"No wrong moves - just accidental solos"

Whilst trying to figure out a way to capture in words the lack of coordination between my brain, arms, feet any anyone else in the room I experienced when trying out Zumba, I stumbled upon the above quote.  It made me chuckle - and confirmed yet again that I am probably not the only one to feel like that when trying out a new activity.

I was delighted to receive an invitation from Alison to join her for the weekly Zumba class held in her church.  I knew that I had built up a wall of anxiety around Zumba following an experience about 6 years ago, when I attended a class with a friend and had to sit out for 3 songs because song 1 absolutely took my breath away.  Not in a romantic way. I can't recall how it ended, but I think I may have left early. 

Ever since I'd feel a pinch of envy when I hear other people talk warmly about the classes that look soooo much fun, but that are clearly just too much for an unfitty like me. But as promised in my initial post (here), lack of fitness cannot stop me. Not anymore!

Before we fully entered the room, Alison and her mum (I know!  What a legend!) were greeted with warm hugs by the instructor, Dorina.  It was clear from the atmosphere and the chatter that most people had not only been before, but knew each other well and were happy to catch up with one another.

We found a little space at the back, far enough from the instructor to hide my many faux-passes:  It's totally NOTHING to do with me not knowing my left from my right - it's just I couldn't quite see her.

After a brief warm-up I was very excited to hear the Latino rhythms come on...I don't know what it is about that particular beat that just seems to make me want to dance.  And clearly I'm not the only one infected with that particular bug:  The Bangladeshi Ladies in their Kurtas were jumping to the beat along with the Filipino Ladies in shorts and T-Shirts.  A young Sudanese woman removed her head-scarf in preparation for some hp wriggling, whilst young girls took off their "Leavers" hoodies to reveal fitted tank tops.  The class was strictly women only, to ensure that everyone was comfortable to move, no matter what their cultural or religious background.  

And move we did!

 Everyone from 12 to 73 wriggled and twerked to the Spanish declarations of eternal love booming from the speakers, encouraged to keep going by clapping, whopping and flashing lights.

Still sore from the squatting and planking from the HIIT Session 2 days previous, I had to work as hard at suppressing pained groans as I had to keep up with the routines.  But the almost palpable sense of fun that was had by all, the laughter of those who bumped into each other when going in the wrong the direction, and the fact that I felt so welcome among like minded people gave this experience a real party-feel.

I could hardly believe my luck when the Instructor announced that we were coming to the warm down part of the session before I had chance to collapse.  Expecting a Pilates like laying on the floor and relaxing my mind, I was swiftly brought back to reality:  After quick lesson on the pitfalls of letting your knees go beyond your feet and the potential damage an arched back can do, we started with - you guessed it - squats.

So is Zumba a sport for the unsporty?  Here is my verdict:

1. From what I can see, it is available pretty much anywhere in the country; I'm fairly confident that there's a convenient location near you.

2. No special attire is required - as long as you can move comfortably & not worry if you get sweaty, it's perfect.

3. You most definitely need comfortable shoes & a big bottle of water.

4. The atmosphere was incredibly friendly - I wish I had asked the name of the Lady in front of me, seen as we spent most of our time giggling and apologising for bumping into each other.

5.  The class I attended was free of charge, but looking at alternatives further afield I found that most classes are very affordable.

6. As with other classes, the instructor shows different difficulty levels for each move, allowing you to do as little or as much as you feel comfortable with.

7. Similar to Clubbercise, the lights are kept low and everyone is focused towards the front of the room.  No-one can see if you have a little sit down and breathing break.

8. I have only attended one class, but I left under the impression that Zumba-ists form part of a tight-knit community - this seems to be the perfect class to meet people in your area and make new friends. And to hang out with old ones, ey, Alison!

(Next time, maybe we could just meet up for a sweat free coffee?)

Thank you Dorina for the photo - showcasing my beloved squats!