Well, I am going to write to day about a workout near and dear to my heart: Zumba Fitness! I know - you know I love Zumba. You know it's fun, feel the music, shake your booty, blah, blah, blah... You know there is a class on every street corner and that all the "cool kids" are doing it. You know "everybody can do it" "it's a party" "Woot Woot Wepa" . Stop glazing over, I tell you!
I took the Zumba Fitness Certification course more to hang out with some great girls at the Y than to actually ever teach it. I actually had NO idea what the class was, or whether it was pronounced zOOOmbaH or zUHmba. When I got there and one of the girls said it was a latin dance fitness class, I actually involuntarily shuddered. Oh well, I comforted myself, I get 6 education credits for this! After today, I can go happily back to my white sliced bread happy place of Spin and Pilates instructing. I DON'T DANCE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE ON PURPOSE. nope. Not I! I DO NOT. Especially not actual "dancing" I can move, I can keep a beat, but I can't "dance". Like actual steps. Choreography? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
These are the reasons why I knew that I would never be a Zumba (zuhmba, zoooomba, whatever..) instructor:
1)I'm English born and bred, raised Canadian. Name me the last dancing champion with that pedigree. Right. Genetically and culturally I am adept at drinking tea, and then apologizing for it.
2)I am built like a 2x4. No booty, not a tonne of boob. I used to be ginger spice, but sadly sporty is now a more apt comparison.Thank you to my two children.
3)I don't love public speaking, dancing, singing, displays of affection. You get me. I'm actually pretty introverted - HEY, STOP LAUGHING! Seriously though, it seemed outside of my realm of "things I needed to do". I looked forward to getting back to spin and pilates, aka - my comfort zone!
But if you know me well, you'll know that one thing outweighs the above noted concerns. I like to make people happy, and if possible, experience that happiness myself.
So the instructor jumps up on the stage, wearing brightly coloured mismatched clothing with tassels all over it. I notice that other's are dressed this way too and realise that I missed the dress code memo. The insanely loud music starts, and thus begins the hardest 5 minutes of my life. Which way? What? I can't do THAT! Gasp - NO-ONE should do that. Oh My - WHAT is that? Will somebody please help me - or her? The instructor has this look on her face of deranged glee, presumably at achieving the job of putting me in my current predicament, which is as follows: I can't keep up, I can't figure out the moves, I can't do this.
Strangely though, I start to feel a surge of adrenaline. My feet slowly start to morph from both left, to being somewhat capable of moving safely and somewhat in the same direction as the Mexican jumping bean (or skittle) on the stage. And I realized that I no longer gave a CRAP about whether I was right or wrong, I was having fun.
Gone was the need to be perfect, to look like my candy coloured neighbour, to shake my booty like the Shakira look-a-like in front of me. Suddenly I was flying around the fitness studio with the rest of the class, laughing, shaking, living....DANCING! I knew right then and there that I would be doing this all my life.
Zumba Fitness isn't going anywhere. Never before has freedom, fun and fitness been mixed so well together. It truly is for everyone, all ages and fitness levels, two left feet or otherwise.
Some of the "stats" about Zumba Fitness:
*14 MILLION people take part in a class each week, in 185 countries
*offer DVD workouts, original music collections, apparel and footwear, video games, interactive Fitness-Concert™ events, a quarterly lifestyle magazine and more
* can burn 600-1000 cals/class
* each class should feature a variety of world Rhythms, including salsa, reggaeton, merengue, cumbia, bellydance, flamenco,soca and many more
*created by Beto Perez - the face and guiding talent behind the movement. Check out zumba.com for his full inspiring story!
* has branched off into many different types of Zumba Fitness class types including:
Zumba Gold: for new exercisers, people returning from an injury, pre/postnatal Moms, active older adults. Also includes a chair module for those unable to stand independantly. Same great energy, with modifications to ensure the safety of all populations
Zumba Kids & Zumba Kids Jr: For children 4-12 - their own age-appropriate fitness: dance and games!
Zumba Sentao: using a chair to add resistance training to your Zumba Party!
Zumba Toning: using small weights to add an element of muscle toning to the Zumba Party
Aqua Zumba: the ultimate pool party!
Zumba Step: *coming soon* fusing a traditional step class with the fun/energy and music of Zumba!
Zumbini: designed to let you and your little ones 0 to 3 years old wiggle, sing and learn together.
Zumba In The Circuit: Zumba Fitness combined with traditional strength training,using intervals.
All are excellent, high quality programs, guaranteed to inspire, move you and help you get, stay and live healthy.
Now get to class - I hear this Zumba Fitness thing is "Exercise in Disguise". Sounds good to me.
Find Your CORE.
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