How tall is YOUR tall step?

[dananmis22]

Hey, all! I am getting ready to order my tall step - finally! WooHoo! I am getting the 14" step, but was wondering if I needed to get additional risers. I am 5'4" and have pretty short legs. Sometimes I see Cathe and crew using six risers, sometimes five. So I was just wondering what you guys use and what your advise was.
Thank you!
Missy

 

[scm]

Missy,
I'm almost 5'3", and I use six risers most of the time. Sometimes when heavier weight is used, I'll use 5.

Having six risers allows you to have three on each side when using your full length step, which allows for greater range of motion for some lifting moves such as bb pullovers.
Susan C.M.
Nothing should be jiggling, unless it's jiggling off. - Cathe in HSC

 

[hippahips]

I use 12", or 4 risers. I'm only 5'1" and definitely have shorter legs than you, Missy. Do you have the club step? The risers on those are interchageable with the risers of the high step. I pile more risers on my high step when doing one-armed rows. That helps my lower back immensely.

Pinky

 

[karate_chick]

I should be getting my High Step tomorrow (yippeee).

I'm 5'4(ish) & ordered the 14" step so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll be high enough - especially as I'm in the UK so ordering one more riser isn't really an option!

Andrea

 

[dananmis22]

I have a Reebok step, no club step. Otherwise I wouldn't have to buy risers ;(

 

[FitnessGoddess]

I'm 5'6" and using 14" KILLS me! I use 12...4 risers (2" each) and the step (4").

The general rule of thumb for using the step is that when you put your foot flat on the top of the step, your knee should have no more bend in it than a 45 degree angle. You should base the height of the step on that, not how tall you are because there are short people out that that have long legs but short torsos.

Hope that helps.

 

[NY25]

I second FitnessGoddess' suggestion. I'm 5'9" and use a 14" step (not the same brand, but the equivalent of 5 risers) and that is plenty. 6 risers would raise the step to 16" which is too high for all but the tallest of people. As FG posted, it will cause too great of a bend in your knee which will put much undue strain on your knees. At your height, I would say 14" would be your maximum.

 

[kathryn]

I'm 5'6" and do step-ups at either 14" or 12". Those two heights allow my upper leg to remain parallel to the ground, and don't make tighter than a 90 degree angle at the knee.

I have quite a few risers that I already had because of my step, so I could theoretically get my tall step up to about 26 inches (for what purpose, I don't know!). I do use it higher when I sit on it or use it as a support for doing 1-arm lat rows (16" or 18"). I also make it higher when I do hover squats (Cathe and her crew are all about 5'- 5'2" tall, which means their rears are closer to the step than mine is when doing hover squats, so I add risers to make the difference more the same).

 

[NicoleP]

I'm 5' 4" and I put my high step at 14 inchs although with HSC I move it down to 12 inchs so I don't hit my ceiling with my dumbells, and like Kathryn I will move my step up for hover squats.