Zumba

A little over a month ago I tried my first Zumba class.  What a blast!  But imagine the most ungraceful and uncoordinated person you can think of.  Yeah-then times that by 10 then you may be getting a image of what I looked like.  I have never been very graceful and I don’t have a ton of dance experience.   People always say-Zumba is a great work out but the dance moves are super easy- anyone can do it.  I would say….It is super fun-but not super easy.  Well Definitely not super easy to do well.   But certainly anyone can do it.   The instructor when we  told her it was our 1st class told us to give it at least 4 times – because it takes a little while to start to get it.  Boy was she right!

I recruited a friend to go with me.  I highly recommend doing this for your first time.  It can be a little intimidating trying something new.  Many of the people in the class are regulars and they already know alot of the choreography.  If I had gone on my own- I would have felt more self conscious for not knowing the steps and for not being very graceful.   Having a friend go with me gave me the confidence to try it and just have fun.  That being said.  She was a much better dancer and picked up on it better than me.   But I don’t care- I was just glad to have someone walk in the door with me for the first time   But if you don’t have someone to go with you – don’t let that stop you.  The people in the classes are very friendly and encouraging.  And what I have learned after attending 4 different classes is that everyone is having fun and people are so focused on themselves- they don’t have anytime to even look to see how other people are doing.

I unfortunately got sick after my first class and was unable to go to my next class until a month had past.  But this week I did another 3 classes. So now, I feel like I can give you my true assessment of Zumba.   I did a class with another instructor, a neon Zumba Party class, and another class with the original instructor.    I can say each instructor is a little different.  It is a super fun workout where you are having so much fun it is hard to believe an hour has gone by!

Slowly but surely I am improving.  The first class I was watching the instructor and doing the “moves”.  But when I looked in the mirror- I was barely lifting my feet off the ground. I have the grace of an elephant.  Although-I actually think that is insulting to elephants.   Even though I wasn’t able to replicate her moves very well.  I still got an amazing workout.  And definitely got a ton of laughter therapy.

On the 2nd class I felt that the moves were slightly easier to replicate the sequences.  But a little more intense of a workout.  My glutes were  sore after this workout!  This instructor had a much different style than the first.  But they both were amazing.

The 3rd class was a Neon Dance Party it was a little more crowded and with it being in the dark- you couldn’t see quite as well.  I found people kind of did a little bit of their own thing- and it didn’t matter.  It was a super intense workout.  Cardio wise this instructor’s class was super high energy and the most difficult.  I didn’t think this class had quite as much variety in styles of dance.  It felt a little like Aerobics.

The 4th class took me full circle back to the original instructor.  I am making progress.  I am slowly but surely starting to get the basic gist of the steps.  I am not very good at all of th hip thrusts.  They make me laugh- I have to admit I feel a little dorky doing them- but they are fun!  I have found the salsa dance moves I think are some of my favorite parts.  But I really love that you get to try a combination of dance styles.

Today my daughter said…Seriously Zumba again?  How often do you Zumba.  The answer is -frankly I think I am hooked.  I would like to do it at least 3 times a week.  But I know there are many more things I am wanting to try to.  I have to balance my time.