This year’s International Dance Day landed on a Monday when I only teach STRONG by Zumba and not Zumba. So with the new #ZumbaBreaks campaign, I decided to do just that… break into a Zumba song in the middle of their workout! They had no idea so it was a surprise.
Mind you, I have learned that those who love STRONG by Zumba are not fond of Zumba. They are not dance lovers, but more HIIT lovers (High Intensity Interval Training) so you can only imagine what they felt when they heard that we were going to dance. I’m sure some wanted to kill me… but one song won’t kill them!
During the day, I am a realtor who helps clients buy, sell and even rent homes. Working with so many different personalities, it can become a bit stressful. I find that ending my day with a workout helps me get my mind off of work and back to myself and my health. I also find that I am not alone.
I also teach fitness classes at night (STRONG by Zumba & Zumba) and have learned that many of my students have their own kind of stress. Some are college students, some work in an office all day, some may have been laid off, have their own problems at work/home, and some are super moms and dads who play every role a human can play and more. The variety of stress levels are endless, but the one thing we have in common is that we choose fitness to deal with our stress.
Whatever your day may look like, whatever problems you may have, whatever negative feelings you are feeling… taking a fitness class helps make the stress go away during that one-hour you dedicate to yourself. Once you finish your workout, your endorphins kicks in and you begin to feel good about yourself naturally. It’s a win-win situation.
Remember, the harder the workout is, the more you feel a sense of accomplishment when you complete it. End result, self-esteem goes up, mood is positive and you leave feeling like you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way because your stress level went back down again. This is how you deal with stress the fit way.
What is STRONG by Zumba? Well, it definitely isn’t a dance class. It is a High Intensity Interval Training workout also known in the fitness world as HIIT. Where does Zumba fit into the equation? Zumba reverse-engineered each song to match the moves and intensity to help push you through each squat, lunge, burpee and even pushups.
Why do I love it? Let me tell you, it’s intense. I consider myself an active person, but always had trouble losing my baby fat, especially around my waist. It’s challenging and sometimes my heart-rate is through the ceiling, but the results have been amazing. Because I am so active, STRONG by Zumba forces me to take my fitness to the next level with no way around it. I’ll post my before & after photo soon, but so far this has been the only workout where I see the changes in my body and feel stronger at the same time. So if you want to take your fitness to the next level and really challenge yourself, I highly suggest taking a class and see if it’s the right workout for your fitness goals.
If you would like more information about STRONg by Zumba and to find a class near you, go to http://www.strongbyzumba.com
