The most important piece of step aerobic equipment is the step bench. This is a low bench that is made out of a sturdy plastic material that is used to step on to and off of during step aerobic workouts. It is important that this piece of equipment has the right range of heights and is designed to accommodate the weight of the user.
Step aerobics benches often come with adjustable risers. These risers can be added or removed in order to alter the intensity of an exercise or target different sets of muscles. When choosing step aerobic equipment, it is important to choose a bench that has the right range of heights for the kinds of workouts for which it will be used. There are some benches, for example, that have quite a few risers and are intended for high steps. Others are not adjustable and only allow for one level of step workouts.
Once the right kind of risers on the step bench have been chosen, it is important to choose step aerobic equipment that will support the weight of the user. There are some step benches, for example, that are only guaranteed for use by people who are 200 pounds (between 90 and 91 kilograms) or less. For larger people, it is important to purchase step aerobic equipment that can support their weight. Using step aerobic equipment that cannot support one's weight can lead to serious injury.
Speaking of safety, it is best to choose step aerobic equipment that is designed so that it will not move or slide while it is being used, even during workouts that require rapid movements. Also, it is important to choose step aerobic equipment that has a surface that reduces the likelihood of the foot slipping or skidding during exercise. This is also an important safety feature.
In addition to benches, step aerobic equipment can include hand weights, which can be held during exercise routines. Hand weights are a good way to work the upper body while getting the heart rate up with aerobic exercises and targeting the legs with the standard step aerobic workouts. For people who are looking to invest in step aerobic equipment, it sometimes makes sense to choose packages of equipment that include the bench, hand weights, and videos or DVDs that teach the user how to use the equipment and offer workouts lead by trained step aerobics instructors.