MY FIRST ZUMBA CLASS

Yesterday was one of the best days, specifically because it was the first day since September that I sat outside in a TANK TOP and my pale bare shoulders saw real, non-tanning bed/artifical UV rays. The glory. The warmth. The happiness. After my shift yesterday, I sat on my boyfriend's beautiful backyard deck, sipping tea, reading my book, and soaking up the 76+ degrees in March, global warming is a real thing, sorry for sometimes being happy about it, while Lucas and his friend, Chris, did real work/manly things and moved heavy patio furniture out of the garage.

I had plans to Zumba with L's mom that night and I almost bailed, because I was actually so nervous! Ok, so I'm a dance teacher. I didn't expect Zumba to be difficult for me. But I had never done it before! And Kathy is like the Zumba Queen. She goes two times a day some days! 

Ultimately I decided I had to go, since I hadn't reached my 10,000 step goal for my Fitbit yet. We went to this very small fitness studio called Wicked Z, where the drop in fee was only $8 and I can fuck wit that. This wasn't just a Zumba class, this was a Zumba Toning class, so they had me grab two of these little green weighted sticks with beads in them. They reminded me of morrocas (spelling? I guess Google doesn't have a spell check for that, awkward). 

Here is what I learned from my first Zumba class:

1. The most awkward part of class is the time that you're in the room before the class starts. Because unlike Spinning, where you're on a bike and can pedal and check your phone, etc, in Zumba you're just standing around with each other, staring at yourselves in the mirror. Awkwarddddd. Plus, Kathy is so freakin' popular in the Zumba crowd, she was chatting and laughing with her other mother-aged people while I was somewhat awkwardly sipping my water bottle and looking around. And stretching to pass the time and also since my quads are so sore from legs day on Monday I still can't really walk normally at all.
2. Most instructors don't talk much. Directions are given through claps and points when the steps are going to change. Most Spinning instructors talk a lot throughout the class about form and breathing, and telling you exactly what to do and when. Zumba, you just watch and catch on.
3. I sweat more than I thought I would. But it was also a lot less intense than I expected. My heart rate stayed around 160 the whole time, which is a far cry from busting through the ceiling 194 that I experience during a Spin class.
4. It's REALLY fun. There's a reason middle aged ladies love their Zumba. It is fun af. The music is bumpin'. The energy is great. The steps are pretty easy. It feels like you're dancing at a club. And - here's the real reason - it doesn't feel like work.
5. Because it didn't feel like work, I'm not convinced that I got a great work out. I think there are a lot of other things people can do that are, yes, more difficult, but that can produce better and faster results.

Here's my final verdict: I enjoyed Zumba and I'd do it again as a low impact cardio activity when I don't actually feel like working out, but want to do something more productive than laying on the couch. It made me happy and I burned more calories than if I were doing nothing. That's all that matters right?? Who am I to knock these dancing Zumba addicts with my serious Spinning mentality. 

Shimmy your troubles away!