Unless you've been living in a cave you may have noticed the marketing frenzy that is Zumba. Now, I should out myself early on and say it - I don't like Zumba. There. I've said this before and got jumped on by the 'Zumba is fab' posse. For the record, I also don't like circuits or BodyAttack or Pilates (and loads of other stuff too) - I am not anti-Zumba.
So, why don't I like it? My brain doesn't work with 'verse-chorus' (how Zumba is choreographed, also Les Mills, stomp-fx etc). I had to teach this as part of my level 3 Exercise to Music qualification and still have nightmares about it. Neither do I have any particular urge to wiggle any bits of me in public places. Quite why I've been lambasted about this in the past is beyond me - I choose my class, you choose yours. Whatever floats your boat.
Anyway, I'm getting distracted... What does annoy me is that because of the marketing machine that is Zumba (and even if you love it, surely you can see that this is the key to the success - it's an example of very clever, carefully targeted marketing) gyms are stuffing the timetable with Zumba and getting rid of the other stuff. Surely everything has a place?
I don't like dancing. I'm simply not very good at it. Unless drunk, and then I'm great....(as well as being incredibly witty and attractive). I still remember the horror I faced in a class when told to 'freestyle' by the instructor. No, I don't have any issues with self-confidence (a recent suggestion when I had the 'I don't like Zumba' discussion), I just don't like that stuff. Not liking dancing doesn't make me weird. I do like what I can only describe as 'traditional' aerobics. A nice set of three/four patterns suitably complicated and that will tire me out and with decent music. My choreography style has been described as 'athletic', which I take to mean 'not dancing' - and I think that sort of sums it up. That's the stuff I like. And slowly, that stuff is disappearing.
You like Zumba? Good for you. I like aerobics. How about we all happily coexist?
I've recently seen two aerobics classes die. Not because they're bad classes. Not because they're bad instructors (one of them is me, and I'm fab...<big grin>). Because of various reasons that's not to do with the format, but the reason for them dying will be blamed on the format by the gyms : 'people don't like aerobics any more'.
So, is aerobics dead? I hope not. But this very much depends on gym members making sure it doesn't go. Ask your class coordinator for more aerobics classes. Support the existing ones. Do it today.
So, why don't I like it? My brain doesn't work with 'verse-chorus' (how Zumba is choreographed, also Les Mills, stomp-fx etc). I had to teach this as part of my level 3 Exercise to Music qualification and still have nightmares about it. Neither do I have any particular urge to wiggle any bits of me in public places. Quite why I've been lambasted about this in the past is beyond me - I choose my class, you choose yours. Whatever floats your boat.
Anyway, I'm getting distracted... What does annoy me is that because of the marketing machine that is Zumba (and even if you love it, surely you can see that this is the key to the success - it's an example of very clever, carefully targeted marketing) gyms are stuffing the timetable with Zumba and getting rid of the other stuff. Surely everything has a place?
I don't like dancing. I'm simply not very good at it. Unless drunk, and then I'm great....(as well as being incredibly witty and attractive). I still remember the horror I faced in a class when told to 'freestyle' by the instructor. No, I don't have any issues with self-confidence (a recent suggestion when I had the 'I don't like Zumba' discussion), I just don't like that stuff. Not liking dancing doesn't make me weird. I do like what I can only describe as 'traditional' aerobics. A nice set of three/four patterns suitably complicated and that will tire me out and with decent music. My choreography style has been described as 'athletic', which I take to mean 'not dancing' - and I think that sort of sums it up. That's the stuff I like. And slowly, that stuff is disappearing.
You like Zumba? Good for you. I like aerobics. How about we all happily coexist?
I've recently seen two aerobics classes die. Not because they're bad classes. Not because they're bad instructors (one of them is me, and I'm fab...<big grin>). Because of various reasons that's not to do with the format, but the reason for them dying will be blamed on the format by the gyms : 'people don't like aerobics any more'.
So, is aerobics dead? I hope not. But this very much depends on gym members making sure it doesn't go. Ask your class coordinator for more aerobics classes. Support the existing ones. Do it today.
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