Lately, I’ve been consumed with this desire to exercise. I want to get fit, be toned, run fast, and lift heavy things without collapsing out of weakness and pure exhaustion. I’ve found something that I think might quench my latest get-fit thirst.

It’s called Zumba. Anyone ever heard of it?

I had my first class on Monday, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I got there a little late… about 30 minutes to be exact, and I sat in the car for a little bit contemplating whether I really wanted to go through with this.

You see, I haven’t played a sport since sophomore year, nor have I had P.E. since then. So, as you can imagine, my exercising has dramatically decreased to the occasional run around the block- if that. I was worried that I would walk in there as a poser in my exercise garb and embarrass everyone with my strange, uncoordinated movements.

That or I would hit someone and cause them a severe bodily injury.

I took a deep breath, grabbed my stuff, slammed the car door and locked it before I could change my mind and drive home. I was determined to get in shape! I walked into the building and they were already starting. My stomach plummeted. Now it would be painfully obvious that I was a newbie, and a late one at that.

After filling in some paperwork and paying the $5 fee, I took my place on the floor- in the back.

They had said that I didn’t need to worry about being silly, and I was banking on them holding true to that statement because there was no getting around it-I was going to look like a fool to the tempo of Latin music.

Immediately, they started the next song and the dance routine that was advertised to make me into the best shape of my life. I didn’t know what I was doing at all. There’s all these steps and moves that you have to do for each song, and try as I might, I was awfully uncoordinated and almost tripped myself as I attempted to stay with the group.

For some reason, I thought Zumba meant that all I would have to do was show up in some workout clothes, and dance around to music for an hour. It hadn’t occurred to me that there would be steps that I would need to know. Learn something new every day, I guess….

By the middle of each song, though, I got the steps mostly right, which I felt was a big accomplishment. Overall, I felt that the class was a success–until the next day, that is.

I wasn’t sore. Nowhere, nothing, no pain at all. The lack of screaming muscles makes me wonder if maybe I wasn’t the Zumba star I thought I was…. Oh well, I guess it’s a small blessing in disguise.

I have a variety of other workout ideas, and I’ll be testing them in the coming weeks. I’ll keep you posted!