Talk about being WAY FLATTERED!   Step IS my passion and has been for 14 years.  I can honestly say it is one of the best things that has ever come into my life and that is why I am so adamant about keeping step alive in the fitness industry and trying to keep it alive in the manner that it SHOULD be taught, not the way that it has become in the industry. 

 The passion I have for step led me to contact Gin Miller’s website and I had a conversation with Mary Griffin.  I wanted to know about current step guidelines….why not go as close to the source of the creator of step as I can???  I told Mary that I had heard through a friend that one of our certifying organizations is now promoting step speed at 130 and a high BPM to 135 for advanced classes.  I have had to up my BPM because of all the other instructors in my area teaching at 135 and above…even up to 145 and 150….can you say OMG??? 

So Mary and I had a very interesting conversation about the evolution of step and why Gin had created it.  Some of it I knew and some I did not.   The conversation brought a lot of things about step back into focus for me.  I have tried very hard over the years to inform my participants and new instructors that I have come across on the step guidelines and how we as instructors should be setting the tone of the class with proper instruction.  I think the members have a right to expect that their instructor in any class is certified and knowledgeable about what they are about to teach.  But as a lot of you probably know, many gyms do not even require certifications anymore or that the instructors have CPR.  Again can you say OMG???

But the point of my first blog post is that, tonight as I taught a step class, I was trying to impart to my class about step speed and how we create intensity in the workout.  I had a new member to my class (not to step) who normally attends another instructor’s class at the club.  I have taken this other instructor’s class, although it has been many years ago.  I let her know that my class may be a little different because I do step at a slower speed.  But I encouraged her and the other members in the class that if they felt at a slower speed they were not getting the workout they felt they should be getting, then to raise their step up a level…which I actually did myself this evening.  I had not done that ever…I have always taught on a 6-inch step.  But again, after my conversation with Mary I decided I needed to practice what I preach as they say….so up to an 8-inch step I went!!!

This particular new member to my class throughout the entire class kept adding in lots of jacks and power moves and lots of other things that I believe would not have been needed ( I guess she didn’t like my choreography!!!) if she had raised her step height up a level.  I actually said that three different times during class….I had one taker, but not her.

I was somewhat annoyed that this particular member didn’t feel the need/desire to try what I had recommended as the instructor.  However, that will not deter me from always encouraging my members to strive for their best workout.  Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one out there trying to do this right but to no avail.  I have heard many times my class is too slow….but I actually like hearing that.  I want to be the class that is “too slow.”  To me that means I’m doing SOMETHING right and that puts a smile on my face.

Because isn’t that what we as instructors are there to do???  In my opinion we are there to lead the members through a SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND FUN WORKOUT.  It is NOT about us….it is about the members.   I think I have achieved that.  What about you?

Contributed by Julie Upton - aka: stepgirl4efr

Wee, who is seeking unspecified damages, says the fitness chain did not provide proper supervision for the class.  The New York based Crunch has not offered any commentary.

Most online articles, based on an AP report, are quite skim on details – but the LA Times article did have comments posted by readers; one an instructor and the other a long-time participant of pole dancing classes.

From the instructor point of view:

I sometimes encounter are women with low-self esteem who become angry when they can not execute certain moves. I try my best to encourage them and let them know that most moves are not learned in one lesson, it takes time, determination and practice. This sounds to me like a case of Little Lucy bumped her head and bruised her ego.

From the participant point of view:

She must be crazy to try to sue Crunch. A. You sign a waver form when you sign up for classes, acknowledging you understand the risks you take during any physical activity at a gym. and that the gym is NOT responsible for any personal injuries. B. She must have been high to think that there is no risk at taking a pole dance class, with or without supervision. when you hand upside down on a slippery pole you know exactly what risks you are taking, and she should not pretend like she had no idea she is risking an injury. No one put a gun to her head making her do anything, and in a group class there is no way an instructor can be hands on with every single girl. If she wanted that kind of attention she should have considered a private lesson.

In teaching any class, you inevitably encounter students who attempt moves that you assess to be way beyond their capability.  You can layer and provide base options and look directly at the new individual – even address them directly – and tell them to “stay with this move”, but is it “low self esteem” that makes them do the advanced move anyway?  And when they get lost or confused why do they get “angry”?

From the participant perspective, fortunately most people take the signed release at face value and assume personal responsibility for their actions and any resulting injuries.  From a legal perspective, if it can be proven that the instructor or club was indeed negligent – either by what they did or didn’t do – anyone can bring a lawsuit despite any signed release.

Checking the Crunch website, a video of one of their pole dancing classes is provided to give participants an idea of what to expect.  The instructor in the clip clearly labels the class as “intermediate to advanced” and it appears that students take turns on the limited amount of poles available to try out the moves.  You also get the impression that spotting is provided and it looks like there is an additional person assisting the instructor. Having worked for Crunch in the past, I know they follow industry protocols if an injury does occur during a class by filing an incident report.  

As we await further details of this case, we are reminded of the challenge we face each and every time we walk into a room full of students to teach a class.  By and large, we appreciate the fact that most people think like QueenLeeNYC when she said:

…(I) never once considered holding anyone but myself responsible for any possible injuries I may occur during pole dance class. I am a grown woman and no one is making me hang upside down on a pole but myself. She should be ashamed of herself for trying to take advantage of a gym that is trying to give people a more exciting ways to exercise.

Your thoughts?

After signing with Reebok, Gin’s contract had her creating and starring in a series of workouts.  The first one was simply titled “Step Reebok The Video”, quickly followed by “The Power Workout” and “Circuit Challenge”.  As step progressed and diversified, other titles followed to include “Aerostep”, ”Best of Step Reebok TV” and “Intense Moves”.  In 1995, Gin shot the final workout in the Step Reebok Series, “Extreme Step”. 

In the 90′s, Reebok’s commitment to group fitness programming  further diversified with the introduction of Reebok Slide Training, Flexible Strength, Walk Reebok, Martial Arts, Cycle Reebok, Final Cuts, Reebok Core Training and finally Rep Reebok.  As step remained popular throughout the decade, fitness continued to evolve with new concepts, equipment, and programs.

Few programs took the industry by storm as step had earlier in the decade.  “Slide Reebok” was the first hit with many clubs looking to add something new to the schedule – but it’s no secret how that ended. 

The next big thing was Cycle Reebok, which became part of the rise in popularity in indoor cycling.  However, Reebok’s contribution was that of an adaptor following the Johnny G brand known as “Spinning”.  Likewise, the Martial Arts program followed the rise in interest of “kickboxing” workouts, brought about by Billy Blanks.

A few programs were actually ahead of the industry, but none created the buzz experience of the step phenomena at the time of their release - but the concepts eventually became quite popular.  Flexible Strength was an “Americanized” version of yoga – released much earlier than the rise in traditional yoga. 

Another was “Final Cuts” – a  program that introduced integrated, functional strength to work multiple muscle groups over a strong and stable core.  That program was quickly overshadowed by the similar but further enhanced programming known as Reactive Training – the basis of Reebok Core Training. 

As Reebok moved in the direction of programming that appealed more to personal trainers,  pre-choreographed barbell-based strength classes were rapidly growing in popularity in the group fitness arena.    Reebok University’s final effort to catch the wave was Rep Reebok – another pre-choreographed group strength class which used a variety of equipment, but distinguished itself by offering periodization.

Before the decade came to a close and the end of Reebok University that eventually followed, Gin had already parted ways with Reebok to pursue other directions.  But long after her departure, her legacy and name continues to be closely associated with the Reebok brand.