Zumba

This semester in college I got the opportunity to take a Zumba course for my PE credit so, I wanted to talk a bit about that for anyone else curious in this because you can probably find Zumba classes locally in your own neighborhood or gym. I've only had one session of this thus far so I'll just cover over the basics of what I've learned on my own...

My Zumba class is 50 minutes long and it consists of 70% Latin music and the rest is stuff like hip hop, pop, etc... music that makes you move and dance basically (my instructor plays alot of music by Pitbull). You basically are just going to follow along with what the instructor does or tells you to do and at your own level of intensity. The moves mostly seem to consist of 4-count Salsa dance based moves, hip hop, and your typical aerobic type moves. The class isn't really about dance technique as it is mainly free style and trying to work out your body the most effective way possible... so, if you aren't feeling the burn then you may not be pushing yourself hard enough or working your muscles/body effectively. Personally I didn't find Zumba moves too difficult to catch onto as I've done line dance, salsa, and some hip hop over my years... but I do find I get a pretty good workout from this because it can be pretty intense for a lot if not most people out their. Some of the dance routines are more intense than others. Of course be sure to drink plenty of water because you'll probably only be getting quick breaks during the class, bring a towel because you'll more than likely work up a sweat, wear comfortable clothes you can move in, and have on some comfortable sneakers (which will bring me to my next topic).

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I had to get some new sneakers once I experienced what the class was like because my worn down sneakers for work were not gonna cut it. So, after class I headed straight to a local Mall to pick out the perfect Nike's for my Zumba class (however, your shoes don't have to be Nike's but that's the brand I was wanting to go with)... thanks to Finish Line for their awesome customer service as I tried on nearly every pair of Nike's they had but... I found my winner (luckily they weren't $120+ either). I really didn't care about looks or price going into the store, I had a good idea of what I'd be needing in a shoe after the class though, and once I found my shoe I'd later debate the color options. Anyway, I bought the women's Nike Reax Rocket 2 for $70 (the white ones online are currently $50 though), and I'm not certain but the Nike Dual Fusion ST 2 may be pretty similar to these. I'm usually a size 9.5 and ended up getting these in a 9, so you'll more than likely want to try these on before buying them (silly not to, right?). I liked these because they were light weight (as to help aid in making it through my zumba routine), had enough flex for me (for dance movements), were sturdy (to help give my feet support and balance), and gave the front of my foot a wide enough surface space to help balance when on my toes (so I don't crush my tootsie's or fall over). They aren't the cushiest of their shoes but they did have a decent arch in my opinion (if that appeals to you?) and they're a little low feeling in the heel for me but nothing an insert probably couldn't solve. Although, my Zumba instructor wears the $90 Nike Free TR Fit 2, I felt those were the worst possible choice for myself (the most uncomfortable of all the Nikes I had tried on to be perfectly honest)... so, to each their own ;)

Goodluck to anyone looking to join, I hope I gave you some incite on Zumba and picking out some shoes for the class, and if you have anymore questions feel free to ask!