ESTABLISHING THE HEALTH AND FITNESS BENEFITS OF STEP AEROBICS: THE STEP COMPANY STORY

CLIENT: THE STEP COMPANY

CATEGORY: Fitness/Sporting Goods Companies

BACKGROUND

The STEP Company was established in 1989 as an entrepreneurial response to a new fitness activity that the owner of the STEP Company (Richard Boggs) had observed in one of his health clubs. Step aerobics was emerging as a popular activity within clubs and Mr. Boggs saw the opportunity to provide high quality adjustable step platforms to enhance this fitness activity. At the same time, a major competitor arose, Reebok International, which also wanted to build step platforms as part of expanding its large business in women's fitness. Mr. Boggs and the STEP Company turned to Rippe Lifestyle Institute to help establish the physiologic benefits of step aerobics and create a sport that could expand this activity to average members of health clubs and fitness conscious individuals. In addition, Mr. Boggs sought to legitimatize his company in a competitive battle with Reebok International as a high level source of information about the health and fitness benefits of step aerobics.

RLI'S RESPONSE

RLI conducted a study of 340 individuals between the ages of 20 and 69 to explore the physiologic response to stepping at various heights on step platforms. In addition, RLI created the first ever submaximal fitness test based on stepping up and down at a predetermined pace on step aerobic platforms. Finally, RLI created the scientific background for a new fitness activity and named it "Fitness Stepping." The laboratory also generated a brochure describing how an individual could test himself or herself for the appropriate level of fitness stepping. Dr. Rippe served as the major medical and scientific spokesman for the STEP Company from 1992 to 1996. During this period of time, Dr. Rippe oversaw the production of a complete training manual for fitness stepping and was featured in two home videos on this activity. Following completion of the research project, RLI research staff generated a number of academic abstracts, presentations and papers outlining the health and fitness benefits of step aerobics.

RESULTS

During the period in which RLI was involved with the STEP Company, the STEP Company's business tripled. In addition, the STEP Company became the leading source of scientific and medical information in step aerobics and created a new category of fitness activity, "Fitness Stepping." The videos, which used RLI materials and featured Dr. Rippe, were a highly successful part of packaging step platforms with scientific information. Also during this period of time, hundreds of articles were published on fitness stepping and the STEP Company in the local and national press.