Over at the YMCA in Gates they say, “if it can be done on land, it can be done in water,” and that includes Zumba, a fitness program inspired by Latin dances like the samba.
“The music is fun. The moves are fun, and it's just a really fun way to work out,” said Sue Rogers while she waited in the pool for her Aqua Zumba class to begin. She’s been taking this class for almost two years, and she said it’s her favorite.
“It’s easier on the joints, so it's better for people who aren't maybe as young or quite as fit, but it's equally fun,” Rogers said.
Gina Centi, 82, said aquatic Latin dancing helps with her arthritis -- but more importantly, it makes her feel young again.
“I feel like I'm a little kid when I'm here … I smile and laugh,” she said.
Centi added that it’s much easier than the traditional Zumba session in the studio, and this is in part due to the modifications that instructor Shelley Hensel makes to accommodate working out in the water.
“They're basically slower moves, but that doesn't mean you're not working hard,” Hensel said.
She said that members can expect to feel the burn as soon as they get out of the pool, specifically in their arms, legs and core.
“The key is moving to the beat,” Hensel said.
That’s a trick that Kecia Brumfield uses in her hip-hop step aerobics class as well. This cardio-heavy class is one of her favorite group sessions to teach.
“Hip-hop music for our culture kind of always motivates us,” Brumfield said. “It always gets us up and going.”
The class takes place every Thursday at Fit Brand Fitness in Rochester’s 19th Ward district. Brumfield said on a good night, she can have up to 60 women attend a session. She said it’s an escape for her clients.
“For that hour, you're not thinking about what’s for dinner, the kids, homework or none of that,” Brumfield said. “It's something that you're doing for yourself, and it's fun.”
But if you’re looking for a side of sass while getting fit, you may want to trade in your sneakers for stilettos.
“I add this sensuality to the fitness training,” said Vicious Vixens Studio owner Marlena Jones, who teaches pole fitness daily at her studio on Monroe Avenue.
Jones said the pole has been synonymous with exotic dancing and sensuality for years, but the fitness aspect of the technique is becoming more popular for obvious reasons.
“You’re literally using your whole body when you train on the pole,” Jones said. “Literally your whole mind, body and soul.”
From the placement of your arms to the strides in your walk, pole fitness will tone your muscles, and strengthen your core all while getting your cardio in for the day. And best of all, she said “It's very fun to learn."
