I confess: I have never had so much fun exercising in my life, as I did during Mary Ann Goldstein's ZUMBA! class this past Monday (9:15 am at Buchanan Rec).
The movement is fast and exotic, the music is loud, the floor is shaking, the ponytails are swinging. I walked in feeling like I had two left feet (fortunately, Liz Cohen joined me on the wooden floor - thanks, Liz!), terrified I would not be able to keep up. And you know what? I couldn't! Mary Ann couldn't call out what to do because the music was driving the movement, but I noticed that she did provide cues with her arms and hands so that I knew how to start a dance step or movement. She also did movements in patterns so that if I didn't quite get it the first time, I had the opportunity to try a couple more times.
I sweated like a pig. I drank huge gulps between every song. I messed up a lot, but it didn't matter, because as long as I kept my body moving, I figured I was getting a great workout. Besides, everyone else was following the teacher, too, so no one noticed if I started on my left foot instead of my right.
"This class is great!" Betty Reel, a woman in the class, told me afterward, as we gathered up our gym bags and water bottles and headed out. "Do this two or three times a week and the pounds will melt off. And it's so much fun!"
It was more than fun. I actually felt sexy -- the first time that has ever happened while exercising. There was a lot of hip shaking and butt wiggling -- and I could feel what it was doing for my core and my glutes. There was a lot of arm and shoulder shimmying, and again, I could feel how it was strengthening arm, shoulder and back muscles. There was a lot of hopping and dancing, and I could feel what it was doing for my cardiovascular system.
The other women in the class ranged from 20s to 60s, I'd say, each doing a workout to her own level of fitness.
Afterward, Mary Ann explained that Zumba is for anyone -- beginners or the super-fit. Even runners and cyclists like me! Everyone can do it at their own pace, and if you don't quite get the moves at first, don't worry. You're still getting a great workout, and the more classes you take, the easier the moves will be. Then you can use all your cool new dance moves at the next Boogie at the Barn dance!
Learn more here.
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| ZUMBA keeps your body moving! |
I sweated like a pig. I drank huge gulps between every song. I messed up a lot, but it didn't matter, because as long as I kept my body moving, I figured I was getting a great workout. Besides, everyone else was following the teacher, too, so no one noticed if I started on my left foot instead of my right.
"This class is great!" Betty Reel, a woman in the class, told me afterward, as we gathered up our gym bags and water bottles and headed out. "Do this two or three times a week and the pounds will melt off. And it's so much fun!"
It was more than fun. I actually felt sexy -- the first time that has ever happened while exercising. There was a lot of hip shaking and butt wiggling -- and I could feel what it was doing for my core and my glutes. There was a lot of arm and shoulder shimmying, and again, I could feel how it was strengthening arm, shoulder and back muscles. There was a lot of hopping and dancing, and I could feel what it was doing for my cardiovascular system.
The other women in the class ranged from 20s to 60s, I'd say, each doing a workout to her own level of fitness.
Afterward, Mary Ann explained that Zumba is for anyone -- beginners or the super-fit. Even runners and cyclists like me! Everyone can do it at their own pace, and if you don't quite get the moves at first, don't worry. You're still getting a great workout, and the more classes you take, the easier the moves will be. Then you can use all your cool new dance moves at the next Boogie at the Barn dance!
Learn more here.
Zumba Videos
Here's what Zumba looks like -- this was Mary Ann's first class at Buchanan in October 2013. The picture quality sucks (and it IS John Travolta singing "Greased Lightning" -- not my fault) but it gives you a good idea of the movement and dance involved.
Here's a Zumba demonstration in January
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