Stepping shoes....

[shaan]

I have two questions if someone can help me out please.

I live in an apt. building and always worry about my downstairs neighbour when I am exercising.

Recently I started stepping and I find the step makes too much noise, especially if you want to keep up with Cathe's jumps. I use the same kind of steps that Cathe does in her videos.

My questions therefore

1. How can I silent the impact? I have wrapped a towel sheet on them but after a while, it comes off and makes it dangerous to step on.


2. What sort of shoes can I wear to do the step workout. Right now I wear my Nike running shoes because they are a great shock observer and I bounce off better with them. But is there a special kind of shoes one should wear when stepping?

Please and thanks.

 

[Marlene123]

I think putting anything on top of your step that could slip off during your exercise is indeed very dangerous. What kind of floor are you using? If it is bare wood you might consider getting a large, low-pile area rug to put in your workout area. That would muffle some noise when you step off the bench.

When you step on the bench you can, with effort, do it quietly. It is much easier to stomp up there but with conscious thought you could go a bit quieter.

As far as shoes go, I don't think a running shoe is the best choice because it has heavy treads. Also, running shoes are made to support forward motion. Step aerobics needs support for that as well as lateral moves. There are many brands out there made for step bench activity. Go to Lady Footlocker and try on as many pairs as possible to find which is most comfortable for you. I like the Ryka brand.

 

[actionwoman]

I, too, live in an apt. building with wood flooring, and I have a thin, dense, black rubber mat that I use for both hi/lo aerobics and step. It really absorbs much of the noise and I've never had any complaints from my downstairs neighbors. I bought mine at a sporting goods store a few years ago for about $30 - you can probably find something similar.

 

[DebbieH]

Placing a VERY thin towel between your risers and platform works to soften the noise. Be sure the towel is thin enough that your risers still fit snuggly against the platform.

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!