New LA|Fitness Schedules

Those of us who were members or instructors at Urban Active got used to the schedule changing 3 times a year (Winter, Summer, & Fall).  With LA|Fitness taking over, it's felt like we've been waiting for something to change since January.  And now they have!

Here are links where you can find the online schedules for your LA|Fitness group exercise classes:

Palumbo, click here.

Palomar, click here.

How does this affect you?  Well, there are a dozen new classes between those two Lexington locations.  And... Zumba got the biggest bump on the schedule.  Rebecca snagged a new Friday class, Theresa has her own class, and Kasey is teaching for us again.  There are now 10 Zumba classes a week between the two gyms!

My late-night Monday class at Palumbo has been moved to Tuesdays at 7pm.  I'm pretty sure that means that childcare will be available during my class.  When I started at UA, my first class was Tuesday nights, and I'm happy to be returning to them.  The Saturday class at Palumbo has also been moved back 15 minutes so that it is at noon on the dot.  (I will continue to say good morning, since noon on a Sat is morning in my book.)

I know many of you have been asking for this.  All of the Zumba instructors appreciate the number of you that have been showing up to our classes and bringing friends.  Our huge numbers were one of the biggest factors in considering adding new classes.  Thank you, also, for being vocal with management about what you want and what you enjoy.

These people need more sweat to feel like our classes lately!

So, feel free to add another Zumba class to your schedule, and feel free to try all of the instructors and enjoy the variety that we all have to offer.  And, most importantly, keep coming and sweating en masse.

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

New Class (Branching Out)

Starting Thursday, January 24th, 2013, I will be teaching a weekly Zumba class for the YMCA of Central Kentucky.  It's open to the public, and it's ONLY $3!!

The best part?  I live 11 houses away from the new venue (refreshing after driving over 30 minutes to teach some classes)!  I couldn't be more happy to have fallen into this class.  Plus, I think it's where many of us live, and what's more convenient than that?!

The class will be on Thursday evenings at 6:15pm in the cafeteria of the Athens-Chilesburg Elementary (ACE) School off of Hays Blvd, just south of Todds Rd.  If you're ever interested in attending (and you should be ;), my best advice is to come early to fill out some quick paperwork and get your bearings on the layout of the school.

Also, make sure you enter from Hays Blvd!  Recent national incidents have forced the elementary school to lock all of the doors except the one closest to the cafeteria.  You will not be able to get in from Jouett Creek Dr!  If you're coming from Todds Rd, you'll need to make a U-turn immediately after passing the school on your left (the next, small intersection after Jouett Creek Dr).  If you're coming from Athens-Boonesboro/Richmond Rd, reaching the Jouett Creek Dr intersection means you've gone too far.  Here's a little map I edited:

It's in an elementary school cafeteria, so don't expect all of the amenities you're used to at the fancy gyms I teach at (like mirrors).  However, it's cheap and fun (and hopefully close to where many of us live).  Ideal for those of you who don't like other people looking at you in the mirror while you dance.

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

Best Compliment Yet

I got my license to teach Zumba in May of 2011.  I made a few friends at the training, 2 of which were a married couple (since he was the only other guy at the training).  At the time we lived about 45 minutes away from each other, but we hoped that we'd be able to meet up again at some point in the future.  Before I knew it (like 2 weeks later) they had contacted me saying that they were subbing for their regular Zumba class and wanted to know if I could come do a song or two.  I had been working on choreography and jumped at the chance to teach in front of a real class.  I drove out to their regular studio in Concord, CA, and we had what we called a "mini master class".

4 brand new instructors after our first class, June 8th, 2011.

Since then I've taught over a hundred classes from California to Kentucky.  I've had classes with 1 person in them, and I've had classes with 150 people in them.  It doesn't matter how many classes I teach, my first will always stick out in my memory.  It was scary, but it was fun, and I think it went well.  Skip ahead 18 months, and this little gem was left on the wall of my Facebook page:

"Hi Rob! You were a guest instructor at the first Zumba Fitness class I ever took. It was at Dance Connection in Concord, CA in Summer 2011. Your energy and fun choreography were very memorable and inspired me to keep taking Zumba classes. Now, I'm an instructor, too, and just taught a sweat-flying, fist pumping class this morning and remembered that first class and wanted to let you know the effect you had! If you're ever back in the Bay Area I would love to host and collaborate with you! You're awesome! :)" ~Kathryn D.-H.

The first class that I partially taught turned out to be Kathryn's first Zumba class, which started her on the journey to become a Zumba Instructor herself.  Not only did this almost make me cry, but it also pointed out an interesting parallel.  I'm a Zumba Instructor today because of a sub that I had at a yoga studio in Oakland while an instructor was out for maternity leave.

I had been taking her classes for a few weeks when she decided to have a Cinco de Mayo Zumba party.  Afterward, while munching on some guacamole, she told me that I should consider becoming an instructor.  I laughed it off, but then she made it clear that she was serious.  In fact, I remember exactly what she said.  "You sparkle.  You are so high energy.  I'd take your class".  She said she was considering opening her own studio soon.  She handed me her card, told me to get my license, and told me to call her afterward.

The instructor that convinced me to become one:  the inspiration.

That instructor eventually got me a job teaching at Club One in San Francisco.  Actually, before I moved to Kentucky, I taught at almost every branch of Club One in San Francisco and Oakland.  From there, I got a job teaching at BORP, and I had plenty of opportunities subbing throughout the Bay Area.  As far as Zumba is concerned, a sub changed my life.

I'm not taking full responsibility for Kathryn becoming an instructor, but words can't describe how proud I am to be even the slightest bit of inspiration in helping her achieve her fitness goals.  I keep a page full of testimonials, more as motivation for myself than to brag (though it could use updating), but it's going to be hard to find a testimonial that means more to me than Kathryn's has.

Thank you all for the support over the years, and I assure you that you all inspire me way more than I could ever return.

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

New Year's Resolutions

This is an exciting time of year for all who teach group fitness classes.  There are so many new faces in our gyms.

However, as an engineer, I like to think realistically about resolutions.

It's around this time every year that gyms fill up with all kinds of New Year's Resolutionists.  Losing weight is the top New Year's Resolution every year.  75-80% of the year's annual gym memberships are purchased in the month of January.

What's the typical percentage of people that succeed at keeping a New Year's Resolution (NYR)?  About 8%.  Typically, only 64% make it all the way through January.  Only 45% will make it 6 months.  Scary thought:  almost 1 in 4 people have failed every NYR they have ever made, ever.

Don't fret though, you are ten times more likely to attain a NYR if you are explicit about it and announce it to someone.  However, support for NYRs ebbs pretty heavily after the first few weeks, so don't rely on others to be your constant motivation.

My advice:  at this very moment, forget about your health-related New Year's Resolutions.  Instead, tell yourself you're making a lifestyle change.  Pretend that you decided to change your lifestyle today and remove yourself completely from the thoughts of failed NYRs in your past.  (Heck, pretend that you made the change last September if you need to; don't get caught up in January NYR syndrome.)

Finally, I'd recommend not to focus on weight or body shape as your goals.  I've gone through periods of intense workouts as well as intense couch-sitting over the last decade, yet my stomach has almost always remained the same shape.  Focus on eating better or trying to lift more or trying to run further or trying to last longer.  Those will always help, and they give you goals you can reach without beating yourself up over body image.

And most importantly, come dance with me ;).

Happy New Year & Happy Dancing,
~RoB

Holiday Music Disclaimer

Around this time of year I always like to add in festive holiday music to my Zumba playlists.  I just want to take this moment tell you all that I respect you all completely and I'm not trying to impose my musical selections on you.  I'm not trying to make a political or religious statement.

The truth is, this is the only time of year when absolutely ridiculous music is stuck in our heads 24/7.  I like to take advantage of that and give you dance moves to help cope with it.

Honestly, I use few songs that you've probably ever heard before, but if you listen closely (or listen in Spanish), you'll see that some of them are indeed Christmas songs.  Again, it's just for fun, and they will go away after the holidays.

Thank you for enjoying all of my classes and continuing to dance with me.

Happy Holidays & Happy Dancing,
~RoB

2012 Fascination Awards

I'm not sure if I was nominated by one of my followers, or if the editorial staff running the competition found me online themselves.  Regardless, I'm in the top 14 (of over 100 submissions) for the 2012 Fascination Awards in the category of Zumba Teacher Blog.  The awards honor genuinely fascinating content that inspires its audience.  This was their notification that I had made the top 14:

"An article you wrote in 2011 titled Instructor Training has earned your blog a nomination for a Fascination Award: 2012's Most Fascinating Zumba Teacher blog.
The comments posted in response to your post prove that your content not only inspires your audience, but it also creates discussion around your posts, both of which are requirements for the nomination of a Fascination award."

Now, all I have to do is have people agree that my blog is the most fascinating/inspiring.  You can help by voting for me!  The process is slightly circuitous, but I would greatly appreciate it.

1. Click on the 'Vote for Me' button below. It will take you to a Google+ page.
2. Scroll down until you see "Cast Your Vote for the Most Fascinating Zumba Teacher Blog of 2012". It's currently the fourth post I see on the page.
3. Click on "14 comments" at the bottom of the post, or the double-down arrow beside "14 comments".
4. Find "http://becomingzumba.blogspot.com" and click on the +1 button that should show up beside the link when you scroll over it.

If you did all of that, then you voted, and I thank you from the bottom of my dance shoes.

Regardless if I win or not, Thank You all for your participation, your support, and for enjoying and being inspired by this blog and my attempts at a healthier lifestyle through Zumba.

Happy Dancing,
~RoB

My First 10k

In Lexington, the big event on the 4th of July isn't the fireworks at 10pm, it's the 10 km race at 7:30am.  It's called the Bluegrass 10,000, and 3,015 participants finished yesterday.  I came in 2,070th overall.

I had American Flag shorts on, too!

I didn't finish in a blazing time, but I was so proud just to cross the finish line without walking at any point. I ran it significantly faster than I thought I'd be able to, with an 11-minute mile pace.  Keep in mind that I'm no small person.

It's been rough to train for, since searing heat has been pounding the Bluegrass region over the last month.  It's also really early in the morning... for me.  Regardless, I was successful, so now I can take a day or two off.

I really think ZUMBA has helped me gain the endurance to run further and faster over the past year, so now I just have to break the 30-minute curse.

Happy Dancing,

~RoB