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: