Thursday, January 26, 2012

When Alcohol Should Be Taken Before Exercise: a.k.a Zumba

I was lured into my first zumba class by my eternally optimistic and anti-weightlifting roommate last week. I used to snobbily chortle at the aerobics classes last year in the University gym and vowed never to attend such a fitness monstrosity. I figured zumba must be something completely different...

For those of you who haven't attended a class yet, I'll ruin the surprise: zumba is nothing more than an aerobics class to Latin dance music.

And it doesn't look anything like this:

No, it is more like this:

Which is awesome, actually, because I'd be way too scared an un-glam enough to go to the top class anyway. But the whole experience has been a bit of a disappointment, in myself. I like to think I have rhythm and maybe even some sweet dance moves. Turns out, I have neither. I took highland dancing as a kid which is a very regimented, precise type of choreography. Zumba requires hip gyrating, booty shaking, arm twirling, and general freedom of movement. Possibly some sexiness as well. I am incapable of shaking my money maker with abandon, especially when that money maker is in lycra and not in the gin and tonics. 

Dear Margaret (roommie) and I agreed that we'd probably crush the dance floor if only we arrived a litte tipsy one day. Then we felt like that agreement made us sound like alcoholics. Then we questioned if drink only made us think we were good dancers or if it truly loosened us up enough to display our Jennifer Grey type skills. Either way I think my Irish heritage shows itself well amongst my fellow wooden, self conscious, antitheses of sexy, arhythmic, fair sisters. 

The bottom line, however, is I am sweating and laughing at the end. And possibly expanding my (already killer, right?) repertoire for my next big night out. Which is more than I can say my nemesis The Treadmill can offer!

Zumba, I misjudged you and your aerobic-class self.

6 comments:

Me said...

Hehehe - yeh I do love Zumba for the distraction of how ridiculous I feel. Sometimes I imagine I've Sofia Vergara until I catch a glimpse of my dorky self in the mirror. I borrowed a DVD from a friend and I have it on the Wii as well. Well done for getting a workout in while at med school. I know how hard this can be!

Albinoblackbear said...

I would actually like to have someone teach me the moves (or get the DVD) because I spend most of my time twirling and gyrating in the wrong direction. :D

It is a nice break from memorizing ABX regimes and working on my research project!!

I can't look at myself in the mirror...there are somethings one just can't unsee.

PGYx said...

I can totally see myself in the bottom class.

Absentbabinski said...

consuming alcohol before Zumba should only be a concern if you're attending a morning class, no?

"Have you ever had an alcoholic drink as an eye-opener?"

Albinoblackbear said...

PGYx--Come visit and I'll bring you! :D

AB--I like the way you think! (and your way of incorporating the CAGE score--you med student, you!!)

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