How to Create Your Own Aerobics Dance

The days are less now that fitness instructors spend hours creating aerobic choreography patterns. Many fitness programs have prepared choreography that instructors learn and then teach to participants. In the ever-changing fitness world, creating your own aerobic dance movement is an art. It takes creativity, a musical ear and the ability to keep the beat. Fortunately, if you can count to 32, you are already on your way to developing an aerobic dance that flows to your favorite song.

Select the song to which you want to create an aerobic dance. Clear space, so you have room to move, and begin your music.

March in place to the beat. Step with your right foot on beats one and three. Step with your left foot on beats two and four. Begin to feel a four-count pattern to the music.

Listen and recognize the musical composition containing eight groups of the four-count pattern for a 32-count total.

Choose your aerobic movements. Perform them and count the number of beats it takes to finish one. For example, a grapevine is a four-count movement; a jumping jack is a two-count movement.

Begin with a base move that is easy to do such as knee lifts or step touches. (Ref. 2)

Link together two, four, or eight exercises for a total of 32 counts. For example, perform your base move of four knee lifts for eight counts, then add two grapevines, two v-steps and four jumping jacks. Count this as one musical phrase.

Create three or four 32-count patterns to go along with other songs which gives you approximately a 30-minute aerobic workout.

Perform your patterns an equal number of times with each foot. For example, if you begin four V-steps with the right foot, change the pattern to lead another four V-steps with your left foot.

Use a variety of exercises to alleviate boredom and prevent injuries from overly repetitive motions. Add arm movements to your leg movements to increase the intensity of your workout.

Tips

One of the best ways to learn how to create an aerobic routine is to watch other instructors. Watch exercise videos and count the choreography patterns until you easily feel the flow of the movements with the music.

Warnings

Avoid complicated choreography unless your participants are advanced.