ZUMBA!

Quick story for ya'll - last semester I had to find a way to drop some weight before I was a bridesmaid in two back to back weddings, and reluctantly found my way to the campus gym (we were not seriously acquainted.) I tried the elliptical for the first time, and at least found a piece of work out equipment that didn't kill my knees. While there I saw an flier about this aerobics class called Zumba. I had heard vaguely about it before, heard it involved dancing with a latin chacha salsa style. Also heard it was one of the few not-free-for-students classes, so immediately I was put off. Found it was free for the first time that semester, and it was on an afternoon when I actually didn't have class. Figured I'd try it. Made Hannah go with me.

The instructor is a 40-something woman with a fit body. She was energetic, made this ridiculously cute "woooh!" noise during and after songs, and I vowed then and there that if Zumba gave her that body, I was going every week.

And I did. I think I only missed two classes all semester. I had never found something that kept my heart rate up, didn't bore me after 10 minutes, didn't feel like I was actively "working out," and actually felt like I was getting something out of it other than pain. I told everyone I knew, advocated it all semester, and still only about 4 of us regularly showed up. It was the one hour every week that I dropped every thought of stress over homework or drama or even self consciousness - I had one hour a week that was just for me. I went to it as if it was a required class, and studied like a good student.



This semester, my advocating paid off. There's a horde of ladies that come in every week with me now, that love it and can't believe they never tried it before. My mother, who vehemently is against working out consistently always for one reason or another, found a class in Binghamton with a friend and started going - enjoyed it probably as much as I do; it reminds her of the line dancing she used to do (and we would do together on occasion - we have a new silly thing to bond over now). I just love that other people are having fun with the one thing I've ever been able to connect with when it comes to working out.

If there's Zumba offered near you, I suggest you, if nothing else, look into just one class. I feel better after, and working out has never given me that endorphin good feeling after - only sore muscles and knees. Granted Zumba beats on my knees, the rest of me feels fitter and I breathe easier after. I'd recommend it to anyone (and so far, everyone I know knows, especially now haha).