So last week I got to do something non-baby related for a change. I zumbared (or whatever the past-tense verb of Zumba is, if indeed there is one). I left hubbie in charge of the tea-time household duties (i.e. putting the baby to bed), although I was a dutiful wife and had dinner cooking in the slow cooker (man, I'm good!), and I headed into town and met me bezzie (who also left her hubbie at home in charge of the baby) and we tried out the latest fitness craze to sweep the world.
If you search google for "latest fitness craze" you'll get all sorts of things, like hula-hooping, can-can dancing, skipping and even inflatable gym equipment. But they're all wrong. The latest fitness craze for anyone in Australia who watches daytime telly is quite clearly Zumba.
So, what is it? Well, without looking up the official definition, my take on it is that it is salsa dancing on speed, with a bit of street dancing or hip-hop thrown in, done to crazy South American dance music in a darkened room with disco lights. Unlike aerobics there is less pressure to conform and you're encouraged to ad lib a bit. Even the instructors ad lib, which is very confusing to a beginner.
"What's that wiggle she threw in there? I missed that. I'll do it this time instead. Oh... she didn't wiggle this time. Now I feel like a fool."
It was SO MUCH FUN!!! Which is exactly the intention. The idea is that you get fit whilst dancing and having fun. Having done, and enjoyed, both latin dancing and belly dancing, this seems to be much better for fitness. I suppose for Lucie and me the novelty of being out at night without our husbands and babies added to the pleasure.
Unfortunately, for a lactating mother still in her first year after giving birth, and with the softened ligaments that come with the territory, it is kind of hard core and a bit hip-wiggly. I spent so much time thinking about the different moves I was "supposed" to be doing that I didn't really pay enough attention to my core muscles and I put my back out. It's easing up now (a week and a visit to the physio later) but I am back to the basics of doing my hip flexor stretches every day just like when I first started physio for a similar injury about two years ago. So this week I'm resting but you can bet I'll be back zumbaring again next week. And if anyone's interested, I'd love the DVDs for Christmas so I can get really good at it.
Here are some Zumba-related links if you'd like to find out more:
