The University of Toronto’s new Toronto Pan American Sports Centre is now open and holding fitness classes for students, similar to those held at gyms at the Mississauga, Scarborough, and St. George campuses.
One of the classes offered is Zumba, a one-hour class that incorporates Latin American dance into a high energy workout.
The class is accessible for those at every fitness level. People who attended the class ranged from talented dancers to those with no dance experience. The class can be modified for pace so that people at all fitness levels can participate.
The atmosphere in the class was positive, the music was exhilarating, and the instructor was encouraging.
When people think of Zumba, they tend to think of a party-like atmosphere, where there really isn’t much working out going on.
But, to my surprise, I was out of breath and feeling the burn after just one hour of class. With the fast pace and the variety of moves that work out every inch of your body, this class had me breaking a sweat in 15 minutes.
The only negative aspect of the class was that, as a first-time participant, I felt a bit lost. However, the classes are held every week and the dances remain the same over the course of a few weeks, so if participants attend more frequently, then they will learn the moves faster and be able to better follow the instructor.
This class was able to provide participants with a great workout while dancing and having a great time.
