Friday, 15 April 2011

Hey Mr. DJ I'm up on the dance floor wanting some more..

I write this to you from on my deathbed. Zumba is both totally awesome and really, really hard. In 60 minutes we did 10 dance routines, one new routine and a warm-up and warm-down. And in that 60 minutes there were NO breaks. You're encouraged after each dance to have a drink as she changes the track but that's all.
All the moves are quite basic but sometimes the footwork can be tricky to pick up. You're not shown how to do things so much as to just watch the person in front of you and attempt to copy. But considering for each routine there are maybe 6 moves to learn then you throw them together in different ways its not hard to pick up. The really difficult thing is continuously rotating your hips for the entire class.
What was a pleasant surprise was the fact that the class had a handful of girls younger then us who probably attend the school where it was held. The majority of the class were 35-50-somethings and then there were five 70-90 year olds.
That's my non-biast practical take on it. Here is what personally happened;
6:30 - Class starts, we're nervous and tripping up a bit but we handle the warm-up well.
6:40 - we've done about two dances now and I'm feeling the pleasant burn.
6:45 - dear god, don't they stop for breaks..I now have stitch in my side.
6:50 - Stich has gone, I'm starting to 'grey' around the vision.
6:55 - I've been dancing for 25 minutes now, my knee is aching from the last dance were all I seemed to do was hop on one leg. I don't want to be the first one to sit out...
7:00 - Need to give my knee a rest and catch my breath so sit out.
7:05 - The Loud whining noise inside my ears has stopped and my vision is no longer turning grey so I get back in.
7:12 - Learned a new dance routine and have discover I and Sis have both gone bright red from exertion, everyone else looks fine.
7:15 - keep getting the giggles as I can't samba and have now drawn the instructors attention.
7:18 - Stop really trying to wiggle my hips now just dragging myself through the movements.
7:20 - I tell Sis I'm going to die and she's going to have to call an ambulance, she tells me we can make it through the last 10 minutes.
7:25 - I have now got permanent stitch in my side
7:30 - Exhausted and some idiot has asked her to do the core workout.
7:35 - Core workout was easy barely had to move, great!
7:40 - FINALLY a warm down.

We were the last to leave the class, wanting our face colours to return to normal and now we realise why everyone else brought towels with them.
We are going to go again, it was great fun, I barely ache today but trust me, it is hard and my god I had more stamina than I thought. I do really want to make it through a class without taking a break and without being exhausted at the end. That's going on my 100 by 100.

8:05 - At home eating tea, still have stitch.

5 comments:

  1. Yeah, totally not doing that, that sounds too much like a visit to the physical therapist. Or, as I've decided to start calling her "the girl I pay to hurt me." Makes me sound exotic.

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  2. Those Zumba classes are at all the local fitness centers here, too. I thought about taking one and then remembered I have no coordination and with anything that has a dance routine I usually just end up jumping around and flapping my arms. I certainly don't want an entire class to witness that. Good for you for doing it!

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  3. hehe hoody, well it's good and barely painful but very exhausting.

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    Well Andria my other sis-in-law won't come because she has no co-ordination, I won't lie, I can see it being an issue since it's just glorified line dancing but everyone is so friendly and nice. (Who knew women were so nice when exhausted...)

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  4. I used to go to the "beginner level" aerobics at the Y, back in the day. It was filled with ladies over both the age 60 and the weight 250.
    Those old ladies kicked my ass. I'd be lying in the corner dying and they'd be all "c'mon, sweetie, it's only been ten minutes."
    Shut it, granny. I'm dyin' heah.

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  5. It must be some superhuman old lady strength that gives them the energy to both moan and work out.

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