May 8 2012

How It Happened

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Yesterday, I told you that I became a licensed Zumba instructor on Saturday. Here’s how it happened:

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The training was in a city two hours away, so I drove out on Friday night and stayed with a friend. Saturday morning, I got to the building where the course was being hosted around 8:15. I’m guessing around 40 or 50 women were there (and 2 men!), in addition to the two instructors/Zumba geniuses. We started the day off with a Master Class, where we danced our butts off for an hour. It was tough work, but I was able to see how the pros conduct their classes and pick up a few tips. This also gave me the chance to start the day of as a participant and be able to distinguish the feeling of taking a class from the feeling of instructing a class. I sweated my face off … I’m talking dripping … and then feared for my life because it was only 10AM and the course was scheduled to run until 6PM.

I was scared someone was going to have to peel me off the floor by the end of the day.

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After the Master Class, we had a brief lecture. We learned about the history of Zumba and how creator Beto Perez started the whole thing. It was great to learn a little bit of the history, and why instructors are so passionate about the entire Latin-inspired fitness class. Also, I was freezing for the entire talk. I forgot a sweatshirt … the room was surprisingly chilly … and I was covered in sweat. Not a good combo. Miss Goosebump.

For the rest of the day, we focused on learning the basic steps to the meringue, salsa, cumbia, and reggaeton. My brain (and every other muscle in my body) was exploding. THANK GOD for the course materials/DVDs they sent home with us. So much information. So many songs. So many steps, rhythmic variations, arm movements, and fitness additions. My head hurt. And every other muscle, too. Have I mentioned that ? ;) The soreness lasted for awhile too … I’m even still a little bit sore today. Since most of Zumba is done on the balls of your feet, calves get an incredible workout. 9 hours on your toes = very sore legs. But such a goooooood sore.

*****

Overall, I loved the entire day. The instructors provided us with incredible amounts of information and a lot of tools to plan our first class. I think it’s going to take me a little bit of time to prepare myself for teaching … but I’m excited for that challenge! I’d like to give myself a deadline of June 1st to get everything in order. I’m going to need to learn to balance life/work/learning music, so that in the future I can balance life/work/teaching Zumba. I need to memorize music, memorize choreography, and focus on putting as much energy as I can out into the room when I teach. But I’m excited to do that! The instructors pretty much told us we will be awful for our first few classes. If I can just remember that, and take it in stride, I think I should be okay. I can’t wait to start teaching! I’m so glad I took the leap to become an instructor :)

3 thoughts on “How It Happened”

  1. sounds like a huge undertaking! way to go lady.

    i took my first zumba class last night. and i must say – i 100% need to work on my rhythm. i was so awkward! but, i had fun and broke a sweat and that’s all that matters. :)

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  3. It is so funny how you teach your first class. You are SO nervous.. but then after a few weeks/months, you look back and you think to yourself “what was I so nervous about?!!” and you just get this confidence and you teach like you are Britney Spears or Beto himself, lol. At least that is how it happened for me. I started off being really nervous and shy..but now I am crazy and cheer every two seconds, I turn and face the class, and I move around and dance up on some of the students when I know they know a certain routine I’ve been doing for a while. BEST FEELING EVER. And, don’t worry if your classes start out small. My class, no joke, started with 4 students. Now at the gym I am getting 80 on some nights! If you need any help with ANYTHING, do not hesitate to contact me :)

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