My Favourite Hobby; Zumba!

So it's been a little longer than I'd like since I've been able to post something new, but with starting a Masters comes a lot of assignments in a short space of time!

Today, I thought I'd do a little post about Zumba seeing as it's pretty much the only exercise I actually enjoy. If like me, the thoughts of going to the gym intimidates you, my advise would be to try out some classes, get a feel for the gym environment and then progress to the gym floor.

I've tried a few classes from Spinning, Pilates, Yoga, but none really appealed to me. That was until I tried Zumba. Before I started I wasn't really sure about whether or not it was going to be too much like a dance class and I wouldn't really see the benefits, but was I wrong!! While dance is an obvious factor, there is no pressure to get the steps right or have good rhythm. The idea is that you keep moving and working for the whole hour so that your entire body will eventually see a change.

I go to Zumba in the Carlisle gym where Serena Mooney is the instructor. To say she's the bubbliest person on earth is probably an understatement! No matter what kind of mood you're in going to the class, you're guaranteed to leave on a high. It's just that affect she has on people! On top of that, you get to workout with a lovely group of people, essentially we're all in it together which definitely makes it easier and a lot more enjoyable. Just click on the picture to go straight to Serena's Zumba page on Facebook to find out about class times. She also does Saturday classes in Citywest!

The songs used in Zumba are a mix between upbeat & slightly slower ones, chart hits & songs specifically produced for the classes. Last year Serena introduced the idea of Strong By Zumba to the classes, and this is definitely up my street. Strong By Zumba involves routines which include HIIT (high intensity interval training) at various levels, where every move is synced with a beat in the music. I personally love these routines as your body gets a full workout and you really have to push yourself to get through them! Don't let that scare you though, even if you stay at the beginners level you're still working and with time you can progress to the next. Here's one we do in class to give you an idea!

The best part about Zumba classes is that you almost forget you're working out because you're enjoying it so much! I always looking forward to going & if I could go every day I would! I won't lie, I'm not the best when it comes to eating healthy, but when I do stick to a slightly more strict diet, drink loads of water and go to Zumba 2-3 times a week I can really notice a difference.

It's given me so much confidence, and while I was never 'overweight', I always found something to be unhappy about but Zumba (& Serena), got me to the point where I was actually comfortable walking around in a bikini for the first time ever last summer, and I'm seriously hoping it stays that way with more hard work!

R x

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