Zumba worries

Lately, I have been asked many questions about the skill level needed to take Zumba.  People have asked me all sorts of questions about necessary levels of fitness or coordination needed in order to take Zumba.  My answer is always the same - you just need to have enough strength and courage to be able to  walk through the door to your first class.  I cannot emphasize enough the fact that I never exercised before I took my first Zumba class.  I was so out of shape and averse to exercise that I would drive to the 7-11 in my neighborhood which was only 1 block away! In all of my Zumba classes, there are people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels.  Zumba is designed to be accessible to all fitness levels.  All you need to do is move to the music.  You don't need to follow the teacher exactly or at all.  I would say I have a pretty close to 100 percent success rate of going left when the teacher is going right. In one recent class, I was attempting to bend over backward in a bellydancing move and am pretty sure I saw a student practicing her golf swing.  I've seen students march in place or sway their arms to the music.  I try to keep moving although it is hard sometimes. When I am able to lose myself in the music and just dance, it is truly a joyful experience. 

At times, I cannot follow along no matter how hard I try.  The Samba music starts playing and my teacher Elena's hips start moving and I think to myself, "Oh, hell no. I'm never going to be able to do that!"   Sometimes I just stop and look at her in wonder and think, "Am I at a dance concert at the Kennedy Center or Zumba class?"  So I understand everybody's anxiety about going to Zumba and possibly not being able to follow along.  I take Zumba nearly every day and can't follow along some of the time!  For everyone that is very anxious about taking Zumba, I understand - really I do.  Just today, Elena reassured me that she has been dancing Zumba for a much longer time than me (years), and not to get too worried about not being able to do the Samba!

From Couch Potato to Double Zumba

4 months ago I was a total and complete couch potato.  Not only did I never exercise, I could barely walk to the corner without stopping to rest.  Everything hurt when I had to walk somewhere including my back and knees.  Somewhere around my 42nd birthday, I went to the doctor for a check-up.  The doctor had some startling words for me.  Of course, I had heard all of it before, "Lose weight, exercise, blah, blah, blah."  We talked about my family history of heart disease.  Nothing really settled into my consciousness until she said, "Your father died at age 40 from a heart attack.  You are 42."  This was very sobering to hear so I decided to do something about it.  I was a 'walking heart attack waiting to happen.' 

I had lost weight on Weight Watchers before but regained it. I had exercised but always hated it.  The gym was so boring. I was too out of shape to attempt joining any kind of sports team, even a recreational one.  I lived in a beautiful neighborhood but any walk I took outside always ended up at the bakery or pizza store.  So I was desperate for a new form of exercise.  I looked on the Weight Watchers Facebook group for ideas for exercise.  Someone on this FB group wrote about the joyfulness of Zumba.  Exercise=joyfulness??? I was convinced it was a typo.  But, I went ahead and sent the poster a message.  I will be eternally grateful always to this individual, Christie Hoffman, for introducing me to Zumba.  Christie told me how much fun Zumba was and how much she looked forward to it.  After talking with Christie, I decided to give it a try.

Conveniently enough, there was a place right near my doctor's office that offered Zumba, the Joy of Motion Dance Center.  Hmmm, more joy.  I was still unconvinced but I went ahead and called.  I was so scared I would be too out of shape, or uncoordinated or too big to even attempt Zumba.  The woman I spoke with at the studio could not have been nicer or more encouraging.  She encouraged me to come and do my best.  I was reassured when I hung up the phone but began to panic within about 2 seconds.  I decided to ask a friend to come with me to the first class.  I proceeded to make her promise about 30 times that she would not cancel on me.  Seriously, I was petrified! 

The day of the first class arrived.  I remember driving there thinking, "I can still give up this crazy idea!" Somehow, I made it to the dance studio even though every instinct I had was telling me to flee.  I opened the door to the dance studio and the first thing I see is two flights of stairs.  Ack! I struggled up the steps, arriving out of breath to check in for the class.  My friend arrived and we huddled in the hallway.  I kept thinking, "I can still go home and eat a hot fudge sundae." But my friend and I went in the class.  I stood in the very back, near the door. Did I mention how SCARED I was? 

The teacher, Tanya, introduced herself to the class and began the warm-up.  About 5 minutes into class, I was convinced I would pass out.  Everything was hurting, and I was barely following along.  Even though I was struggling, I was shocked to admit to myself I was having fun.  Tanya danced with such enthusiasm and joyfulness. It was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement.  I loved the music that Tanya played too.  I could not breathe and was dripping in sweat, but could not stop moving.  I was exercising and happy? This did not compute.  After the class was over, I went up to thank Tanya for the great workout.  Um, I was thanking her for what now??

The date of that first Zumba class was four months ago.  I have fallen totally and completely in love with Zumba.  Although I was pretty sure I needed an EMT and a stretcher after that first class, I have worked my way up to taking 7 Zumba classes a week.  Last week, I took 3 double Zumba classes. I take Zumba with two great teachers now, Tanya and Elena.  I have many adventures along the way and have been requested to write a Zumba blog.  If anyone has any questions, please let me know. Thanks!