How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Channeled My Inner Shakira"



Is this me or is it Shakira?
It's hard to tell the
difference!



Well, I tried to anyway.  I apparently don’t have an inner Shakira.  I do seem to have an inner Frankenstein, however.  Not exactly what I needed for my first Zumba class.

I have to say, however, that despite my lack of choreographic grace and finesse, I actually enjoyed the class!

First off, I’m proud of myself for going way outside my box and trying something new (good job, me!).  I’d been wanting to try Zumba for quite a while.  Not because it particularly interested me as a serious workout option (I am not skilled as a dancer nor do I even particularly enjoy dancing) but I wanted to be in the know.  It’s been such a workout phenomenon for the last coupla years that I’ve wanted to experience it firsthand.

Well, I got my chance and here are some of my observations and tips:

• While Zumba’s supposed to be a dance-inspired workout that’s friendly to the mainstream crowd, I definitely feel that the “dancer-types” or wannabe “dancer-types” will get the most enjoyment and benefit from it. 
• It helps to have a great teacher and awesome music.  Both of which I had and, for me, it made the class.  Those two features made it fun enough that I would do it again.  You rock, Tammy!
• Don’t be afraid to loosen those hips!  Once I warmed up and got used to the feel of the movements, I relaxed and my shimmies really heated up!  I ain’t saying it was ever pretty, but I felt ever so slightly more adept.
• Make sure you whoop and holler at regular intervals.  This does two things:  1) It helps you convince yourself that you are enjoying every minute of feeling like an elephant among gazelles and, 2) it helps convince the teacher that you don’t blame her at all that you’re usually moving in the opposite direction and a half beat behind everyone else.
• You do want a supportive shoe (we did some stomping and hopping) but choose a pair with the least amount of traction because you do plenty of twisting, pivoting and gliding as well.  I wore my running shoes to the class and my left knee started talking to me during the class and kept grumbling discontentedly the rest of the day.  But 24 hours later, it was fine.

So, the bottom line:  I got a better workout from it than I anticipated.  I do feel I was hindered a bit by my lack of experience and skill, so I would expect an even better workout from repeated participation in the class.  I liked it; I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I wouldn’t say I loved it.  It just ain’t my thang. Would I try it again?  Yes!  But I won’t go out of my way to incorporate it regularly.

Ok, the BOTTOM, bottom line:  Trying something new helps you overcome Lazy, big time!  You just may discover something you can use to freshen up and incorporate into your routine and, if not, you can move on to the next thing.  Ooooo, what will I (and you) do next?!?