Exercise Must be FUN!!!

November 9, 2012

by Ann

Decisions, decisions – What to write about on my first “fun” blog post. 

I am fortunate to get to do many fun things, but when contemplating what to write about first the activity that comes to mind is Jazzercise – something that I routinely do for fun that keeps me in shape, burns off the calories from indulgences or the extra glass of wine, and helps to diffuse the tension and/or stress that the not-so-fun parts of my life create.

Unless exercise is fun and convenient, I won’t do it.  Jazzercise fits both of those requirements for me.  The upbeat music and atmosphere along with the great people there make it fun, while the center I go to is just a couple of blocks from my house. 

Jazzercise can meet the fitness needs for people of all ages.  The classes that I attend have students ranging from their 20’s to 60’s and even a few older than that depending upon the time of day of the class!  The program is designed for individuals of different fitness levels to be able to challenge themselves and get good workouts simultaneously.

 

For those of you readers who are of my genre you probably remember Jazzercise from years gone by, as I do as well.  Jazzercise was founded in 1969, and has been going strong since.  There are 8,000 franchises world wide, teaching 32,000 each week! I first Jazzercised the year I got out of college in the local school’s cafeteria (or was it the gym?) in the small town where I was teaching.  Following that year, upon returning to the suburbs of Phoenix Arizona I took hit and miss classes, always enjoying them.  In 1998 I committed to making regular exercise a priority, and have been a member of the center that is fortunately for me only a couple of miles from my home since.

Here’s what I love about Jazzercise:

·        I get a good workout – I always feel better at the end of the class than I did at the beginning.

·        The music is contemporary, so it keeps me “in the know” about current artists and songs.

·        Classes are one hour in length and are a mix of dance (and believe me, I am no coordinated dancer), cardio, strength training, stretching, and flexibility work.

·      There is no pressure – all participants dress casually and comfortably, and we work to our level of ability – if we need breaks we take them!

·        The instructors are upbeat, fun, and well trained. 

·        Routines are consistent and so participants know what to expect.

·        It is relatively inexpensive – the center’s preference is to do a monthly auto-payment plan, so knowing that I have already paid motivates me to go when I am feeling lazy.

·        People like doctors and sales associates in clothing stores comment that I “must be a good exerciser” based upon my fitness levels and how clothes fit.

·        There is a sense of community within the center.  I have made friends, and although I don’t have the time to make those close relationships, I see many of the women going out to coffee or getting together for social events beyond the classes.

My personal goal is to attend at least three classes a week.  When school isn’t in session I can do four or five.  Classes last one hour and are conveniently scheduled around work hours for those of us that need

early morning and late afternoon or early evening classes.  Additionally, there are Saturday and Sunday classes.

If you are thinking that adding more fitness and exercise to your routine needs to happen, consider Jazzercise – it’s fun, which goes back to the title of this post – exercise needs to be fun to be sustainable.  Check them out at www.jazzercise.com