Exercise fads come and go, but some, like step aerobics, stand the test of time.
Step aerobics is 20 years old this year, but remains a mainstay at local gyms, experts say.
"I don't see step ever going away," said Tammy Nichols, a fitness instructor at the Sports Barn. "I use it in some form ... almost always in personal training and a piece of it in aerobics."
While step aerobics has changed some, the basic moves endure, said Ms. Nichols who has taught step since its peak of popularity in the early 1990s.
The Rush in East Brainerd offers about 40 exercise classes a week and 12 of those classes incorporate step aerobics, said the gym's assistant general manager Corey Quentarez.
"It's more like a base," Mr. Quentarez said. "Step aerobics is wonderful (but) has to have some kind of variety."
The original movements used in step are even incorporated into kick boxing classes, Mr. Quentarez said.
"We did a lot of dances," Ms. Nichols said. "It has gone from elaborate choreography steps to basic (movements)."
There are still some diehards who still want the basic classes, said Rick O'Rear, the recreation manager for Chattanooga Fitness Center at Warner Park.
Step involves moving your body with music, Mr. O'Rear said. While it is not popular like it used to be, the classes are about getting your heart rate up, he said.
"I don't think it's going to fade out or go anywhere," Mr. Quentarez said.
Joy Lukachick covers crime in North Georgia for the Chattanooga Times Free Press. She started working at the paper in July 2009 as an intern. Raised near the Bayou, Joy’s hometown is along the outskirts of Baton Rouge, La. She has a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University. While at LSU, Joy was a staff writer for the Daily Reveille. When Joy isn't chasing down stories, she is a full-time supporter of ...
Or login with:
New Account