Zumba Lovers talk to me! bring pics if you got''em!

Southernyanke, I have absolutely no coordination either, so I choose to do Zumba in the comfort of my own home! This way I only have to worry about tripping over my own two feet without taking out some innocent bystander! I will say my dog has been in th wrong place a time or two, but he has learned to stay out of the way now! :laugh:

Now, I haven't been to Zumba in a good two years. Heck, i haven't worked out until this month for a good two years BUT I love Zumba and had once considered getting certified to teach it myself so it is HARD class for me to pass up when I'm in THAT mood. I'm not exceptionally coordinated and I mess up quite a bit, but the music is generally AWESOME and I love a class where I can shake my booty and shimmy my top.. what's not to love?

I went into class to find 10 or so women ready for class. None were exceptionally fit, a few were a little younger than me, several were older. The instructor was petite and cute, with feet no bigger than my daughter's (age 6)! As class started up, a man joined the class along with another 5 or so ladies and we spread out across the two classrooms to accommodate the group's size. I ended up smack dead in the center of the two classrooms with a wall only a few feet from my back. The instructor stood almost directly in front of me. Good! I knew I stood a much better chance of keeping up if I could simply look straight at her and follow along.

The music started and we began to warm up and move. So far, so good! Zumba!
Within the first few steps, I knew I was in for a treat. New moves, new music, nothing much I had seen before. With that realization, also came the realization that it was going to kick my *kitten*. I tried to follow along but when I messed up (and yes, I certainly messed up, I found myself not staring directly at my instructor, but looking straight into the mirror that surrounds the whole exercise room, at myself!

With that first look, I was immediately horrified. Specifically, I was humbled.
Here I was.. a 40 plus something aged women in workout clothes that MIGHT have fit 4 sizes ago. My fat was trying it's best to simply escape the tight prison I had stuffed it into just a few short hours ago. Did I get dressed in the dark?

My arms jiggled, my skin pouched up and our of my workout tank (you know the little kind with the built in bra) and my breast did their best to stay tucked inside the top but were really well on their way to losing that battle. What was just as sad? My belly muffined over my yoga pant top and did it's best to wiggle and giggle and bounce with my every move. Thank goodness the majority of my legs were covered by the yoga pants!

I guess I stayed in the class because I was already there. I did my best to follow the instructor's moves and drank water like a crazy lady in between each and every song. My face was beet red and I was sticky. I don't really sweat, not sure if that is a blessing or not, but if you saw me, you might have been tempted to call the ambulance or make me sit down, as I was downright scary. I did the lunge moves, the fancy foot move and glanced at the clock about every 10 seconds... I silently prayed I would not die and mostly just hoped to keep moving during the class without passing out.

After the 3rd song or so, I again looked at the clock, silently hoping it would be 10:40 but was stunned to find it wasn't even 10:15! Slowly, I found I could recall a lot of moves and even keep myself in the same general direction as the instructor. When she faced left, I kept pace. When she turned, I kept pace. Sure, I wasn't doing exactly what she was doing, but I was keeping a little bit of the beat and not following. BONUS I think!

Then, that nasty, judgemental part of me arrives. I'm so disgusted with myself, I need to look elsewhere.

I'm impressed by the woman immediately to my left. She's a good 10 years older than me and about the same size. She does a great job following the instructor and seems to keep up with most of the moves. She's got a great hip roll too! Lucky husband I think!

I then glance around at the other women. Some are sweating buckets. One other woman shares the red face look that I so blatantly sport. The man is pretty uncoordinated but has a look of determination on his face that is absolutely priceless. Oh, about the dude... Did I mention, he was pretty darn fit and in his 30's? He stands at the end of the room so it is hard for me to see him, but the glances I do catch, seem to me to indicate he's been in class before and he doesn't hate it, not really.

There's one woman, maybe she is my age, maybe a few years older. She's definitely a few sizes larger than most of the other women, but she's there. She's wearing jean shorts and hippy looking tank. She's wearing earrings that hand almost reach to her neck and are a good 2 inches across. Since she stands behind me, I can only imagine that the earrings almost have to hit her in the face as she does some of these moves. Doesn't that hurt? Does she care?

Then, I'm called back to my own reality as the song changes and the dance moves get really intense. She's moving left, then right, then back to the left for two counts. There's a hip roll, a hop, a toe movement with one foot and dang, it's all consuming as I simply try to keep up with what she is doing. I'm boiling hot and just hoping the end of the hour will arrive, sooner, rather than later, later... after my death.

Then, without warning, there's a new song blending in with the other. It's almost like Prodigy, hardcore, but awesome. It makes me move. It makes me want to move and the instructor, bless her, hits the end beats with a super cool, POP POP of her hips and body before going back to the hard core pump. It makes me smile and it motivates me to move deeper into myself to find that part of me that can relate to this intensity. I find it, I embrace it. I give it every last ounce of energy I can must from my out of shape, super ragged body that was so sadly shoved into an outfit 4 sizes too small just this morning. I freaking love it! Endorphins I think!

I keep my movements going in the same general direction as the instructor for the rest of the class. I make it and I welcome the cool down like a 21st birthday! The song totally sucks, but I am moving, slowly and gently. My pulse is recovering and my body is slowing down from the mass rush of endorphins but it is good. I am alive. More alive than I can last remember. I feel awesome and also like death. I can't wait to come back!

As I leave, I ask the instructor when else she teaches and thank you for the great class. She tells me she is only teaching on Thursdays and Friday afternoons. I know I can't make the Friday class but tell her I look forward to seeing her again soon! I again thank the instructor and wave at a handful of my comrades, figuring, maybe someday soon, one or two of them might make for some new friends in my new little town. i I'm already making an entry into my phone to save the date for her next class.

absolutely LOVVVVVE Zumba! I go 3 times a week for 2 hours each time....I would go even more if I could

I done Zumba for two years and then I got pregnant and had to give it a rest. I didn't have a lot of weight to lose at the time but more importantly it was my stress reliever. It appeared as though I shrunk instead of lost weight if that makes any sense. I actually gained weight but I'm pretty sure it was muscle I bought a Zumba video, but with a five month old it can be rough getting back into it. I workout a lot on the treadmill now but it isn’t as much fun. Keep rocking on ladies! ZUUUUUMBA!!!

I have tried and tried to get into the zumba class at my gym...actually for almost a full year...the classroom size is quite small and in order to get into the 7pm class you have to be there to get a pass (they won't give them out more than 30 minutes prior to class) but everyone starts lining up in the vicinity of the place they pass them out a full hour before the class. So in essence, you must stand there for almost 60 minutes to get in the limited space. So after a year of never getting one of those lovely laminated pass cards- I finally got in to an instructor who acted like we were all zumba instructors. She just went for it without checking for anyone who was new, without pointing any help or suggestions in my direction and I spent half of the class time more than 50% behind on the steps. I walked out and cried in the locker room. I read all of these posts and I think the instructor must suck? Or am I just that pathetic? Feeling very discouraged about ever liking zumba....

What a horrible experience!! Its gotta be the instructor. Every class i go to (3x week) the instructor asks if anyone is new and breaks some moves and info down. One even teaches a high intensity move for experienced students and low intensity for new, older or injured students. Try another instructor/gym. Dont give up just yet!!!

I read all of these posts and I think the instructor must suck? Or am I just that pathetic? Feeling very discouraged about ever liking zumba....

That sounds awful! The instructor can definitely make or break the class. Keep looking around for a local class (community centers/park & rec, YMCA, etc.) or get the DVDs or Game. You can also find some great YouTube videos of different songs/dances and follow along with the ones that you like. Don't be discouraged!

absolutely LOVVVVVE Zumba! I go 3 times a week for 2 hours each time....I would go even more if I could

LOL! That is me!!!! Well, I go 2x a week, seriously considering upping it to 3. I had someone tell me today I was turning into a Zumba freak. I would do it every single day if I could.

love zumba!!

Just jump in with both feet and participate. I have done Zumba once. I am 54, and the only guy in the class. I was told to go up to the front so I wouldn't be watching people's rears and I was right in front of the instructor. That was a good move. Easier to follow and learn when she is right there. Also I would slow it sown 1/2 spped to get the steps sequence correct, and then bring it up to speed once I was counting the sequence in my head. It is not easy and you will struggle, but it is FUN and your will want to do it again and get better at it.

Zumba por vida!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!

i started rumba a month ago but can't seem to get the steps - how do all the other ladies kno what to do?

I lost 35 lbs last year doing zumba and dieting, in 4 months. I went to 3-4 classes a week with one of those being a 2 hour class.
I am trying to get back into it since I have gained some of that weight back by not being able to go to the classes at all. I also bought zumba for the wii and I think it is GREAT to do at home as well.