Workouts (Les Mills Grit)

Athletes in every sport like plyometric training because it helps build power and strength.

Over time plyometrics helps you jump higher, run faster and lift heavier.

Some examples of plyometric exercises include box jumps, burpees, tuck jumps and clapping push-ups.

HiiT training is high intensity interval training.

In a hiit workout you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods.

This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time.

These types of exercises have become a popular class style for intermediate and advanced home exercisers looking for challenging workouts.

It’s become popular to add a workout step into plyometric and hiit routines to increase the intensity of these styles of routines.

Les Mills Grit routines are a great place to find plyometric and hiit workouts using an aerobic step:

Classic Step Aerobics (Cathe Friedrich)

Classic step aerobics is what many people think of when they hear ‘aerobic step’.

This style of workout will have beginner to advanced choreography and has a dance flavor.

You can find a ton of classic cardio step routines for exercisers of all levels by fitness icons like Cathe Friedrich.

Weight Training (Body Pump)

Companies like Les Mills and MOSSA have made the workout step a vital piece of equipment for strength training.

The creative and challenging workouts created by these mega brands are a big reason for the explosion of sales in the aerobic step platform industry over the last few years.

Body Pump is a total body barbell and workout step program set to incredible music and lead by a team of male and female athletes of all ages. These workouts feel more like you’re at a concert than your home gym.

Cardio Conditioning & Functional Fitness (MOSSA Group Blast and Group Power)

Just when you think you’ve seen and tried every move possible with your fitness step, you’ll find yourself surprised and motivated with new combinations by MOSSA.

MOSSA uses an aerobic step in several of their innovative workout programs (like Group Blast and Group Power) and does an incredible job of allowing the step to enhance every routine while improving your cardio performance and functional fitness.

Dance Cardio (Xtreme Hip Hop Aerobics)

Xtreme Hip Hop aerobics is a cardio dance-style workout using a full size step.

The Xtreme Hip Hop step family has a loyal following of raving fans.

You can find a few different instructors online to test out these routines but what you need to know is that you probably won’t be able to keep up the first time (these women make it look much easier than it is!).

But stick with it (start with the beginner class) and you’ll add an incredible cardio style of dance workout using your favorite tool to your workout calendar.

I’m a huge fan of these workouts, not because I’m a good dancer but because they put a smile on my face and give me a shot of attitude that I wear all day after every routine.

Stretching

One more benefit of a full size fitness step is that it’s an ideal piece of exercise equipment for stretching.

The added range of motion allows you to stretch deeper and hit different angles in each muscle. (You’ll see these kinds of stretches at the conclusion of most of the workouts mentioned above.)

Recommended for you

Aerobic Step Guide

Absolute Best Home Workouts using an Aerobic Step

Aerobic Step Shop (this is where you’ll find the best full size step on the market)

Revolutionizing Fitness: One Strong Southern Girl’s Quest to Update the Classic Aerobic Exercise Step

Circuit Steps vs Full Size Steps

Transform 20 (a step workout by Beachbody with Shaun T)

Les Mills on Demand (Les Mills+)

MOSSA on Demand

Xtreme Hip Hop with DG

Xtreme Hip Hop with Phil