Zumba Class

I did Zumba for the first time tonight at Star Fitness with Janel. It was complicated but fun.I didn't realize how many different dance moves there would be. Each time I started getting the hang of doing one, they would switch to another.

The time went by fast, and I had fun, even if I had trouble moving my feet like the instructor. Depending if Zane and I go to Ship Island on Saturday or not, I'll go to that class too. The Zumba teacher was very nice and told me I did well for my first time. She encouraged me saying how it's not about doing the dances perfectly as much as just moving. She also said what Janel has told me a couple times - you burn about 500 calories during the class. Well, as a man carrying 100 extra pounds on my back, I burn even more! Yay bittersweet!

Of Body Pump, Boot Camp, and Zumba, Zumba is definitely the most fun.

Oh, and there's even proof of me doing Boot Camp (aka Summer Slimdown) Tuesday on Star Fitness' Facebook page!

Biggest Loser started Monday. Round 4 of Summer Slimdown starts tomorrow. I'm going to win both, right?!

"Pump" at the Gym

Monday, I went to my first class (Pump) at Star Fitness with Janel. For a while, she's been trying to get me to go to classes like Zumba and Boot Camp with her. Pump seemed more doable because it starts at 5:15pm, so I can go right after work, and it was described to me as mostly muscle building, not extreme cardio. In other words, something I'm more used to.

Well, you might not call it cardio, but my heart beat harder than a 30 minute session on the elliptical at max level. It started off easy enough doing what I'm going to call "military presses with dumb bells." Janel grabbed me the 10lb because I bragged about using 25lb dumb bells for curls during my unsupervised workouts. Ten pounds was okay at first, but I was not expecting so many reps!

We worked about every muscle in the body, and on the second go-round of curls, I had to switch to 8lbs. I couldn't lift my arms anymore, hard as I tried. The description of "Pump" on Star Fitness's website is: "This 55-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using Free weights to perform exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls!" That list doesn't include step, planks, side planks, push ups, lunges, 5 types of cruches, and whatever else I've forgotten.

Now don't take this as complaining. The class was a lot of fun, much more than exercising alone. Following the instructor also pushed me way harder than I would have ever pushed myself. I followed along and did everything that the instructor did until about halfway through when I got that terribly nostalgic feeling of nausea from pushing so hard. I haven't felt that since basketball in high school! I had to slow down a bit, let my heart slow some, and (attempt to) regain some stamina.

I continued doing all that I could, but that ended up being about half (if that much) of what the instructor was doing. I'm not used to all that step, floor touching/squats, and OMG the cruches!

I definitely intend to do that class every week on Tuesday now. I might even go so far as doing Zumba (I'm looking at you, LD) on Wednesdays. The only downside of Zumba is that the class is at 6:30pm, so it's not as convenient for me as Pump. Once work's Biggest Loser contest starts, definitely expect to see me at many more classes.

After the class was over, the instructor asked me how my first class went. I told her how it started off easy, but I lost all my energy halfway through. She encouraged me to keep coming, and I'll get better. Very nice lady. I joked that I wasn't used to all those crunches because I only have one ab - one very large ab.

As we were picking up, the instructor was setting up for her next class, Spinning. How she can do spinning afterwards is beyond me, but that'll be a (distant) goal of mine.

Next time I will grab a towel beforehand. I didn't realize how much I would sweat. Pretty sure I've never sweated that much in my life. The sweat was dripping off my nose - imagery that I associate with my Dad. My hair was soaked. When I went to change my shirt in the locker room, the mirror showed my shirt was just about completely wet.

All of this being said, it was lots of fun. 55 minutes flew by way faster than working out alone. If any friends that live in the Covington/Mandeville area want to join, memberships are pretty cheap, or you can even pay by the class. Let me know if you're interested so you can use me as a referral!