Zumba: Put on your tattoo sleeves and get ready to shake it!

I was recently tricked into going to a Zumba class.  I reminded my friend that I have no rhythm and am not very coordinated and she said "Ahhhh, you'll be alright!"  When we got to the class I heard her mutter something about needing some rhythm.  My ears twitched and my eyes lit up...."Say what??!" 

"Heeheeeheee.  I knew you'd never come if I said that!" 

Let me just say that I do work out.  I am dedicated.  I am not "freakishly strong" as our trainer described my friend once.  But, I show up 3 times a week at 7am....in a parking garage....and I have pushed a sled the length of it and back.  Yeah, ok, it wasn't weighted, but let's see a show of hands, shall we? 

Back to my coordination.  It's not good.  That combined with my lack of rhythm makes it worse.  I have got to stop and think about some of these moves!  And, there's no time for that in a Zumba class. 

I got a little worried when the instructor came in and she put on a set of tattoo sleeves. 

I am not joking. 

For those of you who are Zumba-ites or citizens of Zumbaville or are in the cult otherwise known as Zumba, maybe this is no shocker to you.  But, when I saw her put on those sleeves followed by a Michael Jackson fedora and some jangly scarf with coins on it, I knew I was going down.  It was not going to end well for me.

The music started.  We did a few moves.  It wasn't so bad.  I still looked like a baby giraffe when I watched myself in the mirror.  So, I tried to avoid that as much as possible.  My friend whispered to me "When in doubt, march it out!"  Oh, sister, there was gonna be some marchin' going on.  Don't you worry about that. 

At first I thought, huh, it's January 1st.  This is my New Year's Resolution!  I am going to learn Zumba.  I am going to do these moves and trick everyone and make them think I have some........oh forget it.  After about the 3rd or 4th song my resolution was to just get through the class.  Half way through an older gentleman came in wearing a Miller Lite tshirt.  He gave me some inspiration.  I was equally UNinspired when the instructor pointed out that the lady in the front row was 6 weeks pregnant so we should all be shakin' it like her.  Thanks a lot.

I am proud to say that I made it through the class without breaking my neck.  Or a hip.  There was a lot of shakin' going on....none of it pretty.  The class wasn't so bad.  But, I will say that pushing a sled through a parking garage didn't look so horrible after all.  That is how much rhythm I don't have.