The only time I have ever tried Zumba was following a YouTube tutorial by POPSUGAR this past summer. I don't dance. I'm not very good at it. However, I would love to learn to have some moves up my sleeves. I love to exercise and listen to all types of music. Luckily, my friend, Aaliya, told me about the Zumba classes at the recreation center. We went with a group of friends and tried out our first real Zumba class.
I expected to actually learn a dance step by step from the instructor. Instead, we just followed the instructor's moves by observation. She emphasized that every dance move doesn't need to be perfect but to make sure you're always moving. In fact, I preferred that way. She stayed on the beat and we followed her to the best of our ability.
Exercising to the music forces your body to move along with the rhythm. I enjoyed dancing with my friends. It was funny because my body was so stiff. Dancing requires a pretty loose and relaxed body.
After my first class, I started going every Friday. Our instructor made Zumba really fun to go to and her speed was perfect for beginners and advanced people, as well. My body was a lot more comfortable in that setting and it became much more enjoyable when I finally was able to follow the steps.
On the Athleto app where all the classes at the recreation center are, I noticed one called Strong by Zumba. The class is specifically designed for more advanced people who wanted more intense exercise than regular Zumba classes. I pretty much expected the same exercises and some classic exercise sprinkled in like jumping jacks and a couple of pushups. I gave it a go with my friends Maheen, Ellen, and Grace.
None of us ever went to this class. But we realized quickly that it was nothing like Friday Zumba classes. It was faster and much more intense because each move was an actual exercise, not a dance move. We did a lot of squats, pushups, burpees, planks, etc. following EDM beats. I felt great afterward, burning up and sweating buckets, feeling like a great hour was just spent. The next three days, my thighs were sore. I think just going to Strong by Zumba classes once a week is good exercise for the whole week. Now I go to two different-leveled Zumba classes weekly.
At Zumba, you meet a diverse and wide age range group of people. I have made new friends who go there every week, as well. If I'm not in class, eating, sleeping, or studying, I'm at the gym, most likely at a Zumba class. Go to one Zumba class with your friends. It's an ideal way to hang out and get that 60-minute exercise in for your health and for your fun. It doesn't even feel like exercise because you're enjoying yourself too much!
