My experience with a Zumba class!

Zumba             

By Mary Beth Valentic-Stanga

Hello, I am back and my plan to attend a Zumba class at the Natrona Heights, YMCA has changed. I have an unexpected opportunity to experience a Zumba class in Uniontown while visiting my sister. I was told to bring plenty of water and wear loose clothing. Fortunately, I happen to have on a jogging outfit.

The Zumba class is being held at the Knights of Columbus and is filled with women of all ages. (the group consists of 20 thru 60 year old women) There are few men that normally attend but are not here today!  I was just informed that every Zumba class is unique because the instructor personally creates their own routine.

The class is about to start and the instructor is offering explanation of the main steps that will be used in the dance routine. The warm up song is introduced”Everybody Dance now”.  (This song has been chosen by this group as a warm-up song and is used for every class because everyone loves it.)

I was curious how Zumba was started? I was told that Zumba was created by a happy accident. There was an aerobics instructor, Alberto “Beto” Perez that forgot his traditional music so he improvised using his own mix of tapes he had in his exercise bag. In his bag he had salsa and merengue music that he grew up with. Spontaneously, he created a new kind of dance-fitness. The story goes that this energy electrified the room, and people could not stop smiling! Everyone loved it and on that very day Zumba was created. .

Getting back to this session, I must add that these women are really “into” this type of exercising! They love this instructor because she offers different types of dancing as well as music that is personally chosen!) 

The Uniontown class offers 10 to 12 dances that take place in a 60 minute period of time. Salsa, Hip Hop, as well Merengue music. There is punching, kicking as well as jumping movements added to their dance. This provides an invigorating sense of accomplishment. I feel the stress being released with every twist and turn.

I have learned that this particular group of women have been coming for the past 2 years and have no intention of quitting. They are saying that dancing at home is boring and that a 60 minute video class of Zumba feels like three days long! To be exact, there are 39 women in here today and in the last 3 months there has been a total of 235lbs lost within this group.

There are Zumba classes that are offered in different parts of town and they are as follows: Zumba gold, Aqua Zumba, Zumba Atomic-(for kids), Zumba in the circuit class, high octane-level classes. So depending on what level and your age group, you can attend different types of Zumba classes.

I would say that Zumba is a nice way to “feel good”, the heart gets a comfortable work out and muscles are worked out as well. My heart is racing but I feel comfortable. My body is feeling great! I must admit that I really like Zumba. I hope to find this type of Zumba class back in my hometown of Lower Burrell. I would like to mention that the YMCA in Natrona Heights offers a 7-day pass to try their facility. I hope to take advantage of this opportunity to try their Zumba class.

I would like to say that no matter which form of exercise or workout program that you choose, continue to do it for as long as you possibly can. Any form of exercise will help to keep you emotionally and physically fit.

I would like to wish everyone Good Luck in going from Crappy to Snappy!



 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsSrq3HBa7A