Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

I’d like to try Zumba or aerobics but I’m too uncoordinated and embarrassed

25 replies

Tessywoooooo · 02/04/2019 18:59

I do Zumba at home but it’s prob not the same. I’m uncoordinated and find it hard to follow the steps.

I’ve never set foot in a gym before and I know I would love it if I gave it a go. Would I be the only rubbish one there? Or does everyone just sort of potter along.

I’m very fit. I walk 5-9 miles a day (powerwalk) and do Pilates a couple of times a week at home.

I’m prob undiagnosed asd so I’m not good with new stuff. I sort of need to be an expert at something before I start it if you understand me?

Has anyone else started Zumba or aerobics classes at about 30 with little finesse? 😆

It’s a council gym if that’s relevant

Thanks 😊

OP posts:

LiliesAndChocolate · 02/04/2019 19:06

Go and try a class! I go to many classes, some I know well, others I just started and yes sometimes everyone goes on the left and I go on the right and nobody cares!
We all have some levels of insecurity, so don't let these keep you away from the gym. A class at home is very different from a class in a gym, because there is the class vibe and it is fun to be with others.
so go, and come back to tell us how it went.
Everyone was a beginner at some point!

Original poster

Tessywoooooo · 02/04/2019 19:07

I used to love it when we did aerobics at school and sort of miss that vibe lillies!

OP posts:

Texel · 02/04/2019 19:13

If you would feel more confident having a little practise before you start, you could follow along to some classes on YouTube, I live in the sticks so I get my zumba on at home via YouTube and an old wii zumba disc! To make you feel a bit more confident about going? But there will be a whole range of people I imagine from beginners to experts!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Exercise & fitness Fitness

wibbleee · 02/04/2019 19:41

i used to teach it. trick to either is concentrate on the feet first.....arms 2nd. zumba tends to use a mix of core moves, jazzed up a lil bit! I taught 2012- 2015 and it did work. had the body of a goddess back then lol.

i taught my own classes in a mix of settings (gym based, village halls and as back up for instructors ill etc all over the place). had to cater for all abilities from the once a week retiree with her pals to a 5 mile a day runner! a good instructor will give all the options, from easy peasy to work your butt off. chat to them before they teach, they`ll look out for you and give more pointers.x

wibbleee · 02/04/2019 19:44

and to make you feel better, Ive trod on my own foot and once tripped over my own feet landing on my arse in front of a whole class lol! didnt live it down for a week.....but it was funny! and i had people paying me lol!!! so dont worry about it.....

Bigsighall · 02/04/2019 19:46

I’ve done both and aerobics was much easier to follow than Zumba. Saying that there were several of us in the class that just followed what we could and had a bit of a laugh!! I go to lots of classes and there’s a range of coordination so please don’t worry!

Mumberjack · 02/04/2019 19:49

Try a different type of class - metafit is hard but it’s not about choreography.
Piyo is good, takes a bit of coordination but not much and it’s low impact.
And you’ll see real results with body pump or kettlebells - but the first couple of sessions are sore!
I enjoy a dance but I admit I fannied about at zumba and didn’t feel it did enough fitness wise.

TheCraicDealer · 02/04/2019 19:52

Pre-wedding I went to a council body pump class that started with an aerobic/dancercise session and there was a part of the steps I couldn't get. It involved arms and legs and I just couldn't concentrate on both elements and get the moves to come out of the end of my limbs! I'm also very uncoordinated (can't ride a bike, clumsy) and suspicions but no formal diagnosis.

The lady who took the class was pretty clear you do what you feel able to, and the great thing about it being council run was that there was a very broad range of ability and ages. I didn't feel like a chump not doing all the moves because a lot of us were in the same boat!

yearinyearout · 02/04/2019 19:53

Honestly don't worry, I go to Zumba a lot and still get it wrong, nobody cares as long as you're moving!

sirmione16 · 02/04/2019 19:53

My mum goes to Zumba and is very obviously not keeping up but she loves it, works up a sweat and makes friend (all of which don't seem to mind her doing basically her own routine!) I say go for it. Laugh it off if you go wrong. The point of these classes is not to be step perfect, it's to work out. So as long as you're sweating by the end, you've succeeded.

redexpat · 02/04/2019 20:08

I used to be a zumba instructor. I once accidently punched myself in the face. I dare you to top that!

If youve been practising at home then you will know the basic steps. All you need to do is work out how the instructor cues those steps. You usually go to the right first, and if you go in one direction then youll probably do the same in the opposite direction. Dont put off by everyone else being good. If theyve been going for a while theyll know the choreography.

Original poster

Tessywoooooo · 02/04/2019 20:33

😂 ok yous are encouraging me

I’m going to practice my steps and work up to it 😊

OP posts:

Fr3d · 02/04/2019 20:37

Just go for it. Don't go in the front row. I am an clutz and can't dance and love zumba

gettofuckthrees · 02/04/2019 20:48

I love Zumba and things like body combat etc. I am so uncoordinated it's unbelievable but I just go and give it my all and have fun.

It's all about the exercise and fun, everyone will be focusing in what they are doing themselves but if you still feel self conscious just locate yourself at the back of the room!

Good luck and have fun!!!

Tattybear16 · 02/04/2019 20:54

I’ve gone to Zumba every Monday for the last 2 years and I still get the steps wrong. I catch the eye of the instructor belt out a great laugh and carry on. Go along and have a go, life is to short worrying about what you may do wrong, and what other people will think.

Don’t bother working up to it, just turn up and enjoy.

HappyGoLuckyGo · 02/04/2019 20:58

I love love love Zumba. Do it! I have found every instructor has their own preferred steps/routines and you have to go regularly to begin to follow, really. I always enjoyed random one-off classes much less than my regular sessions when you can just zone out and vaguely know what's coming next - and start to have your favourite songs/moves. Go for it! You'll be one of the regulars within about 5 sessions!

wibbleee · 02/04/2019 20:58

now i never punched myself in the face!

and i tripped over myself etc having spent hours doing the same song and steps !!!

if you do it "wrong" , do it with style ;)

PrivateIsles · 02/04/2019 21:05

I say go for it OP! I absolutely love Zumba, and I am so uncoordinated - I used to do aerobics and found that a lot harder to follow. Zumba is more relaxed IME.

Also I think in Zumba you can gloss over it more if you get it a bit wrong! It's such a good laugh - the class I go to has a mix of people and ages and it's loads of fun, people just do as much as they are comfortable with.

Aspieteach · 02/04/2019 21:40

I've got asd and am reasonably fit but very unco-ordinated so know just how you feel. I tried Zumba at home (on the wii fit), but it was too fast for me and I just couldn't follow the actions, especially whenever something changed.

I've recently started a step class. I can't do that either, but am in with a bit more of a chance. I can copy the legs or I can copy the arms. It's very rare that I can do both at the same time.

But I'm old enough now not to give a toss about being all over the place (there's definitely advantages to being middle aged). The instructor's lovely and nobody else is interested in what I'm doing (or failing to do!)

If you enjoy Zumba at home then go for it. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Original poster

Tessywoooooo · 02/04/2019 21:46

Pheobe running in Friends springs to mind 😆

OP posts:

LL83 · 02/04/2019 21:49

I have recently started zumba and I love it. And i would say about 3 out of the 30 or so people there look like they are doing it with any style, the rest are just trying to keep up. And as soon as I stop looking around and get in the zone I love it. Our local class have low lighting for a night club feel which helps me a lot!

Go for it.

TokyoSushi · 02/04/2019 21:52

Go!! I've been going to zumba twice a week for 3 years, I love it!!

Go to a community class, in a church Hall or similar, nobody will care if you're not coordinated or doing it wrong, I promise.

donajimena · 02/04/2019 21:53

I've been told I run like Phoebe . I started zumba 7 years ago. I'm quite middle aged and all my life I have been uncoordinated. I joined a zumba class because it looked great fun so I thought fuck it! Turned up and joked about being completely uncoordinated ha ha etc. Indeed I was. All over the shop. I just laughed it off but I wasn't happy inside. 4 weeks later I realised I was doing a lot better. Each week i improved more and more. Now I can go to different instructors and different classes and pick it up more or less straight away. Some people find it easy from the off but we all get there eventually. Give it a whirl (shimmy)

Boopear · 02/04/2019 21:56

I’ve hust started too and love it! It’s great fun and there are loads of us that cant do the moves, but it really doesn't matter - it’s a laugh AND a suprisingly good workout, with loads of jumps and sprinty bits (i can do those - just not the dancing bits!) It helps if you stand behind someone who knows what they are doing. Why not just try one class and see how you enjoy it?

TSSDNCOP · 02/04/2019 22:20

Try Clubbercise OP. It’s fast but in a darkened room so you can’t see yourself in the mirror!!!

Flip