A few odds & ends

[CLD]

Hi Cathe/everyone!

I'm just trying to get everything ready for STS by making sure I have all the equipment I'll need/want. So, I had a few questions.

1. I'm 5'3" tall, and I have 3 sets of risers for my step. Should I order 2 more sets? I noticed that's how many risers are being used in the clips.

2. I'm looking for an opinion on the slanted risers. I know they're optional, but for those of you who have them, what do you think? Do they add a lot of stability? Or can I get by pretty comfortably without them?

3. I'm debating on buying the high step topper. If I buy this, I wouldn't necesesarily have to order any more risers unless it's suggested that I have more. My question - I've used the regular step for the exercises in Butts & Guts & I was pretty comfortable with it. Do you think with the exercises used in STS, I would be more comfortable just using the high step?

Thanks very much to anyone who throws in their two cents!!

 

[cheval]

Here's a little talked about fact...if you get the slanted risers and put them together unslanted, they make up the height of 3 risers together. So you could put them and 1 riser on one side of your step and 4 risers on the other side of your step to get a 4 riser height step.

On the stability with the slanted risers, my DH would not allow me to use the step slanted without the risers. Adding weight (especially heavy weight for STS) and he was doubly against it. He said the extra stability was definitely worth it.

So I say get the slanted risers and see how you like the 4 riser high step and decide if you need/want to pick up one more riser to make a 5 riser high step.

On the high step topper, that's your call. I used to do leg presses on my old Reebok accordion-type step and that worked ok. I did buy a high step this last summer off eBay, though (along with my full-sized step and the slanted risers), so I'll use that instead. You might check eBay to see if you can get a topper for not too much.

April

 

[amyg]

I was thinking last night how nice it would be to have TWO high steps. LOL, granted, that was because I was looking for an end table for our couch, but still.

I heart my high step. I have the slanted risers too and don't use them much-- I do like them for chest work and they are way stable, which I like.

Let me know if you get the high step topper and I'll start an ebay search... don't want to bid against you!

 

[cheval]

Hehe, DH uses my high step for a foot stool. You should have seen the look he gave me when I "stole" all the risers to make my step high for a weight bench for my 1RM tests yesterday!

April

 

[FitnessBunny]

I just received the slanted risers for Christmas and I really like them. There are some creative new exercises you can do with the slanted risers that I like. Plus, I don’t have an incline/decline bench and the risers create that when it’s under the step. I hope this helps.

 

[Dela]

If you are going to get extra risers, you might as well get the high step, it ends up being about $15 more to get the topper with the risers, than if you just buy the risers. I just love the high step, and since I have an adjustable weight bench (and don't do step workouts), I find I use the high step far more often than the regular step.

 

[CLD]

Thanks to everyone who responded!! I really appreciate it! April - thanks for the tip about the slanted risers being the same as three risers - less to order!