Step Reebok: Intense Moves

Gin Miller
Year Released: 1997

Categories: Step Aerobics


Much has been written in the VF Forum about the dearth of tough, challenging, meaty workouts that are made widely available in retail. Therefore, I'm glad that Reebok has chosen to use its name, reputation, and marketing power to produce advanced tapes that we won't outgrow in six months or even a year. I'm also grateful that you can find them in your local discount store, usually for under $15. Keep it up, Reebok!

Yes, this one lives up to its name, folks. It kind of sneaks up on you, though. I've found that doing the "hard" or even "harder" variations are doable while I'm in the middle of the workout, but the next day, my body definitely knows it was challenged the day before! The only modification I've had to make is with the jumping jacks. I'm built a lot like Gin, but I just can't do even the easiest version she shows. So I do lunges to the side the way Donna Richardson taught me from "Donna-Mite." The rest of the "hard" variations are actually relatively low-impact--but don't confuse that with low-intensity:)

Because IM and Karen Voight's Energy Sprint seem to be the most famous of the advanced interval training tapes that are widely available, people might ask how they compare. Karen's work is more dance-inspired, her intervals (or sprints) are of longer duration (most are 3-5 minutes) and contain more step combinations. Gin's work in IM is more influenced by sports and athletics--I love that "basketball" shuffle and shot interval toward the end!--and she doesn't combine a lot of different moves to go into each individual interval, probably because she only takes about a minute or so with each one. Both are excellent, and it's great to see Gin Miller re-emerge from those early Step Reeboks and lead a workout that makes the most of her great personality. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!

Instructor Comments:
Gin is one of a kind. Superb teaching skills, genuine friendliness that reaches through the TV screen and grabs you, and what a powerful body. She's what my dad used to call a rock solid woman!

Melissa Cooper

09/16/1998