Fusion Class….

“Merge” Your Workouts Together for a Time Flying, Calorie Burning, Always Fun, Extremely Motivating, Never Dull Session that Works!

by Connie Jo York, Group Fitness Instructor certified with the American Council on Exercise

Can you believe another year has come and gone?  I hope you spent some time in 2008 working on your fitness routine.  If so, GREAT!  Keep up the good work.  We as fitness instructors will do our very best to keep you motivated and help you maintain and improve your health and well-being in 2009, and beyond.  And for those of you who wanted to begin an exercise program in 2008 but were just not able to manage it, take heed, it’s never too late to start.  Tomorrow is another day, a fresh, the New Year is here and you have another chance to change your life forever, to include exercise!  Maybe something different from the normal routine, the idea of a Fusion workout, will provide a little spark and nudge you in the right direction.

Step Aerobics and Boot Camp classes are two very effective ways to achieve a cardiovascular and strength training workout.  Each workout done separately is extremely effective.  But in this article I want to provide a workout for you that actually blends these two workouts together for a time flying, calorie-burning, always fun, NEVER BORING session that you will love. 

Please don’t feel overwhelmed when you read the workout.  The descriptions might seem to be “wordy” at first glance, but that’s only because I want you to understand each move thoroughly.  I am going to explain in great detail.  Just remember that each “count” is one beat of the music.  Counts are shown in parenthesis. 

To begin, I would recommend that you just pick one Fusion segment to practice with.  Get that one segment all figured out and then move on.  It doesn’t matter how many days or weeks it takes to learn everything—while you are learning and practicing you are already exercising!  It will all mesh and become crystal clear the more you do the workout!  If you have questions or want clarification, do not hesitate to contact me.  I want you to be successful with this.  Your patience will pay off in the end.  Just follow all the steps like following a recipe.

Webster’s definition of fusion:  “the union of light atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei with the release of huge quantities of energy”.  Okay, let’s use that definition and relate it to exercise.  Let’s combine two types of workouts (Step Aerobics and Boot Camp), merging several key exercises of each group into one great workout, and I can guarantee a “huge quantity of energy”.

The class will go like this…..

First, we will begin building a Step combination.  As we go, you will gradually learn four Step patterns, combining, building on and repeating them in such a way that you will begin to remember the moves without having to think too much.  (I like for participants to hone their cognitive skills some, but not to the point where they get lost and frustrated—I want to make you “think” just enough to exercise the brain!)  By the end of the session you will be doing a complete Step combination comprised of the four Step patterns.  But it won’t be a dull journey to the final Step combination destination.  Along the way, your Step routine will be interrupted by high-energy Boot Camp exercises approximately every five to ten minutes.  Get the picture?    

Fusion Segment One

Step Aerobics Pattern #1 – Work on this pattern for 5 minutes.  This is a 32-count pattern and the counts are in parenthesis. 

To begin:  Stand at the small end of the Step, facing the Step.

• 1X Right Basic (counts 1-4)  (Description:  Step up, up, down, down with the right leg leading on the up and the down)
  1X Hop skip forward on the Step and exit down to right side of the Step (5-10)  (Description:  Step up with right foot (5) and hop on right foot (6), staying on top of the Step, walk forward one step with the left foot (7), then hop on left foot (8), exit to right side of the Step (9-10)
• 1X Jumping Jack (11-12)
• Walk forward 2 walks on the floor to clear Step (13-14); the foot closer to the Step leads on this walk-walk, left-right (13-14).
• Shuffle left (15-16); shuffle right (17-18), to get in Home position, turning right after the first shuffle to get Home.  (Description:  A shuffle is also called step-ball-change, cha-cha-cha, or pony.)
• 1X 6-count mambo (19-24) (Description:  left foot mambos forward on the step (19), then march, march right and left (20-21), and right foot mambos forward on the step (22), then march, march left and right (23-24)
• 1X Hop turn around the corner (25-28) (Description:  Step up with the left foot, hop and turn the corner and exit so that you are back where you began the pattern—at the small end of the Step, facing the Step.)
• 1X Hamstring curl at the end of the Step (29-32)

Boot Camp Exercises (approximately 3 minutes total):

• Right Basics on the Step for one minute (jogging the basics)
• Push ups on the floor or with a stability ball – 16 each
• Left Basics on the Step for one minute (jogging the basics)
• Push ups on the floor or with a stability ball – 16 each

Fusion Segment Two

Step Aerobics Pattern #2 – Work on Step Pattern #2 for five minutes.  This is a 32-count pattern. 

Again, start at the small end of the Step, facing the Step.

• 2X Hesitation basics, left leg leading (1-16) (Description:  Step up as in a regular basic (1-2), stay on top for 2 toes taps down (3-6), and then step down(7-8.)
• 1X Grapevine diagonally toward the left side of the Step (17-20)
• 1X Abductor raise (21-24) (step up with right foot and do a left side leg raise)
• 1X across the top of the Step toward the right (25-28)
• 1X L-step back around the corner (29-32), returning to the small end of the Step, where you began.  (Description:  step up and hop with left foot, and exit back)

Boot Camp Exercises (approximately 5 minutes total):

• Skater Plyos for one minute (Description:  Step touches, tapping one foot back behind the other, large steps, leaning forward and taking palm toward opposite ankle, just like skating.)
• Lying Triceps extensions on a stability ball or on the Step – 24 each (use a body bar or weights) (Description:  Point the elbows to the ceiling and extend/bend the arms)
• Lying pullovers on a stability ball or on the Step – 24 each (use a body bar or weights) (Description:  Arms extended back, almost straight, then pull the body bar or weights over and down toward the pelvis)
• Repeat Skater Plyos for another minute.
• Bench Press – 24 each (Description:  Lying on the Step or in bridge position on a stability ball, point elbows to the floor, and extend the arms toward the ceiling, return to bent elbow position.)

Fusion Segment Three

Complete four sets of Step Aerobics Pattern #1.  This will take one minute.

Complete four sets of Step Aerobics Pattern #2.  This will take one minute.

Then, begin working on Step Aerobics Pattern #3 for approximately 5 minutes.

Step Aerobics Pattern #3 – 32 counts

Begin at the small end of the Step, facing the Step, right leg leading.

• 4X Alternating knee ups straddling down (1-16)
• 4X Alternating knee ups coming down, back at the small end of the Step (17-32) (Description:  Step up with the right foot and lift the left knee; straddle down, Step is between your feet.  Keep going until you do a total of 4X knee ups/straddle down.  Then, right foot steps up, left knee comes up and when you come down, come down at the end of the step and keep going until you complete 4X knee ups/come down at the end.)

Boot Camp Exercises (approximately 4 minutes total):

• Squat and Jump as you come up – one minute
• Overhead presses with a body bar or weights – 24 each (Description:  Body bar or weights near shoulders, lift toward ceiling and return.)
• Squat and Jump as you come up – one minute
• Forward shoulder raises – 24 each (Description:  Body bar or weights down at sides, lift forward to shoulder level and return.)

Fusion Segment Four

Complete 4 sets of Step Aerobics Pattern #1.  This will take one minute.

Complete 4 sets of Step Aerobics Pattern #2.  This will take one minute. 

Complete 4 sets of Step Aerobics Pattern #3.  This will take one minute.

Begin working on Step Aerobics Pattern #4, for approximately 5 minutes.

Step Aerobics Pattern #4 – This is a 32 count pattern.

Start at the small end of the Step, facing the Step, lead with the right leg.

• 4X alternating glute squeezes (1-16) (Description:  Step up with right foot and lift the left leg back, keep going with alternating legs.)
• 2X Hamstring curls (17-24)
• 1X 3-curl repeater (25-32)

Boot Camp Exercises (approximately 6 minutes):

• Mountain climbers – one minute  (Description:  Starting position:  palms are on the Step, feet on the floor, stagger the legs, with one foot close to the Step and the other foot extended back, hop, switching legs.  Try going fast, fast and then pause for two counts.)
• Arnold arms – 24 each  (Description:  Using a body bar or weights, arms down at sides, palms down, do a forearm curl, then lift over head, drop bar or weights to shoulder area, and then curl down.)
• Jumping jacks – one minute
• One arm rows – 24 each arm (Description:  Using a body bar or weights, left foot on the Step, right leg back, lean forward from the hips, support upper body by placing your left hand on the front of your thigh, extend the right arm with the weight out in front of you, then, pull the bar or weight back letting your elbow brush against your rib cage on the way back.)

Fusion Segment Five

• Complete four sets of each of your four Step Aerobics Patterns.  This will take approximately four minutes.
• Then, complete two sets of each of your four Step Aerobics Patterns (two minutes)
• Then, you guessed it, complete one set of each of the four Step Aerobics Patterns (one minute for the entire combination, but do as many as desired).  As you are doing the entire combination, your lead leg changes automatically for you each time you start again with Step Aerobics Pattern #1.  Awesome!

Boot Camp Exercises (approximately 5 minutes):

• Crunches
• Oblique crunches
• Bicycles
• Planks

Lastly, STRETCH.

Always stretch at least these four areas:  the hamstrings, back, shoulders and calves!  Hold stretches for at least 20 seconds.