I've discovered that dancing is a way to work out and not feel like you're working out because you're having so much fun. So I'm trying different dance workouts this month.
Last week I was tap dancing at the Caruthers Creative Center in Kansas City, Mo. This week I went to Jazzercise in Mission, Kan., at Roe and Johnson Drive.
Laurel Phillips is one of the fitness instructors at Jazzercise in the Kansas City metro area. She explained that the workouts are specially designed to allow people to warm up and then progressively increase their heart rate as they do a series of dance moves to work every muscle group. She said there's also a mental component of remembering the moves and engaging with the fitness trainer and other people in the class.
I had so much fun! I felt like I was a dancer in a group on a variety show - not a good one - but I was just dancing my heart out. By the way, my heart rate jumped as I was jumping and I was definitely sweating. I loved it because women of all ages, shapes and sizes were in the class and we were all doing what we could do at our fitness level.
During the month of October, you can work out free of charge at any Jazzercise in the Kansas City area. It's called Free Fitness Month, and you can take as many classes as you want all month - just to encourage fitness and good health. There are no strings attached, you don't have to promise to join and you can go to as many classes as you like in October.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at cynthia.newsome@kshb.com.
