Group Blast

What is it?

BLAST OFF your workout with 60 minutes of cardio training that uses The STEP® in highly effective, athletic ways. Group Blast® will get your heart pounding and sweat pouring as you improve your fitness, agility, coordination, and strength with exciting music and group energy. HAVE A BLAST!

What will I do?

Group Blast is a one-hour, results-driven cardio workout that uses The STEP as its primary training tool. Simple, athletic movements and an adjustable step height enable you to determine the intensity that is just right for you. The workout is inspired by functional integrated exercises, circuit training, and sports drills to make you feel like an athlete in training. And the best part is you will HAVE A BLAST because all of the exercises are set to motivating, energetic music. Every Group Blast workout has 10 tracks, and each track has a specific training objective. Here is a breakdown of what you will experience:

1. Warm-Up – Get the workout started right with a full-body warm-up that gives you a chance to learn and practice movements that will be used later in the hour.
2. Skills – This is more than just skills practice – it’s real skills training with The STEP. The music speeds up, the heart rate increases, and you really start to burn some calories!
3. Cardio Push – This workout phase will push your cardiovascular fitness as you have a chance to lift off The STEP and “get some air!” The movements are intense but simple so that everyone can push themselves at the right level.
4. Strength – Strengthen, tone, and define the legs, glutes, and core with functional integrated exercises. This part of the workout is the best of both worlds – strength and cardio!
5. Cardio Surge – Climb toward the first cardio peak as you move over and around The STEP. Lateral movements improve your overall fitness and everyday performance. Cardio Surge is more challenging than Cardio Push, but the interval-style training ensures that everyone has a chance to catch their breath.
6. Agility – This track takes you to the top of the first cardio peak. The STEP becomes a target for training speed, agility, and power with moves like high knees, tire running, and broad jumps – just to name a few!
7. Integration – Your legs and heart get a chance to recover as the cardio intensity lowers. But you’re still working to train the backside of the body and important motor skills like balance, as you prepare for the final cardio peak that follows.
8. Cardio Blast – When you get to Cardio Blast, it’s game on! This track features athletic moves strung together in a circuit-style approach. You could be doing plyometric jump training, strength work, or speed drills – all designed to help you reach the final cardio highpoint of the hour. You might almost feel like you’re in boot camp, and you will definitely see the results!
9. Conditioning – As with any great training experience, cardio is followed by conditioning. You get a minute to recover the heart rate, and then you begin to work on defining the core and toning various parts of the upper body.
10. Mobility – Recover like an athlete in this final phase of the workout. Stretching to music will improve range of motion, aid in muscular recovery, and prepare you for whatever comes next in your day.

Is it for me?

Group Blast is ideal for you if:

• You want an athletic, energetic, exciting, results-oriented workout.
• You are a new exerciser or getting back into fitness, because there is a variety of intensity options offered, from step height to exercise variations.
• You want to add training variety to your workout routine, including speed, agility, strength, power, balance, coordination, and plyometrics.
• You are experienced or brand new to training with The STEP, because Group Blast is more about the physical workout rather than the mental complexity of many freestyle step classes. We’ve taken out the fancy and injected some athleticism into your workout to deliver fantastic results!

How often should I do it?

Group Blast is a cardiovascular training program, so you can do it once a week in conjunction with other workouts or most every day as your primary exercise routine. If you are just starting (or restarting) a workout routine, you would not want to do too much too soon, but you can increase the frequency and intensity of your Group Blast workouts as your fitness and recovery ability improve. How you feel is one of the best ways to gauge your body’s recovery needs between workouts.

Helpful hints:

These tips will help ensure your success and enjoyment in Group Blast:

• Wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting sweaty. Most people wear athletic shorts or pants and t-shirts.
• Wear comfortable athletic shoes. Training-style shoes are recommended because there is a lot of lateral movement in Group Blast. While running shoes will work, they are designed for moving forward and do not offer as much support for side-to-side movements
• Bring a water bottle and a sweat towel.
• Arrive 10-15 minutes before the start time and introduce yourself to the instructor. The instructor will help you select your step height, give you an overview of the program, and answer any questions you may have.
• Stand close to the center of the room so you can clearly see the instructor. It is not necessary to be in the front row, and having people in front of you can be helpful visually.
• Try to ignore any mirrors in the group fitness room – they can be distracting. The instructor will be doing the workout with you, and they are the best source of visual information.
• For the first few times you do Group Blast, just concentrate on how to do the basic movements and learn some of the names of moves. While the arm movements each have an athletic purpose, they are all completely optional. Foot placement is most important, so focus on how your legs and feet move before thinking about the upper body.
• Catch up with the instructor at the end of your first workout to ask questions and check in with them about your experience.

How will I feel?

It is perfectly normal to feel apprehensive prior to your first Group Blast experience. Once you finish your first workout, much of that apprehension will disappear. Remember, there is safety in numbers – you may be surprised at how many people in the room are willing to help you. In Group Blast, time will fly! You might experience mixed emotions as you try to get the hang of some things – just go with it! As adults, we often have high expectations of ourselves, but we all have to start somewhere. At times, you might feel like the workout is faster than you would like – that is because the training style and terminology may be new to you. So before you make a decision if Group Blast will become your workout of choice, we suggest you try the workout three times because you will become more confident with each and every Group Blast experience! You should feel a sense of accomplishment and excitement after your first Group Blast workout. Remember to talk to the instructor and let them know how you felt and if anything was particularly challenging for you. This helps the instructor make recommendations for your next workout. Keep in mind that you may be sore in the days following your Group Blast workout – this is a totally normal way of your body adjusting to the new demands on your muscles. Most of all, remember to have fun during your Group Blast experience as you build confidence and improve your overall fitness!