CIA 2701: All Out Infused Step

How much fun can a step workout be? This one sets a new standard.

Gay gets you started with a great warm up that includes turns, mambos, shuffles and just barely pauses for some dynamic stretching. Usually, for me, warm ups are something to endure (such as in Cathe's workouts) rather than enjoy. Not the case here.

Gay then moves on to five combinations. None are overly complex--each is about 6 minutes in length. Still, there is enough variety to keep you interested. At the end of each combination there are some "power" moves. I place quotes around the word power because the power moves are not super intense-- just slightly more intense than the combinations. Anyone looking for Cathe style blasts need look elsewhere.

After the five combinations are taught you have the option to run through the entire routine (almost) twice. I write "almost" because for some reason Gay leaves the power moves out of combination 4 in the first run through and then in the second run through she leaves out combination 4 entirely. No biggie. This section is about 8 minutes, so all together the work out with warm up is 47 minutes. You may shorten the work out by leaving out the final run through, or if you prefer there is an option to shorten the warm up.

One thing that really makes this workout stand out is the fabulous soundtrack. It does have vocals, but the songs aren't really recognizable (fine by me!). I would say it is funk/rap/r+b with some more pop like selections at the end. It is very motivating. No song is a dud, in my opinion.

I would rate this as int/advanced. I have recently switched back to using just a 6" step for all my step workouts. It would probably be doable with an 8" for those that prefer that. The pace is not particularly frantic.

You need enough space to shuffle around the step and take a few steps diagonally backwards.

Gay's cuing, as usual, is excellent. My one quibble is that she teaches one move as a double knee repeater, then changes it to a scissors over the step, yet keeps calling it double knees. Oh well, nobody's perfect. But this workout almost is!