Why is freestyle step aerobics popularity decreasing?
Freestyle step aerobics has been around as one of the best cardio workouts since the '80s in Australia. The high-intensity activity is choreographed in groups to increase social harmony and motivation with excellent benefits such as physical strength building, fat burning, etc. and as a result it pays back with improved cardiovascular health, improved body balance and overall coordination. It is a fun social work-out where the instructor with a good set of “bopping” music keeps people motivated
Why then the decrease in its popularity?
We know that freestyle step aerobics started as part of the “gym” curriculum in Australia since the 80s. Back then it was difficult getting a spot in one of these sessions. During this beginning period, people flocked to their more choreographed routines, and their “star” instructors, as they were the “hot cake” of the gym world at the time. But now freestyle step aerobics has experienced slow-down that seems that it might not recover from. But why? Since it was so popular, what happened to its popularity? Why is it so hard to find a gymnasium that offers freestyle step aerobics?
No, freestyle step aerobics is still a part of activities in various Australian gyms. However some reasons, which I have elaborated below, has contributed to its downfall.
The lack of interest in freestyle step aerobics classes is caused from all three sides that I can see, the instructors, the participants and the Gyms. But we will concentrate on the instructor and participants in this section.
Back at the beginning, instructors used to execute their classes with a bit of self-taught routines, which some were less than perfect, however the attending members would still attend in masses as the whole package, instructor friendliness, music and routine was worth it. But….. times are changing. Things are quite different now. Participants have become more advanced, that they seek more and more challenging routines with a perfect delivery by the instructor.
Although the advancement of the members in this art is a great thing to have, it comes as a double-edged sword. If instructors cater for these group of members, and these members get a great complex workout, the new members to the freestyle step aerobics will find themselves so lost and confused that 99% of the time they just never return. The member base growth does then become…. negative.
Constant planning of new routines
As the members keep asking for a greater variety in the routines provided by the different instructors, means that instructors have to come up with choreography as fast as they deliver it. Members do catch up on new routines quickly and find that the same routine by the 3rd or 4th time is just way too repetitive. You will find that many times, many instructors find it difficult to cope with this demand. When this happens, many instructors do give up the freestyle step world and move to a pre-choreographed program such as BODY/Step by Les Mills, where the routine and music are given to them to deliver to the class. No more thinking, no more creating, no more originality. However, it is an option for those instructors that still want to teach a workout session with a step platform under their feet but still get a strong athletic workout without much preparation.
Personalisation of a Step Aerobics class
Another item that has assisted in its decline is the “personalisation” of step classes. At the beginning there was “basic”, “intermediate” and “advanced” classes. This set-up assisted in the member growth to a more complex or “intermediate” class, when the member felt that he or she had somewhat dominated the “basic” style session. Then again, when confident that the “intermediate” session was starting to feel easy, there was the logical progression to “advanced” class.
Then it came “Moves”. People flocked to this class style for its fun choreography and mind-blowing complexity. Then there was the “Step and Butts” where slowly replaced the “basic” class in many gyms. People not interested in the “butts” portion of the workout, would stop attending these classes. As the numbers decreased, so was its appearance of “basic” freestyle step in gymnasiums scheduled timetables.
Having to create a challenging routine for the members and do this without the assistance of a programmed team, meant that every time there were less and less instructors interested in following the freestyle step style. Thus the number of instructors able to cover these classes were less and less every time.
Then there was the difficulty in finding step instructors that would be able to deliver “advanced” and/or “Moves” sessions, thus gyms started to replace all “intermediate”, “advanced” and “Move” sessions to just “Step”. “Advanced” and “Move” members were not impressed by this approach, as most instructors were catering for the “intermediate” levels. So, members started following specific instructors that would deliver their “poison” style. The style they enjoyed.
Instructors, as well as members, come and go. At this point in time in the history of Freestyle step aerobics, many members also gave up when their “Step Master” gave up their art or moved to another country. Thus again, reducing the overall growth of freestyle step aerobics to even larger negative number. Decline was now obvious.
New participants and complex sessions
Another reason for the noticeable decrease in freestyle step sessions can be attributed to members fears. New members, and some newly introduced “intermediate” members found themselves suddenly in turbulent waters. Their fears of not being fit for this type of routine was not unjustified.
Sessions might be delivered by a complex routine instructor. Many members, no matter how physically fit they might be, might find these sessions over-confusing and over-coordinated. I understand what these comments. They would find it difficult to understand the moves, or that the cues are too complex to learn and understand, and without prior training of that level, their bodies are still uncoordinated for that session. The fact that they had no progression to go from the level they are, to this new level might be seen as a very large gap to be able to cover themselves. These members tend to leave, and typically shelf the style under “just too difficult”.
Members need to see this as a challenge, and not as a failure. One of the things that needs to be repeated, time after time, is that everything takes time to learn.
The fear that everyone is watching, and if they fail then, everyone will make fun of them. Remember, everyone was once a beginner.
Research material or marketing material?
Step workouts became less famous when some researchers started to push the need for weight training and other body workouts. Some researchers also started false claims that freestyle step aerobics had no benefits, or that it caused harmful effects on the body.
Step aerobics was created by Gin Miller back in the late ‘80s who was told by her doctor to step up and down on a milk crate to rehabilitate a knee injury. Like all things, in moderation and with care. All Step sessions, when executed as they should be, there should be no or negligible damage to knee joints.
This is the same as weightlifting, same as BODY/Step, same as any other workout. Do it correctly, as it was designed, or by ensuring all your joints are safe and you will be stepping as long as I have been…. Now it has been since 1989… and going. Not once I had an injury.
So please when you read a single report, do cross reference it with trustworthy sources. Do not just believe a “Company” marketing group or a marketing company contracted by other fitness businesses to state in their advertising to induce fear on the freestyle step participants, so they move to their newly $$ paid $$ workout $$ routine $$!
The researchers can only find what is out there in the cyber world. And as programmed styles such as BODY/Step are backed up by a business, there is a budget that helps them in the promotion of their product. On the other hand, we have freestyle step aerobics that are not supported by a company, thus there is less and less good material out there. Thus the lack of material is making freestyle step a less talked about item, thus it gives the impression that it is less wanted. Further from the truth!
Step aerobics… “wherefore are thou”?
Classes were calling for more complex routines. Instructors were taking the easy way out by moving to other programmes, some instructors would just retire, new programmes were appearing in the gym schedules fighting for space to execute their sessions, etc. Due to all the above, we now find gyms finding it difficult to find instructor’s covers for their tabled freestyle step classes. The appearance of “not so good” instructors started to appear in some gyms in their attempt to cover a class, either as a once off, or as a permanent cover. The permanent covers by more basic instructors would then start to deplete of members, until the gyms find no other option than to replace the class in the timetable.
The permanent classes were not always covered by “basic” instructors, some very qualified instructors would also take some of these permanent classes. But then the member’s pride or personal style would get in the way. Members might find that the new instructor style, more athletic, more dance styled, more choreographed, etc. would not be what they have been doing for years under the good management of their previous instructor, or might find that this is not the style for them. This would most likely result in further depletion of the class.
Routines are a big aspect of the mental freestyle step aerobics, not just the physical workout
Since members expectations were growing, sometimes exponentially, the instructors faced the difficulty of creating routines that would cater for their attending members. Not really catering for the newly attending ones. As the name implies, freestyle step routines do not have a program that tells the instructor what to do, or how to teach the different moves. Instructors have to create and come up with routines and then be able to break them down for the members to achieve the intended result in a safe manner. With members asking for complex routines and finding this to be a hard task, thus sometimes the same routine might be on the timetable for 3, 4 and sometimes 5 weeks at a time, causing members to perceive the routine no longer a challenge by week 4 or 5, thus stopping their attendance, as well as some participants also moving to the programmed Les Mills BODY/Step or other programmes making the freestyle step class depletion even more noticeable.
The jump from beginners’ level to advanced is way too big of a gap for newbies.
Gimme more! Gimme more! Gimme More! by memebers
This subject has been discussed before. Seasoned members want to enjoy the class as much as any other member. However, the needs from this group, substantially defers from the needs of the “intermediate” and “basic” members. For this reason, stop going to classes when a session is ran by an instructor addressing more towards the needs of the “basic” or “intermediate” attendees. This reduces the class numbers even further.
The result is clearing the path for gyms to change the low attending freestyle step classes for other more popular classes.
Age is just a number, or is it?
I find that “natural” selection is another factor that reduces the numbers of members in a class, or the number of freestyle step classes in a gym timetable. Age. The big “A” word!. We all have our own opinion about this word, but one thing that is clear is that age does impact the availability of members in the attendance of a class, as well as the number of freestyle instructors available to take a class.
There is no question that when you reach certain age, you tend to diminish your physical training. This includes freestyle step aerobics. Once you reach that age, and you decide to step (“pun” intended), then if you are a member of a freestyle step class, your class numbers will go down, and if you are a freestyle step instructor, then your class might be considered for removal from the timetable.
Other programs address the step version they have to the younger generation to ensure that there is a constant flow of members into their session, making them see all these happy instructors and all these great pre-fab “cues” to entice them to believe that doing a “copy-cat” of what they see on stage is the way to go. Aged members see through this. Although you will find aged members in other programmed classes, these are normally the instructors, or the instructor’s personal fan-based group.
Done that, I got the t-shirt! Now what?
Mmmm…. Lack of challenges. Members do get bored when there is a lot of repetition in a freestyle step class. They find that there is not enough challenges. If this is an issue that they find often enough, they might stop going to the class all together. This has been said before, and many other times. We are all, and I include myself into this category, whores for more challenging routines.
I do get bored sometimes if I do not get a difficult class, or a highly choreographed class. However, I personally cannot live without freestyle step classes (I know it sounds dramatic but believe me!!) So I do attend as many classes as I can, regardless of their level. Currently I have two different memberships for two different gyms as I needed more than what one gym could give me. Specially now with COVID-19 issues, where the physical classes have been reduced to a minimum, and many of the freestyle step classes have been removed from the timetable.
Freestyle step aerobics came into Australia in the 80s, and it hit all gyms in a big way. You could find 5+ classes of step a week per gymnasium, thanks to its great high-intensity workout as well as its mental workout. Its results talked for themselves.
Although step aerobics is still in some gyms timetables, it is clearly considered an “specialty” class, reserved for those of a certain age bracket as it is considered a “retro” workout style.
However, not having step classes on the timetable of many gyms is a result by members, instructors, gyms and specially programmed fitness sessions providers.
Seasoned members seek more challenging sessions, new members find these sessions way too confusing to start with. Thus, season members would not attend instructor lead classes addressing the basic members, and newbies will stand clear from advanced instructors.
Instructors have a hard time to plan a session where both seasoned and newbies can enjoy a class, since there has been no breakdown of “basic”, “intermediate” and “advanced” session classes for a long time put in by the gyms. Many instructors choose to be a “Basic/intermediate” level instructor, or a “advanced” instructor. Making their classes specific to a type of members, or simply they choose to give up teaching freestyle and let enterprises to tell them the routine to use by moving towards a pre-programmed routine provider.
Gyms are merging the three sessions into a single “step” class since they find difficult to find an instructor to cover a class when someone is sick, or moves to a different location, or simply retire. Gyms also will see that when an advanced instructor is running a session, only certain number of members would attend, and when a “basic/intermediate” instructor is assigned, also only certain number of members would attend. These numbers tend to be low to medium in density. Gym’s are businesses, and as such they look for giving sessions that would attract a larger number of members to their classes, making them choose a different class type to replace the low attendance ones.
3rd party providers, or pre-programmed enterprises fill in this gap by providing sessions that can be covered by many instructors, providing gyms with certainty that their time-tabled session will not be left “empty” or covered by a different class style due to lack of step instructor covers. Also using their business knowledge to flood the market with marketing material that would attest for the benefits of their classes versus the freestyle (non-business lead) sessions. The freestyle community will not contradict or confront these marketing comments since freestyle sessions are not managed by a business that can market their product to the public. Then the silence, or lack of action against these comments makes this market a free for all.
Harder routines address a subsection of the freestyle step community. Basic routines address a different subsection of the freestyle step community. Less attendees to basic classes and/or less attendees to advanced classes means gyms need to find other sessions to cover them with. Gyms are businesses, they are to ensure their sessions have a minimum number of attendees, thus low attendee classes are replaced on the timetable. Difficult sessions to cover by instructors when sickness or permanent replacements come about gives gyms another reason to remove these sessions form their timetable. This gap is quickly covered by businesses that claim their sessions are all basically the same level across all instructors, and that they can find instructors to cover session at any time. Gyms take the advantage and book them.
"The information provided herein is strictly for educational purposes. Always consult your qualified Group Fitness Instructor before implementing any suggestions above."
You must get your physician's approval before beginning any exercise suggested in this blog or any of its articles. Any recommendations found within these articles are not medical guidelines but are for educational purposes only. You must consult your physician prior to starting any suggestions in this blog, or if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity. The suggestions in this blog article are designed for individuals 18 years and older that have been approved by their physician to take any of the suggestions above.
The information in this blog article is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training. All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. As such we advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the exercises in this blog article, be sure that your equipment is well-maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training and fitness. The exercises and dietary programs in this article are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or treatment or dietary regime that may have been prescribed by your physician.
Do not lift heavy weights if you are alone, inexperienced, injured, or fatigued. Do not perform any exercises unless you have been shown the proper technique by a certified personal trainer or certified strength and conditioning specialist. Always ask for instruction and assistance when lifting. Do not perform any exercise without proper instruction. Always do a warm-up prior to resistance training and interval training.
See your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. If you are taking any medications, you must talk to your physician before starting any exercise program, including Freestyle Step Aerobics. If you experience any light-headedness, dizziness, or shortness of breath while exercising, stop the movement and consult a physician.
You must have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 30 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician. If your physician recommends that you do not do Freestyle Step Aerobics, please follow your Doctor's orders.
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