Weights are important, too!

Alright, I know most of you are probably afraid of weight training.  Truth is...me too.  I don't lift weights nearly as much as I should.  This is especially a problem for women.

Why?  Well, some women are afraid that if they work out with weights, they'll end up looking like this:

That's just not true.  It's not what happens when you incorporate weight training into your exercise routine.  

'Tis the season….

….for awareness!

That's right folks, it's that time of year again.  Time to start raising awareness and money to help end violence against women.

Some of you might already know that I'm very involved with the Vagina Monologues at my university.  What's that, you ask?  It's a play written by and about women that we perform every year to raise money for V-Day, an organization committed to ending violence worldwide.  This will be my third year performing in the Monologues, and I think it'll be the best year yet.  Here are some of my favorite moments from the last two years:

2012. Dawn Schillinger and myself. V for Vagina! 

2013. Red Lipstick.  Photo credit: Kelsey Kupferer.

In my Zumba classes, I like to spread the word about V-Day by doing this dance in class.  It's called "Break The Chain."

The Mizzou performance of the Vagina Monologues will be on February 15 in Jesse Auditorium.  V there!

4 different Rhythms

Did you know that there are 4 different rhythms we use in Zumba?  They are: Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia and Reggaeton.  What do I mean by rhythm?  I mean type of song that has a distinct set of dance moves that goes with it. When you become a Zumba instructor, you learn all 4.  

The difference is the beat.  It's hard to explain in words, but easy if you listen.  Here are some songs demonstrating the four different rhythms:

Here's Merengue:



Salsa:


Cumbia:



Reggaeton:

As you can see, there are different steps that are characteristic of each rhythm.

But don't worry...if you come to a Zumba class you don't need to know the difference...leave that up to your instructor!  You just follow along.

Keep dancing!

Holiday home workout

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope you're having a wonderful break and enjoying lots of food and time with your families.

Working out over the holidays can be tough.  A lot of gyms are closed, it's pretty cold to exercise outside, and if you're like me you're in a city where you don't usually live.

I'm definitely not telling you to diet over the holidays.  Food is one of the best parts of this season, and that's totally unrealistic. But trust me, after all that eating, a little exercise will feel GREAT!

Here's an awesome bodyweight workout that you can do at home from my favorite fitness blog, Greatist.  It only takes half an hour, and no equipment necessary! Give it a try!

Finals week schedule

Hello Zumba lovers!

Happy Thanksgiving break.  I hope you all are headed home to spend time with your families and eat wonderful food.

Don't forget that there are NO TigerX classes starting today through Thanksgiving break.  We'll start back with our normal schedule on Monday, December 2.  But only for one week!

Starting on December 6, we'll be starting our special finals week schedule.  Here it is:

New choreography I love

Today I'm going to share some of my favorite choreography videos I've found recently.

I'll let you in on a little secret….most Zumba instructors steal a lot of their moves from other instructors. But isn't that how creativity works?  You take a little piece of something you like, build on it and make it your own.

This first dance is to the song "Tranquila" by J Balvin.  I love this dance (and these instructors!) because of their energy, the simplicity of their moves and their performance quality.  And, they're pretty good- looking, too! One of my favorite co-instructors told me, "I'd be first in line for their class if they taught here!"  Enjoy.

Dance fitness shoes

Hello, everyone!  Today I'm going to talk about what shoes you should wear to Zumba or any other dance fitness class.

Wearing the right pair of shoes to work out in is VERY important.  Footwear can aid or restrict your movement.

For Zumba, it's best that you find a pair of shoes with very little tread on the bottom.  This will allow you to twist, turn and slide without putting your knees in danger.

Right now, I'm wearing a pear or bright purple and green Nike Free shoes.  There's almost no tread on the bottom.  They look like this:

It's also really important to replace your shoes when they get old.  I know that shoes are expensive, but it's definitely worth the money.  Believe me, in 2011 I was out for two weeks because of a nasty case of achilles tendinitis caused by worn-out shoes.  Ouch. 

One of my fitness mottos is that appearance matters way more than you think it does.  If you're dressed in a way that makes you feel confident, you will get a better workout.  Check out this blog post and this one for more.  

And keep dancing!

Zumba Jam of the week: "Noche de Estrellas" by Jose de Rico and Henry Mendez

 

Have you tried Aqua Zumba?

Today I'm going to tell you about Aqua Zumba...that's right folks, you can Zumba in the pool, too.

I got certified to teach Aqua Zumba about a few years ago.  I've been teaching ever since. This semester we're having class once a month in Tiger Grotto.  Here's the schedule for the remaining classes:     

• Nov. 13 7:15 p.m.
• Dec. 10 5:15 p.m.

Adventures in teaching a non-dance class

This semester I'm teaching my first non-dance fitness class.

It's called TigerXtreme, and it's on Mondays from 12 to 12:50.  Basically, it's a cardio class with no rules.  We like to mix up the actual exercises that we do.  One week we may be doing stations, and the next week boot-camp style, and the next week intervals.

You can check out the TigerX website for a full description and descriptions of all our classes.

I've been teaching this class for about 8 weeks now, and it's definitely been a challenge to learn a new class style.

Zumba for a good cause

Howdy, y'all!

Today I'm going to talk about how you can help a good cause while having a GREAT time.  It's called a Party in Pink Zumbathon.

ZumbaTHON?!?  Yep, you heard right.  Several hours of Zumba back-to-back like a marathon.

I've been to several Zumbathons as a participant and have taught at a few.  I can tell you from personal experience that it's a blast!  The energy of having so many people gathered to dance in one place will get you through the challenge of dancing for several hours.

Party in Pink is a special kind of Zumbathon put on every October to benefit breast cancer research.  You can go to the Zumba website to find the closest Party in Pink to where you live.  And don't forget to wear pink!

REVIEW: Les Mills BodyPump

Today I'm going to talk about a class that I LOVE.  It's called BodyPump, and it's by a company called Les Mills.

Don't let the name intimidate you- even though this is a weightlifting-based class, you can definitely do it.  If you've never lifted weights before, this is a great class for you.

What I love about BodyPump:

1. The music

• Les Mills releases a new BodyPump track several times per year.  There are specific exercises that go along with each song.  Personally, I really like this because it seems like a dance class, and you can learn the choreography.  Plus, the music is really entertaining! 

2. The barbell

• While it may seem intimidating at first, BodyPump's signature barbell is a wonderful workout tool.  It allows you to adjust your weight level for each exercise.  And, if you get fatigued, you can always drop some weight.  I also like that the barbell makes it easy to keep your movements smooth and controlled.  

3. The clean-and-press

• This is a shoulder workout that you'll do in every body pump class during the shoulder track.  It looks like a killer, but it'll make you feel SO powerful! (Keep in mind, you'll be using much less weight than the competitive weightlifter in the video)

4. The order of exercises

• In every BodyPump class, you will always work the same muscle groups in the same order.  That way, you always know what to expect.  But don't worry...this class never gets boring! 

To sum it up, I highly recommend that you give BodyPump a try.  You'll get a great resistance workout and have a great time.  Enjoy! 

REVIEW: NHS Choices Couch to 5K podcast

I should preface this post by saying that I am not a runner.  Not at all.  It takes an awful lot to get me to enjoy running.  People throwing tons of colored powder every kilometer was barely enough to get me to finish a 5K.

But, this summer I decided to learn how to run, and learn how to enjoy running.  I mean, I'm a fitness instructor, right?  If I'm encouraging other people to try running, I should do it too.

So, I looked into my options.  I looked at online running plans, apps, and podcasts.  I decided on the NHS Choices Couch to 5K podcast.  It's a 9-week plan with runs every other day, plus it's free on iTunes.  The goal is to build you up to running 5 kilometers (or 30 minutes) nonstop.  Here are my favorite things about this plan:  

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Hello readers!  It's been a while.

Today I'm gonna talk about some changes to this blog that I'm working on right now, and also some changes to my class schedule.

Until this point, this has been a Zumba-focused blog.  Don't get me wrong, I love Zumba.  It will probably always be my favorite form of exercise.  But during my blogging-hiatus in the summer, I tried several other new workouts and I want to tell you about all of them!

So, getting to the point, QUE TE MUEVE is about to become a general fitness blog.  I'm going to be writing about al sorts of topics- including new workouts I tried, interesting stuff going on in exercise science, and healthy lifestyle tips.  I'll be pulling inspiration from some of my favorite blogs including Fit Bottomed Girls and Greatist.

In the weeks to come, you're going to see posts about my adventures with the NHS Choices Couch to 5K podcast, a review of the new Les Mills BodyPump release, the story of my first float trip (canoeing) on the Current River in southern Missouri.

And I want to hear from you, too!  What workouts do YOU want me to try?  Hot yoga? Krav maga?  You can connect with me on Twitter (@bridgitbowden) if you have any requests.

But, of course...this blog is going to need a new name.  I'm looking for something creative and clever- but not too cheesy.  Ideas?  Let me know.

And of course, the start of a new semester means a new TigerX group fitness schedule.  Please, join me in class!  Here's when I'll be teaching.

Tiger Xtreme Monday @ 12 noon
Cardio Dance Monday @ 8:15
Hip Hop Thursday @ 7:00
Zumba Friday @ 5:30

Here's the full schedule:

See you in class!

Zumba Variations

I've already told you all about Aqua Zumba, but today I'm going to talk about the other different kinds of Zumba out there.  Unfortunately, at the Rec center we only offer Zumba and Aqua Zumba, but there are several other types of classes.

Let's start with Zumba Toning.  That's right, it's Zumba with weights.  You might ask- is that safe?  The answer is yes: Zumba toning dances are specifically designed for light weights.  It's a great resistance workout for your whole body! Check it out:



Next up is Zumba Gold.  This is a class for seniors.  It's low impact in nature, but will still give you the physical activity you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.



Moving on, let's talk about Zumbatomic.  Zumba for the kiddos!  This one is especially important because of the recent rise in childhood obesity.  There are lots of gyms, dance studios, and camps that offer Zumbatomic.  Here's a video:



And, I'm going to end with Zumba Sentao.  Although I've never actually taken this class, I find it really fascinating.  It uses a chair for various toning activities.


Last night I got an email about training for a class called Zumbini, which sounds like mommy-and-me Zumba for babies!  I don't see any promotional materials out yet...but stay tuned for more information on that class!

Tentative Finals Schedule

Hello Zumba lovers!

As we approach finals week, remember that there is a modified schedule for that week (May 10 - 17).

Here's a copy of the tentative finals week schedule.  I'll be teaching the following classes:

Zumba Friday May 10 @ 3
Aqua Zumba Tuesday May 14 @ 6:15
Zumba Wednesday May 15 @ 5
Zumba Thursday May 16 @ 7

Throwback Jams

Hi Everyone!  I hope you've been enjoying this fabulous weather we've been having.  I've been getting a lot of requests in my classes for songs that have been around for a while. Sometimes I forget that some of my old dances are just as great as my newer ones.  Plus, bringing back old songs is a great way to encourage participants to become regulars!

Here are some of my favorites: "Prrrum" by Coscullela, "Quiere Más" by Angel & Khriz, "Na de Na" by Angel & Khriz, and "Floor on Fire" by Lil Jon and Pitbull.  If you want to learn the dances that go along with these songs, come check out my classes:

My favorite moments

There are a few things the can happen in a Zumba class that make me insanely happy.  Don't get me wrong...Zumba usually makes me happy anyways, but these things are just the icing on the cake:

1. That moment when someone who's usually shy really gets into the dance and flirts with her/himself in the mirror - I love when this happens.  It's usually someone standing in the back, and sometimes someone who has never come to Zumba before.  This is the moment when someone falls in love with dancing.  

2. When I (the instructor) mess up a step, but someone who comes to my class a lot gets it right - Even though I look like an idiot when this happens, I still think it's hilarious.  It also makes me proud of that person, because it means they've made a real commitment to coming to class.  

3. When someone requests a song - Not only does this take the pressure off me to find sweet Zumba jams, but it's also a great way for participants to become really engaged in the class.  I want everyone to enjoy the music that we dance to, so I love when people want to introduce the class to their own favorite songs!

4. When one of my students friends me on Facebook/ follows me on Twitter - I don't care if you're stalking me!  I'm so glad you found me!  Now I can share all sorts of great fitness articles and updates with you.  And, you know what?   Social media is a great place for you to make song requests (hint, hint)!

I hope you're all enjoying this BEAUTIFUL day!  I'll leave you with this song, "Haste Que Salga el Sol" by Don Omar:


 

Spring!

Today, I'm writing this post from my second floor balcony.  Why?  Because it's a beautiful day!  It's springtime!  What could be better?

I just want to let you know that I won't be offended if you skip my class because you want to exercise outside.  It's a shame that group fitness classes like mine have to be indoors, but that's just how it is.  As long as you're getting your workout, I'm happy.

Here are some great ways you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather, and still get the exercise you need:

Aqua Zumba Schedule

Hello, Zumba lovers!

I'm about to head to Tennessee for a volunteer spring break trip, but I thought I'd leave you with a short post before I go.

Remember Aqua Zumba?  It's a great workout for anyone with joint problems, anyone who's overweight, or exercise beginners.  The water gives you a great resistance workout while protecting your joints and muscles.  And who wouldn't want to go to a pool party for their workout?

Looking Fabulous

Today I'm going to talk about looking fabulous for your workout.

For me, what I wear is surprisingly important to how effective my workout is.  If I go to the gym looking like a slob, I'll probably feel like a slob too.  So I always try to look my best.  

Now, I'm not saying that you need to be totally decked out in Nike and Lululemon to get a good workout.  I'm not saying that at all.  Here are my two main tips for picking your best workout outfit: 

Dancing For the Kids

If you saw me yesterday or if you see me today, you will probably hear me complain about how sore I am.  I apologize in advance.  

Let me explain a little bit more.  On Saturday I spent 13.1 hours dancing.  That's right, I didn't take a break...didn't even sit down.  It was all a part of an event called Mizzou Dance Marathon, which raises money for Children's Miracle Network hospitals.  This was my second year participating in DM.

If you enjoy Zumba (and if you're reading this, you probably do) and are looking for a charitable cause to get involved with, I highly recommend Dance Marathon.  You'll have a blast!  In fact, you probably won't realize how tired you are until the very end because you'll be having so much fun.

Why Weights Are Important

Alright, I know most of you are probably afraid of weight training.  Truth is...me too.  I don't lift weights nearly as much as I should.  This is especially a problem for women.

Why?  Well, some women are afraid that if they work out with weights, they'll end up looking like this:

That's just not true.  It's not what happens when you incorporate weight training into your exercise routine.  

Thunder Snow and Punching Stuff

Hi everyone!

So sorry that we had to cancel classes on Thursday and Friday because of Thundersnow 2013.  But, we should be back to a normal schedule this week.

So for those of you that missed my classes last Thursday and Friday, here's when you can make them up:

Monday, January 25 at 8:15
Thursday, January 28 at 7:30
Friday, January 29 at 5:30

Hope to see you in class!

One Billion Rising

Since I'm trying to branch out what I write about here and include all sorts of things that Zumba lovers will enjoy, today I'm going to talk about a social cause that I think is really important.  It's called One Billion Rising, and it's an effort to wipe out violence women.

New Jams

This week I've been looking for new songs for Zumba class.

"Noche De Estrellas" by Jose de Rico was actually recommended by one of my Zumba class participants.  It's a great upbeat song with a merengue rhythm.  I can't wait to make up a dance to this song!

Kick It!

I know this blog is supposed to be about Zumba, but I'm going to expand it a little bit.  I want to share other fun exercise programs that Zumba lovers will love.

Why, you ask?  I'm currently dealing with what the doctors think is an overuse injury on my tailbone.  It led to an extremely humiliating hour of physical therapy in December.  And, I don't want that to happen to you all!  I hope you'll join me in putting a little variation in your workouts.    

TigerX Spring Schedule

It's that time of year again! Come check out the awesome TigerX classes at the rec. Join me: 

Monday @ 8:15 for Cardio Dance (solo class) 
Thursday @ 7:30 for Zumba 
Friday @ 5:30 for Zumba 

Aqua Zumba will be a once-monthly event this semester.

And, if you like Pure Barre, sign up for my Barre Fit LeisureU class starting in February! See you at the Rec!