Zumba fitness.

Recently, I decided to try a new form of exercise to awaken the hidden muscles inside my body.

Zumba has been around for quite a while but recently it was offered in a dance studio only 10 munutes drive from home so I thought I'd give it a go. Read a bit about it before attending and also saw it on commercials. It's exercising using latin music and latin moves in intervals which in aerobic lingo means varying the intensity to get a good cardio workout and hopefully burn some fat which I so needed to do after the Christmas break.

It was boiling hot and the air-conditioner in the studio was not coping. The windows were open but only hot air drifted into the room. I prayed that there was no B.O. in the room as my sensitve nose will not be able to cope. There was a steady stream of people and slowly the room was filled in fact ,crammed. The instructor informed us of another class opening on the wednesday as well to cope with the unexpected size of the group.

The steps were not hard to follow but having been away from my exercise routine for about 10 days, I was a puffing alot and trying to deal with the 38 degree heat as well. We did some basic Salsa moves,a bit of Merengue,Cumbia,Calypso and Samba moves to the music.

By the end of the lesson my T-shirt was soaked from the heat and movement of muscles, bones and fats that I have left idle in December. It would have been better if the instructor was on a platform. There were giggles of embarrassment as we had to wriggle, shimmy and gyrate our hips.

There were lots of sweaty people at the end of the session but fortunately no pungent ponk driving up my nose which I sometimes experience at supermarket isles and at previous dance classes.

On the whole a great class. I am still working on the move I call the electrocuted letter "C". They do that alot in Reggaeton where you arch your back and raise your arms and thrust the arms forward. Well, er ....mine didn't look anything like that. I think I might buy the DVD and workout from home when the 4 sessions come to an end.

I recommend it to anyone who hates going to the gym but wants a good workout.