29. Take a zumba class

Haven't I just turned into a little exercise queen? Swam 10 laps last week, as well as a yoga class. Took zumba last night... my body is probably wondering what's going on with me doing 3 cardos within 10 days. Heck, I wonder, too! I can't believe all the exercise/ healthy things I put on my "40 before 40" list so my subconscious must be wanting to be thinner and healtier too!

I took zumba last night. Again, I brought reinforcements with me: SisIL, XRay Girl, and a co-worker from Alcatraz. We all showed up on time and found spots together in the back row.

I like that the woman who taught/ led the class wasn't some tiny Barbie type. She was about my age and she was a little overweight but not a lot. She was friendly but not in that overly chirpy way that would make me want to smack her. I liked her. She also said zumba was about having fun and she didn't care if we went the wrong direction or needed a break, as long as we had fun. I liked that idea, too.

And she meant it. The four of us were going in all directions and were all twisted around at times and she didn't care. She was really positive and energetic.

Man, did I get the work out to end all work outs, though. Seriously. I shook body parts I forgot I had or didn't know I had. And I sweated a lot. I won't go into the amount of sweating details but if I were jogging in a rain forest in July wearing all wool, I don't think I would've sweated that much. I can say I got my cardo work-out down pat, without a doubt.

I have to say at about 10 minutes into class I was ready to die. I thought we probably only had 15 minutes left and then I looked at the clock: 45 minutes left. At once point, I told the girls to just zumba around my dead body or roll me out of the way. And that I wanted to be cremated.

About 40 minutes into the class I was ready to be finished but I didn't stop. Do the words Bataan Death March mean anything to you?

When the class ended at 7:10pm, (oh yes, it ran OVER- that was the meanest thing anyone had ever done to me, by the way!!!!) I was tired and hot and sweaty and tingly but yes, I did have fun. Yes, I want to do it again. Yes, this was a good thing. Oh, I wasn't as coordinated that I thought I was and no, I didn't always know all the steps or couldn't get the footwork combinations as quickly (let's be honest, or at all) as I wanted, but I got an amazing work out and had fun at the same time. None of us died. As a matter of fact, though XRay Girl and I were ready to pass out at the end, my SisIL who gave birth 9 months ago and spends her days chasing around a baby and a toddler (Fab Finn was having milk shake for dinner last night!!!) was still bopping around at the end of the class with as much, or more, energy as she had at the beginning!

I was really worried that I would be sore today. I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to move but I was wrong. My shoulders ache a little bit between my shoulder blades and spine. My neck is a bit sore from head poppin' but otherwise, I feel really good!

I'm proud of myself because I never stopped moving. Even when I didn't know the steps/ moves I just sort of danced in place and copied the arm motions. I "zum"-ed when I should've "ba"-ed but it was all good. But when I did get the moves, I was excited and danced along. And since it's so much Latin dance, I have the booty to shake, I was certainly a shakin' it! XRayGirl and the co-worker were teasin' me about "gettin' into it", but they were teasing in a good way.

We all had a good time and are planning on going back again. As a matter of fact I had such a great time that I signed up for a discounted Y membership so I could take the class on a regular basis, as well as use the rest of the facility. I know, I know...

So zumba was a rousing success! This is once of the most fun "40 before40" items so far!

Maggie

(and yes, I do know "sweated" isn't really a word, but I sweat so much I added an ED to it...)

Oh, and in case you're not sure what zumba is, here's a youtube video. This is not my class and I don't know these people, but it's close to what it was like: