Mondays are tough for everyone. No matter what you did over the weekend — hanging with friends from Friday to Sunday, or living in Du Bois — Monday tends to drag us all down as it carries us back into school routine. There are many ways to combat the “mondaze”; however, if you like to fight stress while getting a great workout, then give Zumba a try!
I’ve been going to Zumba at the UMass Amherst Recreation Center every Monday for about a month now. Not only does Zumba give me a great (and fun) workout, but it brightens my day and I always look forward to working on my “moves.” With each trip to Zumba, I find myself catching on to the dances and feeling more confident in my own skin. I used to worry about the people walking by the door and peeking in, but now I’m so focused on my workout that I barely notice them. The worry of looking silly seems to be people’s greatest hesitation when they consider Zumba — I’m here to tell you: no one in the class will be looking at you, and those people outside don’t really matter because they didn’t have the courage to sign up themselves!
I am always looking for ways to combat stress, so I take this suggestion quite seriously. Coursework can take over our lives and sometimes running on the treadmill or lifting weights just doesn’t take enough of that stress off our minds. Zumba requires a great deal of focus — only if you want it to — you can feel free to goof around as long as you’re not bumping into your neighbors. For me, this focus makes it hard to think about anything else, so the class really takes away all my stress for the hour. Sometimes this break is all I need to regain focus on my studies when I return to my dorm room.
Not only does Zumba give you some great dance moves (which I’ve replicated at several parties), but it gives you a great playlist for working out outside of Zumba. At the end of almost every class, someone asks for “the name of that song,” which goes to show how well the playlists are suited for a college audience. The songs are carefully selected for specific dance moves and exercise levels (high intensity songs, cool down and stretching). After going a few times, I decided which songs were my favorite and now I can follow along without really looking at the instructors. Zumba has provided me great exercise, fun and a challenge.
**real footage of me on countless Monday’s
If this sounds like something you’re interested in, try Zumba whenever you can! The classes are held throughout the week. The class I take is at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays at the Recreation Center. You can sign up today at www.imleagues.com. If you’re feeling stressed, don’t “sweat it,” sweat it out! (Sorry, I had to.)
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