Best fitness step | High-quality options for powerful cardio training at home

by Joost Nusselder | Updated on:  March 23 2021

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The fitness step, also called aerobic step, has become an extremely popular fitness accessory in recent years, which you see not only in the gym, but also increasingly in people's homes.

Moving on a fitness step has become one of the most popular forms of aerobics.

The fitness step provides a wide range of training forms and makes it possible to do a total body workout.

Best fitness step

When you train intensively on a fitness step, you train muscle strength and fitness and you are able to burn up to 450 calories per hour. The step is therefore a fantastic way to burn fat and it will also improve your coordination.

Doesn't sound wrong at all!

In this article I will tell you everything about the fitness step; which ones there are, what you should pay attention to when purchasing them and which exercises you can do on them.

From now on there are no more (valid) excuses to lie on the couch in your spare time..!

I fully understand that you may not have enough time to find out which fitness steps are available and which may be of interest to you.

That's why I've already done the preparatory work for you, so that making a choice might be a bit easier!

Before I explain the four best fitness steps in detail, I would like to quickly introduce you to one of my favorites, namely the RS Sports Aerobic fitness stepper.

In addition to being adjustable in different heights, which makes the step suitable for people of different heights and with different fitness levels, the step is provided with an anti-slip layer and the step lasts a long time.

And let's be honest.. The price is also very attractive!

If this step is not quite what you were looking for, I also have three other interesting options for you to take a look at.

In the table you will find an overview of the best fitness steps and below the table I will explain each item separately.

Best fitness step Images
Overall best fitness step: RS Sports Aerobics Overall best fitness step- RS Sports Aerobic

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Best fitness step for WOD session: WOD Pro Best fitness step for WOD session- WOD Pro step

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Cheap fitness step: Focus Fitness Aerobic Step Cheap fitness step- Focus Fitness Aerobic Step

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Best large fitness step: ScSPORTS® Aerobic Step Best Large Fitness Step- ScSPORTS® Aerobic Step

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What should you pay attention to when buying a fitness step?

When purchasing a fitness step, there are a number of important things you should pay attention to:

The size

You have fitness steps in different sizes and sizes.

It is important that you check in advance what the maximum user weight of the scooter is, because it can vary quite a bit per step.

The surface

Fitness steps can have different surface areas, where the surface area of ​​one fitness step may be just a bit too small for certain exercises.

It is therefore useful to take at least a scooter with a size of (lxw) 70 x 30 cm. Of course you can always go bigger.

Non-slip surface

If you plan to exercise fanatically, the intention is of course also that you will sweat nicely.

It is therefore important that you choose a fitness step with a non-slip surface so that you do not slip during exercise if your step gets a bit wet.

Fortunately, all scooters that I discuss in this article have such a non-slip layer.

The height

What kind of training do you want to do with the step?

Depending on the answer to that question, you have to choose the height of the scooter. In some exercises it is useful if the step is a bit lower, while in others it is nice if it is higher.

Ideally, you take a fitness step that is adjustable in height, so that you can perform different exercises with one step and you can also determine the intensity of those exercises yourself.

To bring even more challenge to your workouts with the fitness step, do you combine these with a fitness elastic!

Best fitness step reviewed

With all that in mind, now let's take a look at what makes my top 4 fitness steps so good.

Overall best fitness step: RS Sports Aerobic

Overall best fitness step- RS Sports Aerobic

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Are you motivated to get yourself in top shape (again)? Then the RS Sports Aerobic fitness stepper is for you!

Above I have already given you a short introduction about this step, now I would like to go into this product a little further.

The scooter is made to keep people moving (at home). You can do a lot of different exercises on the step, and of course the well-known step aerobics.

You can supplement such a work-out with a pair of (light) dumbbells, so you're ready for a complete cardio and aerobic workout!

It is useful that the step is adjustable in height, where you can put the step 10 cm high, 15 cm or 20 cm. The higher you make the step, the more effort the exercises will take.

DFurthermore, the step takes up little space, so you can actually make some space for a workout anywhere.

The good thing is that the step is provided with a non-slip layer, so that you can train intensively on the step without any problems.

The product can support up to 150 kg, so you can have a blast on this scooter!

The dimensions are (lxwxh) 81 x 31 x 10/15/20 cm. Because the step is adjustable in height, it is suitable for people of different heights and fitness levels.

The higher the step, the more difficult the exercises. And the more you exert yourself, the more calories you'll burn.

During a typical 45-minute session, you'll burn about 350-450 calories. Of course, the exact number also depends on your weight.

Check the latest prices here

Also read: Best weights for home | Everything for an effective training in-house

Best fitness step for different purposes: WOD Pro

Best fitness step for WOD session- WOD Pro

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Are you ready for the 'Workout Of the Day (WOD)'? One thing is certain… With this professional fitness step you are guaranteed!

WOD is often used in CrossFit training and the WOD is different every time. This involves performing different exercises, combinations of exercises, or varying the intensity.

But for a WOD you certainly don't necessarily have to go to a CrossFit gym. You can also easily do a WOD at home on a fitness step, with or without weights.

This step is also adjustable in height, just like the RS Sports Aerobic, where you can choose from three different heights; namely 12, 17 and 23 cm. You can change height very quickly and easily.

This WOD Fitness Step Pro is a bit higher than the RS Sports Aerobic, which may make it more suitable for more experienced steppers (and real WOD enthusiasts!).

The maximum loadable weight is 100 kg, less strong than the RS Sports Aerobic.

The scooter is useful at home, but also very useful in gyms, for physio, or in personal training studios.

The scooter has a non-slip top layer and non-slip grip studs, so that you can always train safely on the scooter and the scooter also stands firmly on the floor.

It is also nice that the scooter lasts a long time and is wear-resistant. You have to, if you want to have a WOD session every day!

The scooter has a size of (lxwxh) 70 x 28 x 12/17/23 cm. In terms of dimensions, this scooter is therefore somewhat smaller compared to the RS Sports Aerobic and also a bit more expensive than the RS Sports Aerobic, even though it has less load capacity and a smaller size.

Because the WOD scooter is lightweight, you can easily transport it again.

All in all, the WOD Fitness Step Pro is the best step for true WOD fans because it is really made for daily exercises.

In case you are such a person, I already have a nice exercise for you to try out, namely the push up:

  1. For this exercise, place both feet on the step and support with your hands on the floor, just like in a normal push-up position.
  2. Now lower your arms and keep the rest of your body straight.
  3. Then push yourself back up to return to the starting position.

So this is a slightly more difficult version of the push-up and perhaps a challenge for the WOD fanatic!

If you plan to use a step less often – and certainly not every day – then you should probably go for a cheaper version, such as the RS Sports Aerobic (see above) or the Focus Fitness Aerobic Step (see below). .

Check prices and availability here

Cheap fitness step: Focus Fitness Aerobic Step

Cheap fitness step- Focus Fitness Aerobic Step

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I understand very well that not everyone wants to spend the same amount of money on a fitness step. Some people simply don't want to exercise with it every day, or just want to save some money.

Others first want to see whether such a scooter is something for them, and therefore prefer to buy an 'entry-level model' first.

For these reasons I have (still!) included a cheap fitness step in my list, which is actually really great!

The scooter is made of hardened plastic and has a non-slip finish. The end of the legs is also non-slip. This way you will always train safely and stand stable on the step.

The legs are also adjustable in height, with a choice between 10 or 15 cm.

However, this scooter is the only one in the list that is only adjustable at two heights, the rest are adjustable at three heights. The scooter is also lower than the WOD Pro and the RS Sports Aerobic, which I presented to you earlier.

In addition to the price, these can also be reasons that the Focus Fitness Aerobic Step is especially an interesting step for a novice stepper or athlete. Given the height, the scooter can also come in handy if you are short in stature.

We can therefore conclude that the WOD Pro, which I have discussed above, is actually more suitable for the more fanatical and experienced athlete, whereas the cheaper Focus Fitness is interesting for a novice stepper or athlete or if you are not that tall.

The Focus Fitness step has a load capacity of 200 kg, making it 'stronger' than the previous two steps. So you see… Cheaper certainly doesn't always mean lower quality!

Do keep in mind that if scootering suddenly becomes a big, new passion of yours, you may prefer to replace the scooter later with one that can go higher for more challenge.

The higher the step, the greater you can make the execution of your exercises. Because it is of course more challenging to get off a large scooter than one that is a bit lower.

A great exercise to start with as a beginner is one of the simplest exercises, the basic step:

  1. Stand in front of the long side of your scooter.
  2. Step on the step with one foot (your right for example) and then put the other foot (your left) next to it.
  3. Put your right foot back on the floor and your left next to it.
  4. Switch legs each time and repeat several times for a good warm-up.

Check the latest prices here

Best Large Fitness Step: ScSPORTS® Aerobic Step

Best Large Fitness Step- ScSPORTS® Aerobic Step

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Do you want to train effectively? With this (extra) large fitness step from ScSports you train your entire body! The large and sturdy design is ideal for an intensive workout.

Thanks to the feet, you can quickly and easily adjust the height of the step, so that you can choose the intensity of the exercises yourself.

Like all other scooters, the scooter has a non-slip surface so that slipping is prevented and you can always train safely and carefree.

The scooter has a length of 78 cm, a width of 30 cm and is adjustable in three different heights, namely 10 cm, 15 cm and 20 cm. The maximum load capacity is 200 kg and the scooter is made of 100% polypropylene.

Together with the WOD Pro, this is the somewhat more expensive step from the list. However, the difference with the WOD Fitness Step Pro is that the ScSPORTS® Aerobic step is somewhat lower, but larger in size.

Furthermore, it is stronger than the WOD Pro (which can 'only' carry 100 kg).

This large scooter is useful for several reasons. For example, if you are built a bit stronger than an average person, or a bit heavier.

Or maybe you feel a bit more confident on a big scooter, because scootering may be new to you.

Furthermore, a large fitness step can also be very useful if you want to be able to use it as a bench, for example to do the 'bench press'.

Would you rather have a real fitness bench for at home? read my review about the top 7 best fitness benches for home

As you've noticed, I like to put the facts side by side, but the final choice is all yours! It just depends on what you're looking for in your next fitness step.

Check prices and availability here

Frequently asked questions about fitness steps

Finally, I will answer some frequently asked questions about fitness steps.

Is step aerobics good for weight loss?

If you do step aerobics regularly, it can have a major impact on your weight.

Powerful step aerobics is according to Harvard Health Publications the second best weight loss exercise among fitness activities.

A 155-pound person (about 70 kilograms) will burn about 744 calories per hour doing step aerobics!

Check out a cardio step routine for beginners specially developed by Harvard:

Is step aerobics good for belly fat?

Step aerobics burn a lot of calories, keeping them off your abs and waist. And if you burn more calories than you consume, you also burn existing fat.

Vigorous step aerobics is one of the best ways to burn fat and lose weight.

Is step aerobics better than walking?

Because step aerobics involves a higher intensity than walking, you can burn more calories while stepping than walking for the same amount of time.

Can I do step aerobics every day?

Well, how many days a week do you train? You can use a step for any training style, so there's no reason why you can't use a step for every workout.

The most effective training plans combine different training styles, so you get a mix of intense cardio, strength training and interval training throughout the week.

Conclusion

In this article I have introduced you to a number of qualitative fitness steps.

With a little imagination and creativity you can do a great workout on such a scooter.

Especially in this time when we are very limited in our actions, it is always nice to have your own fitness products at home so that you can still keep moving from home.

A fitness step really doesn't have to be expensive and can still offer you a lot of extra movement options!

Also read: Best sports mat | Top 11 Mats for Fitness, Yoga & Training [Review]

Joost Nusselder, the founder of referees.eu is a content marketer, father and loves to write about all kinds of sports, and has also played a lot of sports himself for most of his life. Now since 2016, he and his team have been creating helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with their sports activities.