Since leaving the San Francisco bay area and starting my new gig in Phoenix, my workout life has been pretty inconsistent. After moving to Phoenix, I learned the hard way that finances wouldn't allow me to sign up for a local gym. Therefore, I decided to just workout at home. fathlete confession: working out at home doesn't really work for me. Though convenient, I will always find a way to slack off.
This summer, I decided to give working out at home another shot. I was actually doing okay for a few weeks. However, I realized that I'm the type of person who needs to go somewhere to workout. Thing is, I'm not big on your standard globo gym. I like specialized programs, which is why CrossFit worked out so well. Thing is... I am not ready to go back to CrossFit (more on that later).
With that, I decided to commit the ultimate CrossFit sin... I signed up for summer classes at a local dance studio that specializes in Zumba.
Yup. That's right. I Zumba.
Judge all you want, CrossFit snobs!
There was something about the vibe at Yenis Dance Body & Soul (located in San Bruno, CA) that just suited me. I wanted to something that wasn't CrossFit, something that kept me moving and interested. Zumba fit the bill. I had a great time at Yenis Dance Body & Soul and would love to go back during my breaks. (Yenis, if you're reading this, temporary, short-term memberships would be an awesome option! Please consider.) Training at Yenis Dance Body & Soul was a refreshing departure from CrossFit. No timers. No competition. No lululemon. No fat hating or shaming (again, more on that later).
Now that I'm back in Phoenix, I decided that I wanted to continue dance. As luck would have it, Joyful Yoga (located in Chandler, AZ) has what I'm looking for. The added perk is that I get to do yoga! I signed up for a trial month today and took a Zumba class, followed by Restorative Yoga. I'm glad to be training in something again.
I have more to say, but I'll save it for future posts. For now, I'd like to say that yes, there is life after CrossFit:)
Celebrating EVERY body,
the fierce fathlete
2 comments:
yeah! yoga is hard work that pays off and that's why i appreciate it! it took a month for me to get decent plank form, but now i feel so much stronger after many years of terrible core strength. i was relying so much on my arms and lower back to get me through all the weight-bearing movements i've had to do since birth. five years being weak! i'm looking forward to eventually doing some asanas in a few years. :-)
i have a friend who actually teaches zumba now, and she just loves it. it seems to attract a lot of HAES body-positive folks who love to dance. sounds like an awesome deal to me.
Hi Gladys. Yes, It does take some time to adjust to yoga. The classes I've taken so far have been gentle stretching, which has been good. I'm looking to switch it up to some flow or vinyasa because they're a little harder. Admittedly, I can already see a difference in my posture. Oh the damage from all that computer work!
While I won't say I'm a Zumba disciple, I will say that I'm enjoying it. (I'm convinced that it's only CrossFit that has disciples. All the other programs I've ever done simply have people that "do" it.) I've noticed that there are two types of Zumba teachers: one who have an aerobics background and ones who have a dance background. I prefer the latter.
Lmk if you end up taking Zumba. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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