Everybody seems to be doing Zumba nowadays, and I wanted to see what all the hype was about, so Susan , Donna (two of Personal Euphoria’s instructors) and I went to check it out. I’d seen a video clip online that made me question the fashion sense of people who did Zumba, but I liked the music right away.

The class wasn’t quite what I expected—there was no one dressed in bright, outlandish colors; in addition to latin music, they play hip hop; and the instructor rarely talks. I was mildly disappointed about the normal wardrobe choices, but I got over that.

I was a little disappointed about the music. Latin music is a lot of fun to dance to, but hip hop just really isn’t up my alley—just personal preference. Plus in hip hop and Zumba there is this move where you stick out your chest and tail bone out and then quickly snap both in the other direction. With the force behind the move, I’m nervous I’m going injure my low back. It doesn’t feel good or right in my body. This clip somewhat show what I mean, but think of moving the pelvis in the opposite direction with the same sudden speed.

Not having the instructor speak very often wasn’t as odd as I would have thought. She pointed which direction we would go and talked a little bit, and it’s a testament to the instructor because I liked her even though she didn’t speak. I’m still not quite sure how she pulled that off—good energy, I guess.

I had trouble keeping up with the moves in general, which ultimately means I didn’t get the best workout I could have. On the songs where I got the moves quickly, I felt my heart rate go up, but I would say over the course of an hour that only happened two or three times. When I couldn’t figure out the moves, I was so distracted that it didn’t end up being much of a workout. Those kinks would work themselves out over time. If I went to the class regularly, I think I’d learn the moves and get a better workout.

I learned that if I’m doing something with my right foot, I am incapable of twirling my left hand around my head at the same time. This was a regular move that I may never perform properly. It became almost comical, and I just kept hoping the instructor didn’t look my way on that move and see that I was completely incompetent when it came to moving opposing limbs simultaneously—as a pilates instructor I get embarrassed by things like that more easily than I should.

But even though that embarrassed me, I also kind of find it helpful. I think it’s important for me to take classes now and again where I feel like I have no clue what I’m supposed to be doing. It reminds me of how nearly everyone feels the first time they take a pilates class.

So I’m not necessarily jumping up and down to take another Zumba class, but I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to going. I just prefer classes like kickboxing if I’m going to take a group cardio class.