Choreography set to music built from basic steps (low and high impact), step on the platform, HIIT intervals and toning, up to competitive aerobic gymnastics with difficulty elements. It trains aerobic endurance, coordination, musicality, strength and flexibility.
The program is built from the PlanSports training catalogue for Aerobics: 75 techniques in 9 families, 28 drills and 9 tactical principles. In the app you pick what you work on today, log attempts and successes per technique, and your coach sees the progress.
Three sessions built from the drills below, from beginner to advanced. Durations are indicative; in the app you swap drills and log each one.
Day 1
approx. 63 min
Day 2
approx. 62 min
Day 3
approx. 73 min
75 techniques in 9 families. For each: what it is, key points and common mistakes. Open a family to see them.
Rhythmic marching in place or travelling, lifting the knees with coordinated arms. A basic and transition step.
Step to the side, the second foot joins and touches the floor without taking the weight; 2 counts per side.
Step forward with one foot, join with the other, step back, join; 4 counts. On the floor or on the platform.
Wide step forward-right, wide step forward-left (forming a V), then return to the centre one foot at a time; 4 counts.
Step to the side, the second foot crosses behind, step to the side, close (or touch); 4 counts.
Step forward with a weight transfer, return onto the back foot, step back and return; the hips move latin-style.
Three quick steps over two counts (1 and 2), often after a mambo (mambo cha-cha); it changes the lead leg.
Four steps drawing a square: cross forward, back, side, forward; 4 counts.
A basic step forward followed by a basic step to the side, drawing an L; 8 counts, used to change orientation.
Diagonal step forward, close, diagonal step back on the other side, close; it draws the apex of an A.
Marching steps or a grapevine with a 360° turn while travelling sideways, over 4 counts.
Step and lift the opposite knee to hip height; alternating or repeated (repeater). One of the 7 basic FIG aerobic movements.
The leg is kicked forward, sideways or backward, straight and controlled; height according to level. A basic FIG aerobic movement.
Step to the side and bring the opposite heel toward the glute.
Light jogging in place or travelling, landing on the ball of the foot and lowering the heel.
Hop on one leg with the other leg kicked forward and low; alternating.
Jump the legs apart and together, with the arms coordinated out to the sides and up or down.
The leg goes back (or to the side) and touches the floor with the toes, the weight staying on the supporting leg; high impact with a jump.
A hopping side step over three quick counts (like a hopped cha-cha), from classic high-low aerobics.
Up-up-down-down with the same lead leg; the whole foot on the platform.
The steps go up wide onto the corners of the step and come down narrow to the centre.
One foot steps up, the other only taps the platform and comes down; it changes the lead leg.
Step up on one leg and lift the other knee 3 times (or 5) without putting the supporting leg down.
Travelling sideways across the platform: up, up, down on the other side, down.
From the platform, step down with one foot on either side of it, then step back up.
Step up at one end of the platform, travel along its length and step down at the other end.
Step up on one corner, lift the knee or do a kick, step down on the opposite corner.
From the platform, one foot touches the floor behind (or to the side), then returns to the step.
Step up and, on the platform, turn 180° or 360°, stepping down on the other side or behind.
High impact variation: jump onto or over the platform (power knee, jump over).
Squat, hands on the floor, jump the feet back into a plank (push-up optional), return and jump up with the arms overhead.
From a plank, bring the knees alternately and quickly toward the chest.
Running in place with the knees at hip height, high cadence.
Running in place bringing the heels toward the glutes.
Squat and explosive vertical jump, soft landing straight back into the squat.
From a lunge, jump and switch legs in the air.
Lateral bounds from one leg to the other, the free leg crossing behind.
A vertical jump with the knees pulled up to the chest in the air.
From a plank, the feet jump apart and back together.
From a squat, an explosive jump with the arms and legs spread in an X.
A fast sideways movement in a low position, without crossing the feet, touching the floor at each end.
Hips go back and down to parallel, weight on the heels.
A squat with the feet wide apart and the toes turned out.
Forward, reverse or lateral lunge, back knee close to the floor.
Lying on your back, feet flat on the floor, lift the hips by squeezing the glutes.
On all fours, the bent leg pushes the sole of the foot towards the ceiling.
Support on the forearms (or hands) and toes, body straight; variations: side plank, with shoulder taps.
Lying on your back, knees bent, lift the shoulders off the floor by contracting the abs.
The elbow comes towards the opposite knee, alternating, with the other leg extended.
Push-ups on the toes or on the knees, chest close to the floor.
Hands on the edge of the step, back close to it, lower by bending the elbows.
Lying face down, the arms and legs lift simultaneously or alternately.
An arm and shoulder series with light dumbbells: biceps curls, lateral raises, overhead press, triceps extensions.
A push-up with a perfectly straight body, the chest lowering almost to the floor (under 10 cm); the basis of the push-up family (one-arm, with a hand clap, etc.).
A push-up with one leg resting on the triceps of the same-side arm and the other extended back; body horizontal.
From standing, a forward fall with a straight body, caught in the push-up (or Wenson) position, with a controlled descent.
From a seated support, the legs pass under the body from one side to the other (or front to back) with the body supported on the hands, ending in a push-up or support position.
From lying on the back, the legs make a wide circle above the body, and the rotation takes the body straight into the push-up position.
Rotations of the straddled legs around the body, with alternating support on the hands (as on the pommel horse).
Support on the palms with the legs together and straight, held horizontal; minimum 2 s.
Support on the palms with the legs wide apart and lifted, hands between the legs.
Like the L, but with the legs raised almost to vertical (closed angle between torso and legs).
Support on the palms with the body horizontal, feet not touching the floor; variations: straddle or full.
A vertical jump with a 360°, 720° or greater rotation, landing on the feet or in push-up (e.g. air turn to push-up).
A jump with the knees drawn in to the chest, with or without a turn.
A jump with the straight legs raised forward, apart (straddle) or together (pike), with the torso leaning towards them.
A jump from one foot opening the legs into a split (180°) in the air; variations with a turn or a switch.
A leap in which the legs switch split position in the air (the front leg goes to the back).
A jump with the knees open to the sides and the soles together under the body (frog position) in the air, often with a turn.
Any jump (straight, tuck, straddle, air turn) finished by landing on the hands in the push-up or Wenson position.
A turn on the ball of one foot (360°, 720°...), with the other leg in different positions (retiré, horizontal, split).
A rotation on one leg with the torso lowered and the free leg swung into a vertical split, passing close to the supporting leg.
A balance on one leg with the other raised into a vertical split (to the side or front), held for at least 2 s.
A front or side split on the floor, 180°, with a controlled entry (e.g. from a jump or from push-up).
Straight-leg kick to shoulder height (180°) to the front or side, with a controlled return; flexibility requirement in the choreography.
28 drills by kind: warm-up, technical, tactical, physical, play. Duration, volume, what you need, the goal and how you know it worked.
March, step touch, V-step, grapevine, knee lift, leg curl, in blocks of 8 counts, with simple arms; gradually increase the range of motion and add the arms.
What you need: Music 125-130 BPM.
Goal: Raises the heart rate and prepares the joints.
Success: The whole group on the beat, no stopping.
Works on: Marching in place (march), Side step with touch (step touch), V-step, Side cross step (grapevine), Knee lift, Leg curl / hamstring curl
Shoulder and arm circles, controlled front and side kicks, lunges with rotation, slow squats.
What you need: Open space.
Goal: Mobility before the large-range movements.
Success: Range of motion increases progressively, without pain.
Works on: Leg kick (kick), Lunges, Squat
Slow march and step touch for 2 min to bring the heart rate down, then static stretching for calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, glutes, chest and shoulders.
What you need: Mat.
Goal: Heart-rate recovery and regeneration.
Success: Heart rate under 110 at the end.
Works on: Marching in place (march), Side step with touch (step touch)
Block A is taught and repeated; then block B is taught, followed by A+B; then C, then A+B+C, and so on, up to the full routine.
What you need: Music with 32-count phrases.
Goal: Memorising the choreography without overload.
Success: The full routine performed twice without mistakes.
Works on: Basic step, V-step, Mambo, Box step / jazz square, Side cross step (grapevine)
Start from a simple block (march, basic, V-step), then add one at a time: change of direction, change of rhythm (cha-cha), the turn, coordinated arms.
What you need: Music 130-135 BPM.
Goal: Increases complexity without losing the group.
Success: The final layer performed on the beat by the whole group.
Works on: Basic step, V-step, Cha-cha, Turn step, L-step
The athlete identifies the "1" of the phrase (the strong beat, the start of the phrase) by marking it with a clap, then changes the step only at the start of each 32-count phrase.
What you need: Aerobics music with 32-count phrasing.
Goal: Movement synchronised with the structure of the music.
Success: All step changes fall on the "1" of the phrase.
Works on: Marching in place (march), Side step with touch (step touch), Jumping jack
Basic, V-step, knee repeater, over the top, corner to corner, with a tap to change legs; the block is done on the right and on the left.
What you need: Step of 15-20 cm, music 125-128 BPM.
Goal: Technique on the platform and symmetry.
Success: Whole foot on the step at every step, on the beat.
Works on: Basic step on the platform, V-step on the platform, Repeater knee on the step, Over the top, Corner to corner, Tap up / tap down
Combination over 8×8 counts using march, jog, skip, knee lift, kick, jumping jack and lunge, with asymmetrical arms and changes of direction, as in the aerobic movement sequences of competition routines.
What you need: Music 145-160 BPM.
Goal: Intensity, coordination and precision of the basic steps.
Success: The combination performed at competition tempo with consistent amplitude.
Works on: Marching in place (march), Jogging in place (jog), Skip (hop), Knee lift, Leg kick (kick), Jumping jack, Aerobic lunge
Full-range push-ups, close-grip push-ups, push-ups with one leg raised, Wenson position held for 10 s, Wenson with slow lowering, then full Wenson.
What you need: Mat.
Goal: The strength required for the push-up family in group A.
Success: 5 Wenson push-ups on each side with the body horizontal.
Works on: Aerobic push-up, Wenson push-up
Falls from kneeling, then from a squat, then from standing on a thick mat, with the body straight and the elbows giving way under control; then on the competition floor.
What you need: Thick mat, then competition floor.
Goal: A safe, clean free fall.
Success: Landing in push-up position without the chest or knees touching the floor.
Works on: Free fall, Aerobic push-up
Support with tucked legs, with one leg extended, full L on low parallettes, then on the floor; straddle support; V-support at the end.
What you need: Low parallettes or blocks, mat.
Goal: Static strength for the competition supports.
Success: L-support on the floor held for 2 s with the legs horizontal.
Works on: L-support, Straddle support, V-support
High leg kicks, step leap (small jeté) over an obstacle, then split leap with a 3-step run-up; worked on both legs.
What you need: Diagonal space, soft obstacle.
Goal: 180° opening in the air and height.
Success: Full split in the air, visible on the recording.
Works on: High leg kick, Split leap, Scissors leap
Vertical jump with 180°, then 360° with a landing on the feet, then 360° with a landing in push-up position; focus on a tight body.
What you need: Mat.
Goal: Full rotation and a clean landing.
Success: 360° with a stable landing, facing the correct direction.
Works on: Air turn, Jump landing in push-up
Relevé rises onto the toes, retiré balance for 5 s, quarter, half and full pirouette with spotting; then illusion at the wall.
What you need: Smooth surface, wall.
Goal: Stability on the toes and clean rotations.
Success: 360° pirouette with a controlled landing on both sides.
Works on: Pirouette (turn), Illusion
Coach and athlete test different placements for the maximum of 8 elements (individual): the hardest elements in the first half, strength elements separated from intense aerobic sequences, connections on the strong musical accents.
What you need: Routine music, choreography outline.
Goal: Maximises the difficulty score without losing execution.
Success: All elements successful over 3 consecutive run-throughs.
Works on: Free fall, Helicopter, Split leap, Illusion
The same choreographic section is performed passing through all areas (corners, centre, edges) and in all directions (front, side, diagonal); the coach notes the unused areas.
What you need: Competition area marked with tape.
Goal: Use of the whole floor area, an artistic score requirement.
Success: All 9 zones of the floor area used in the routine.
Works on: Side cross step (grapevine), Turn step, Jogging in place (jog), Skip (hop)
32-count blocks performed first without music on the count, then with music, then in different formations (line, triangle, column); the arm angle and the timing of the landings are compared.
What you need: The group, a mirror or a video camera.
Goal: Identical and simultaneous execution.
Success: On the recording, the movements are identical in angle and timing.
Works on: Jumping jack, Leg kick (kick), Knee lift, Aerobic lunge
Alternating one minute of propulsion steps (power knee, jump over, lunge off) with one minute of basic step for active recovery.
What you need: Step of 15-20 cm.
Goal: Anaerobic endurance and leg power.
Success: Landing quality stays consistent across all intervals.
Works on: Power step (propulsion), Lunge off the step, Basic step on the platform
8 rounds of 20 s all-out effort and 10 s rest, alternating burpees and squat jumps (or a single exercise).
What you need: Interval timer.
Goal: Anaerobic capacity.
Success: The number of reps in the last round ≥ 70% of the first.
Works on: Burpee, Squat jump
40 s work / 20 s rest: high knees, mountain climbers, skaters, jump lunges, plank jacks, star jumps; 1 min between rounds.
What you need: Mat, timer.
Goal: Endurance and high calorie burn.
Success: Pace maintained for the full 40 s.
Works on: High knees, Mountain climbers, Skaters, Jump lunges, Plank jacks, Star jump
Intervals that increase and then decrease (rest = half the interval), alternating burpees, tuck jumps and lateral shuffle.
What you need: Timer.
Goal: Effort tolerance and pacing over variable intervals.
Success: No stopping during the intervals.
Works on: Burpee, Tuck jump, Lateral shuffle
The same intervals without jumping: fast march with high knees, skaters without the jump, slow mountain climbers, squat with calf raise, burpee without the jump.
What you need: Mat.
Goal: Intensity for beginners or athletes with joint problems.
Success: Heart rate in the target zone without impact.
Works on: High knees, Skaters, Mountain climbers, Squat, Burpee
Squats, lunges, glute bridge, push-ups, dips on the step, crunches, bicycle crunches, superman; no rest between exercises.
What you need: Dumbbells 1-3 kg, mat, step.
Goal: Full-body muscular endurance.
Success: All reps with good technique.
Works on: Squat, Lunges, Glute bridge, Push-ups, Triceps dips (on the step), Crunches, Bicycle crunch, Superman (prone extensions)
Sumo squat with pulses, donkey kicks, glute bridge with band, plank 45 s, side plank 30 s per side, bicycle crunches.
What you need: Mat, resistance band.
Goal: Toning the lower body and the core.
Success: The work is felt in the glutes, not in the lower back.
Works on: Sumo squat (plié), Donkey kick, Glute bridge, Plank, Bicycle crunch
Front split on both sides, straddle split, forward folds, quadriceps and hip stretches; at the end, split handstand at the wall.
What you need: Mat.
Goal: The flexibility required by group C.
Success: 180° split on both sides.
Works on: Floor split, Vertical split (balance)
Mambo, cha-cha, grapevine and box step to Latin music, with hip movement and free arms; each track has its own chorus, which is repeated.
What you need: Latin music (salsa, merengue, reggaeton).
Goal: Fun cardio and coordination.
Success: The chorus performed without following the instructor.
Works on: Mambo, Cha-cha, Side cross step (grapevine), Box step / jazz square
In pairs, one proposes basic steps over 8 counts, the other mirrors them over the next 8; roles switch every minute.
What you need: Pairs, music.
Goal: Attention, quick reproduction and creativity.
Success: The partner reproduces it correctly on the beat.
Works on: Side step with touch (step touch), V-step, Side cross step (grapevine), Knee lift, Leg kick (kick)
Full run-throughs with the difficulty elements, aerobic movements and lifts (for groups), with 5-8 min rest; filmed and analysed against the judging criteria (execution, artistic, difficulty).
What you need: Routine music, competition floor or a 10 × 10 m space (7 × 7 m for individual), video camera.
Goal: Specific endurance and routine stability under pressure.
Success: All elements successful and intensity maintained to the end.
Works on: Aerobic push-up, Air turn, Split leap, L-support, Pirouette (turn), Jumping jack
The tactical principles of the sport and the drills used to train each.
A class builds gradually: warm-up (8-10 min, low impact), the aerobic section with the intensity peak in the middle, then toning and cool-down with stretching. The heart rate should neither rise nor drop abruptly.
Drills: Warm-up on 8 counts, HIIT circuit 40/20, Cool-down and final stretching
Aerobics music is organised in 32-count phrases (4 × 8). Steps are built in blocks that start on the "1" of the phrase, so that music and choreography always match.
Drills: Musicality: 32-count phrases, The "add-on" method (choreography in chunks)
Add-on (new blocks are added to those already learned), layering (layers of complexity are added over a simple step), linear progression (one single element is changed at a time). The method is chosen according to the level of the group.
Drills: The "add-on" method (choreography in chunks), The layering method
Every block is performed on the right and on the left. On step, the lead leg is changed with a tap or with an odd number of steps; a class that works only on the right overloads one side.
Every move has a low impact and a high impact version; the instructor shows both, so that within the same class everyone works in their own heart-rate zone.
Drills: Low impact HIIT, HIIT circuit 40/20, Power step intervals
The work/rest ratio determines the effect: 20/10 (Tabata) for anaerobic capacity, 40/20 or 45/15 for endurance, 30/30 for beginners. Exercises alternate between upper and lower body.
Drills: Classic Tabata, HIIT circuit 40/20, HIIT pyramid
The 1:20-1:30 routine combines aerobic movement sequences, difficulty elements from different groups (maximum 8 in individual), transitions, linking moves and, in teams, lifts and partner work. Variety of groups and successful elements count more than one very difficult element.
Drills: Placing the elements in the routine, Full competition routine
Aerobic movements at high tempo are very demanding; strength elements are placed so that they do not come right after the most intense sequences, and the last 20 seconds must show the same intensity as the first.
Drills: Full competition routine, Combination of the 7 basic aerobic steps
The artistic score requires the use of the whole floor area, of all levels (floor, standing, airborne) and, in teams, varied formations and simultaneous execution. Transitions between formations must be fluid and must not break the rhythm.
The criteria your coach grades from 1 to 10 in the app, in four directions.
Create a free account, pick Aerobics and "what are you working on today". Log attempts and successes per technique, the watch measures the effort, and your club coach sees the session and suggests the next drills.
I want a 4-week program made for me (AI coach) › Gym exercises for physical preparation ›The content is compiled by PlanSports from the sources above and checked by coaches; it does not replace your coach. The personalised week-by-week program comes from the AI coach.
