Small Strokes Big Oaks

Image by anujraj via Flickr

Y’all might not know this about me, but I used to be a dancer. I took ballet classes from the tender age of 3 all the way through the age of 13. When I got older, I added more classes like tap and jazz. And when I gave all that up to follow my musical pursuits, it didn’t take me long to want to get back in the swing of things. I joined a hip-hop class shortly after I got my driver’s license, which I continued all the way through high school and summers when I came home during undergrad. While away at school, I enrolled in dance classes for my physical education credit. I also dabbled in Irish dancing and belly dancing (yes, you read that right), and am a serious fan of yoga and Pilates. More recently, Tim and I took about 4 months of social dance classes for our wedding. Since our wedding, though, I haven’t taken any dance classes at all. I’ve tried to continue to reach my fitness goals through visits to the gym which have included, but are not limited to, activities such as walking, running, and weight lifting. My gym offers a plethora of classes, but I have never been interested in aerobics, and I get nervous about new settings, so I stuck to what I knew and kept walking, jogging, and hitting the Stairmaster.

In November, I realized I wasn’t getting what I wanted out of my fitness routine. I had left the gym, but found myself more sedentary in the winter months, so I decided to rejoin. This time, however, I decided that, if I had to work out, I needed to have a well-rounded plan that included a focus on cardio, weights, and flexibility. And I needed to be having fun while doing it. I also do better with actually getting to the gym if I have a real reason to go, e.g. a class to attend. So I checked out the group class schedule and found a yoga class and a hip hop cardio class that seemed right up my alley. I attended two of the hip hop classes, and it was cancelled for the winter season due to lack of interest and instructor availability.

Total bummer.

But when the winter session schedule came out, I noticed a new Zumba class on Sunday mornings. I had heard things about this Latin-fusion dance class that was reported to burn upwards of 400 calories in an hour-long session. Many of my friends had taken classes and loved them. With a cursory Google search, I immediately saw the slogan: “Zumba – Ditch the Workout and Join the Party” and assumed it wasn’t really all that great of a workout. I mean, workouts aren’t really supposed to be parties, after all. So I just assumed it was a craze that would eventually dissipate. But with the cancellation of my beloved hip hop, I decided to give it a try this morning.

And I am hooked. For an entire hour, we did not stop moving. I seriously think I burned at least 400 calories, but I wouldn’t know because I didn’t care. It was… FUN! I was sweating! I felt confident! I was dancing! The music was great! To the inexperienced onlooker, we probably looked ridiculous, swinging our arms and jumping around and swirling our hips, but it was truly an enlightening experience. It was one of the best workouts I have had in a long time, and one that actually left me smiling at the end, rather than wanting to curl up in a ball and yell, “MY MUSCLES CANNOT TAKE ANYMORE!” (Although, I was sore, don’t get me wrong. I just felt… well… happy!)

So, Zumba, you’ve claimed another victim. I’ll see you again next Sunday morning.