'Z' is for Zumba Fitness

Ah, Zumba! It's quite the rage nowadays, isn't it? Everywhere we go there are these ads screaming in your face for attention. In the Clubs and gyms all these glamorous ladies are signing up for Zumba classes. It's the latest in fitness.

Let me share my experience on the topic. 

A few years ago when we were in the UK and at the HMV store, in particular, my eyes fell upon a Kinect Zumba DVD. I pounced on it. You see, in spite of having two left feet, I like the idea of dancing, specially the Latin American types, (imagine Antonio Banderas in a tuxedo with a rose in his teeth) and Zumba sounded like fun. That DVD cost a pretty penny (thankfully my husband still does not know exactly how much!) but I said to hell with it and mentally justified it on the money I would save by not taking up a gym membership completely unmindful of the fact that I have never had a gym membership! My daughters who were at a more impressionable age at the time took one look at the sexy midriff on the cover and were shocked, "you will have to wear that to do zumba?" they asked. I didn't have the heart to tell them that I would never dare wear anything like that, zumba or no zumba. 

In any case, we got home and the DVD predictably, gathered dust. Then one day, I found it while looking for something else and knew I just had to do the Zumba! Obviously, I needed a partner in crime. Who better than my niece who incidentally is also a Z : Ziggy. 

The stage was set. Late afternoon we drew the curtains and started on the beginner course. As I said I have two left feet. I can of course wriggle my butt like anyone else but steps and all leave me cold. Ziggy coped better than I did. We both huffed and puffed and sometimes banged into each other during the first session. The next day everything ached. We decided it was no time to give up and huffed and puffed through it again. The third day our joints hurt a little less, the moves seemed easier. We wondered whether we should move up to the intermediate course. We decided not to push it. My daughters watched us and were alternatively amused and embarrassed. Then came day five. We tried the intermediate course and congratulated ourselves on our accomplishment. 

That was it. Something or the other came up and the DVD again gathers dust. Ziggy left school and went off to Bangalore for her studies. 

As for me? If anyone asks me if I want to join Zumba classes, I smile knowingly and tell them 'BTDT"(Been There Done That)!!!