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Old 12-19-01, 08:03 PM  
Elizabeth Stein
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Step height for cardio

When I restarted recently I vowed that THIS time, I am in it for the long haul -- I would only do things that were really good for me, and, preferably, pretty sustainable for the long haul. So I started doing my stepping on a 6-inch step, for the sake of my knees.

And yet... here I am, finally doing pretty rigorous cardio again, well, and the temptation to raise the step substantial. I did PowerMax on 6-inch step last night (except the last 7 minutes of the cardio, which I skipped because I ended my cardio portion at 10 pm sharp, out of deference to our downstairs neighbors) and while I had fun, I really felt like I would need to raise the step to get a really intense workout. As it was I got a good workout, but I was looking for more intensity than I got out of that. Now, there are reasons other than the step height that it wasn't as intense as it might have been. For one thing, I work out in a limited space, so some moves are slightly truncated in my living room. Moreover, again out of deference to my downstairs neighbors, I stepped and jumped a wee bit more delicately than I otherwise would have done -- so there was definitely less ooomph in it and that probably made a difference. But whatever the reason, the net result was I was left wanting more.

I am keeping the step at 6 inches for now prophylactically, but I was wondering if anyone has any idea -- either from science or from years of experience -- whether this is good or necessary.

Possibly relevant facts: I am only 5'3 and do not have especially long legs for my height. I am 28 years old. In case it matters, I'm probably mesomorph, with some extra weight and a rather stocky underlying bone structure (i.e., big calves that don't fit into skinny boots, mostly due to bone and muscle [even when out of shape] rather than fat). I have never found stepping to give me knee trouble before -- although I've done funky things to my knee on a few random occasions in memory, only one of them corresponded with stepping on any height (took a bad step 10 minutes into Kathy Smith's Power Step workout several years ago!) -- usually if I hurt my knee it's not from exercising at all, but just walking down the stairs or stepping off a curb funny (klutz).

I really want to do the right thing for my long-term health. What do you think?
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Old 12-19-01, 08:27 PM  
Clare*
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Your next to last sentence says it all...

I really want to do the right thing for my long-term health

I really think that keeping your step at 6" would be best for you over-all. I find that I do all but 2 or 3 of my step tapes at 6" and the intensity is just fine. Try maybe making your range of motion bigger with your arms??

It may be that you need a heart rate monitor. This is not true for everyone, but a lot of people find that they are actually working TOO hard once they try the monitor. (I know there are some people for whom the monitor is not an accurate reflection of their cardio capacity- but I bet it is for most people) Not every workout has to be all out intense.

I think of myself as advanced, I'm 5'6" and I find that Power Max on a 6" step is a great workout- no way would I want to go to 8". Of course, I am 48 years old as well. Maybe that is where the difference comes in.
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Old 12-19-01, 08:40 PM  
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Elizabeth-

I, too, am 5'3" and I feel that doing Powermax on a 6" is not at the intensity I prefer. In fact, I thought I was not doing something right as I have read several posts where most people say it's very intense at a 6" step height. Last night I did it on 8" and it was much more "intense"! I haven't had any problems with my knees doing tapes on an 8" step. I'm in my 30's so I worry about hurting my knees, but so far everything is fine. If I feel my knees are a little sore that day, I lower the step height.
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Old 12-19-01, 09:06 PM  
lynnem3
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Agree with heart rate monitor suggestion

I have always used a 6" step because I find it a lot more fun. I was worried about intensity until I used a heart rate monitor and found that I was reaching my target zone with no problem. This allowed me take out impact that could have long term effects.

It's hard to predict how your knees will do long term. I had relatively few problems until I was in a few back-to-back car accidents 10 years ago, and over time my joints have become a problem. I am now 40 and also feeling the effects of doing high impact activities starting from childhood.

I also think the suggestions about increasing range of motion would be good to try before upping the step height again. It's definitely best to prevent problems rather than coping with them.
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Old 12-19-01, 09:15 PM  
Elizabeth Stein
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Ok.... (sigh.)

I guess I'll stick with the 6-inch step and look for other ways to up the intensity....

The funny thing is, I really do think I could work out a lot harder. And while I'm sure I'd benefit from a HR monitor, I'm never pushing the limits of where I should be when I do the heart rate checks built into the videos (even last night on PowerMax).

What's odd is that I am NOT a cardio goddess by any stretch of the imagination. Running, for example, destroys me immediately. But step, for whatever reason, has always seemed much easier to me. When I was "training" for hiking, I sometimes would do these crazy Cathe stepping marathons -- I would do the whole Cathe Cardio Hits DVD, all 3 workouts in a row (usually 2 of the workouts on an 8-inch step and the third, a little more mellow, 6-inches), followed by some long stretch video. But even THEN I couldn't run -- I have NEVER run much more than 2 miles, I always always always get a stitch and get very winded very quickly.

Bodies are weird and idiosyncratic, I guess.
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Old 12-20-01, 02:50 AM  
hdw
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I am so so so glad somebody posted this question. I have also thought about the same thing - especially when Cathe did lower her step in Rhythmic Step. I think she did said in her forum (somebody asked her) that the reason she lowered her step is that she gets the same intensity with 6" step. I have always wondered if 8" step is too high for me... (BTW, I am 5' 0"). I bought a heart rate monitor (see Bargain Watch Forum), and I did stay within my range at 6" step.

I have decided to stay at 6" step and add on power moves if my heart rate does go down. For the sake of my knees. Stepping is about the only aerobic exercise I enjoy and able to do. Just like Elizabeth, I CANNOT run. Running is too hard on your knees anyway (pounding the pavement). My husband used to run ALL the time. Now he has to quit because of bad knees. I want keep my knees healthy so that I can keep on stepping!

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Old 12-20-01, 07:59 AM  
Joni O
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Ditto What Clare Said

Hey, I used an 8" step for years at the club to 'prove' that I was in good shape. After all, the higher the step the better shape you're in right? Wrong !!! I lowered my step to 6" after a fellow exerciser attended a Gin Miller workshop and Gin told her to lower her own step because of her height (5'2"). After a while, I didn't even need to wear my knee brace anymore! Boy, that higher step really was bad on my knees (in addition to many years of high impact prior to stepping).

I now use only a 4" step at home. I was amazed to learn that my HR gets into my THR zone and stays there even at 4". As Clare said, making your movements bigger by exaggerating your arm movements, etc., helps to raise your HR too. And I also agree that many people work 'too' hard and don't even know it.

I think this is another one of those individual things. As Karen P said, maybe there's no 'evidence' that a higher step causes knee problems but I apparently was prone to it. I always do things until something starts to hurt; then I know I shouldn't be doing it anymore! My pain is my barometer!
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Old 12-20-01, 09:40 AM  
Elizabeth Stein
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HR Monitor

Well, maybe it is time for me to buckle down and buy a heart rate monitor. I have resisted based on price. But I guess it's important for me to know when I'm working out hard enough -- or too hard -- in order to get the most out of my workouts. I'm not trying to prove anything by upping the step -- I'm just trying to do right for my heart and for my weight-gain-prone body.

I have to say, though, that I'm suspicious of the idea that I could be working out too hard. I really feel like I know what too hard feels like -- I expect it feels like how I feel after running even a pretty short distance. Yuck. Oh well, guess I'm just talking myself into getting the HR monitor.
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Old 12-20-01, 10:02 AM  
Jennifer V
 
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Intensity

I find that I can be as intense as I want to be on a 6" step. I'm 5'6, and 29 year old. I used to use 8 inches 2 years ago, but once CIA tapes and Cathe tapes started using a faster tempo to their music, I found the 8" too intense , and I worried about tripping and too much stress on the knees.

I agree with the above suggestions of using more exaggerrated movements to raise the intensity and usng a heart rate monitor. I hope you find a good comfort level!
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Old 12-20-01, 11:38 AM  
MargieO
 
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I use lower step with higher impact

I do all my stepping at a gym, for the same downstair neighbor/space concerns other mentioned. I'm not sure what height it is, but I always use just one set of risers instead of two. I used to use two, but I have weak ankles, and I'd somewhat frequently twist my ankles as I was landing. I find with one set of risers, I can do an entire class high impact, and really get into the choreography, without worrying about my ankles. Even though I still wonder if I should go back to two sets of risers, I think in the long run I'm better off minimizing the chance of injury.

[btw, all the instructors at my gym use one set of risers. Maybe that's b/c they teach so many classes, or so they still have enough breath to instruct?]
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