Zumba!

I’ve committed to 9 more classes.  Let’s see if I can survive it.  For those that don’t know what Zumba is, it’s a lot like Jazzercise but with “salsa” music – although I think the music in this class borders on rap. I’ll admit, I’m old and don’t really know my music types anymore.  All I know is that the beat is fast (this ain’t sweatin'-to-the-oldies, my friends), the lyrics not just suggestive but at times bordering on obscene (yes, I guess I really am old, bordering on stodgy), and the pace about twice as fast as I am willing to move even if my ass were on fire. 

I was a big fan of Nia. For those of you . . . it’s a lot like Jazzercise to middle eastern music, with elements of yoga, martial arts, and New Age yadda yadda.  Some think it a bit too woo-woo, but I think that depends on the teacher.  I just liked that the moves were expressive, flowing, and fun, even when fast paced, and the music had so much variety (again, that might depend on the teacher too).  It had distinctive warm-up, speed-up, maintain, warm-down cycles – unlike this Zumba class that seems to hit the ground running hard with very little recovery time.

I find the Zumba a bit tortuous, especially for the first three sets, and then when I can breathe without too much pain, I get into it.  If nothing else, it is a good aerobic workout.  However the quick-snap hip gyrations may have shaken one or more internal organs loose, which could be floating around in my body for all I know. I can’t quite manage those fast ass-shimmies no matter how hard I try. 

I used to dance as a kid and even a bit into college – ballet, point, jazz and some tap.  I can’t say I was ever very good, but I could keep a beat and was in great shape.  I don’t think I would have been able to do Zumba well even at that age.  But now, I dance like I've had a stroke--I can do some things on one side of my body that I just can't seem to manage on the other. And we shook and wiggled and jiggled with such exuberance, I almost had a self-annihilating fat-tsunami.

If I hadn’t conned some of my friends into taking the class with me, I would surely not have gone back.  It’s just not that much fun for me, but it is a good heart-thumping workout.  God knows I need more aerobic exercise, and if it doesn’t kill me, it may make me stronger.  I may find my liver has traded places with my right kidney, but I’ll be stronger.