AngieFitnessTV: Low Impact Super Basic Step & Sculpt

Low Impact Super Basic Step & Sculpt is cardio + strength low impact metabolic workout from AngieFitnessTV. Angie puts together 4 step combos and each combo is separated by a metabolic strength circuit. The first cardio step combo is made up of basic step moves such as stepping on and off the step, corner to corner knees, repeater knees and hamstring curls. You do this for about 9 minute then you grab some light hand weights (Angie recommends 3-5 pounds) and do 4 minutes of weighted step work. You put the weights aside and do another 9 minutes of step cardio. For the second combo you do more basic steps, V steps, turn steps and repeater knees. Once you run through this combo a few times she combines it with the first combo. You get a short water break then she has you grab 3-5 pound dumbbells again for 4 more minutes of metabolic strength work on the step. You set the hand weights aside for 8 more minutes of step cardio. The 3rd step combo includes: triple stomps with a step back, alternating corner knees, and triple repeater knees. Once again, Angie runs you through this new combo a few times then she combines it with combos 1 & 2 for a longer step combo. Grab light dumbbells again (really light ones this time) and do 3 more minutes of light weight work on the step. Set the hand weights aside for 7 more minutes of step cardio. The 4th combo is made up of moves such as corner to corner glute lifts and alternating step knee raises. After running through this combo several times, Angie strings all 4 combos together. The workout ends with 4 minutes of core work.

This was a great workout. I totally enjoyed it and got an excellent cardio workout. Every step move is very basic–nothing complicated/no complex choreography, and I know because I have done just about all of Cathe‘s step workouts and they can get very complex. I wore a 6 pound vest and started with my step at 6 inches like Angie’s. But by the time I got to the 3rd circuit I felt that the cardio level, for me, was not intense enough so for the 4th step circuit I raised my step to 8 inches. That definitely did the trick. According to my FitBit I was in my cardio heart rate zone the majority of the workout but the graph shows that during that final circuit my heart rate jumped to the top of the cardio level and even ventured into my peak heart rate for 6 minutes of that 7 minute circuit! I will definitely return to this workout, however in the future I will start with my step at 8 inches from the very beginning. I will continue to wear my 6 pound vest. I think I will also add some 1 pound ankle weights and a 1 pound glove (2 gloves when my shoulder finally heals). I am also planning to do more of Angie’s low impact step cardio workouts. At the end of the workout she talks about how she just doesn’t care for complex step choreography and that is why she keeps things basic. I am of the same mindset. I do enjoy Cathe’s step workouts but many times I want something basic but intense, just like what Angie is offering here.

***Update: I just discovered something. Angie edited this workout so you can do the entire step class without the metabolic strength segments. It is the exact same workout but only the step segments and the core work at the very end are included. It is called Super Basic Super Sweaty Step Class and it is 48:15 minutes.***

Low Impact Super Basic Step & Sculpt is 61:35 minutes; 5 minute warm up, 4 minutes core and 5 minute cool down/stretch. Equipment: step @ 6 inches and light dumbbells (3-5 pounds). As mentioned above, I also wore a weighted vest and increased the height of my step to make it more intense.

Light Weight Work #1 (starts at 14:46); Angie used 5 pound hand weights then dropped to 3 pounds for #3 & 4; I used a 5 pound hand weight for this entire circuit:

1. Alternating straight arm front raises while tapping heels to top of step (heel digs); changes to double arm front raises; changes to double straight arm side raises
2. Alternating upright rows with heel digs
3. Knee runners (3 knee repeaters on step while also doing fast alternating back rows and when you step off of step, raise the knee that was on the step)
4. Repeat #3 on other side of body

Light Weight Work #2 (starts at 28:20); Angie used 5 pound hand weights for this circuit; I used an 8 pound dumbbell:

1. One foot on the step and one on floor, DBs held at your shoulders, pulse squat 3x then raise up to standing, lifting floor leg out straight to side while doing an overhead press
2. Repeat #1 on other side of body
3. Start standing on step, do alternating curtsy lunges off step, while in curtsy lunge pulse 3x while doing 2 bicep curls; changes to singles–still alternating curtsy lunge but with no pulses and one bicep curl

Light Weight Work #3 (starts at 40:20); Angie used her lightest set dumbbells–I am guessing they were 2 pounds, I used one 3 pound hand weight:

1. Step on step with one foot and lift other leg up behind you while also sweeping both arms overhead
2. Repeat #2 on other leg
3. Stand with one foot on step, lift one leg out to side and lower it, throughout your arms are raised to shoulder level and held there while elbows bend, bringing one DB to shoulder while other arm is extended straight to side, alternate sides with each leg lift
4. Repeat #3 on other side of body

Core (starts @ 52:00):

1. In straight arm plank with feet on step, straddle step feet to ground beside step then back on top of step (I cannot currently do planks due to shoulder surgery so I did reverse crunches)
2. Lay on back on step, raise bent legs off floor (knees are in to chest) and alternate pushing legs out straight
3. Still laying on step, do pulse crunches (pulse 3x); changes to holding crunch isometrically with different arm positions
4. Still laying on back on step, hands behind head, bring one knee in to chest and tap with opposite elbow then extend leg out straight, do all reps on one side of the body then repeat on other side

For more info on AngieFitnessTV and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.