Get back into the swing of spring by starting up a new exercise routine!
Jodi Davis
| 3 min read
With spring in the air, it seems as though people everywhere are getting the urge to get back in the swing of things with a new exercise routine. You can’t blame them; the spring season reminds all of us of the importance of fresh starts and new beginnings.
Attitudes of people beginning an exercise routine is entirely different when spring arrives, especially when compared to the beginning of winter, a season when many people would rather hibernate. Spring causes many to step up to the starting line and begin their new and upgraded personal journey towards better health.
That was the mood felt by many who were at the Lansing Mall for the Winter Warm-Up Celebration. During that time, the accomplishments dedicated towards improved health consisting of over 2,100 individuals were acknowledged. It was a wonderful time at the mall, without a doubt! The individuals that attended the celebration had been staying physically active during the winter months but were really excited about the arrival of spring. The comments I heard throughout the morning were very similar, they were ready to start the spring season the right way by exercising even more than before.
You could almost feel how wonderful the attitude of each individual was that day and then it got even better!
For those of you who were there, you understand completely because you also witnessed the same group of individuals that I did. They were smiling, laughing, dancing and having the time of their lives, almost as though they had “spring fever!” I honestly didn’t see anyone within view who wasn’t enjoying this positive attitude right along with them.
Exactly what were they doing? They were participating in a Zumba class. You could see how much fun they were having by the smiles on all their faces; the onlookers were having a great time as well. The music, the movement and the energy created by this group of people was contagious. I was moving to the music right along with them.
Did you know that Zumba is both a dance class and a fitness class? Aside from all the heart-healthy benefits, Zumba provides a whole-body workout. This is a great physical activity because Zumba basically touches on every muscle and joint. But that’s not all, your abs and hips also receive a great workout in the Latin-style dance as well.
And Zumba burns calories. It’s common for an average person to burn 400 to 600 calories burned per hour. It’s typical for Zumba classes to be choreographed to provide intervals of intensity in both pace of music and type of movements, and the energy of the class member is often maximized for fat-burning benefits. I overheard more than a few times that summer is right around the corner. And we all know what that brings, swimsuit season!
These Zumba dancers said they were going to be ready this summer because they were stepping up to the starting line now instead of putting it off. The excuses made in previous years were over, it was time to start the journey towards better health. As you can see, they were doing just that.
Photo Credit: Jodi Davis
