It’s rather ironic that one of the things I put in place to keep me from slacking off on my training is inadvertently hurting my progress. I know what you’re thinking, but Angel, your Zumba class is so intense, how is that possible? Let’s examine that.

When I teach a Zumba class, you’re right, it’s extremely intense. Good instructors, the real ones, give it their all when they teach. I’m one of those instructors. With Zumba, that means leading the class with all the dance moves and setting the energy level. If I’m lazy, the class tends to follow. So when I teach, and this applies to all my classes, I bring it fully. I leave it all on the stage! Along with that, I’m running around, jumping, shouting encouragement, and sometimes pausing to help someone who’s lost.

The amount of energy I expend when teaching leaves me feeling drained and exhausted. By the end of class, I’m pretty much wiped out, especially on days when I’m fasting or cutting. The necessary but brief pauses likely reduce my overall calorie burn. Plus, my feet often feel sore and beaten up, which has led to less cardio during my own training time. Not to mention, I’ve given up some classes so I can focus more on my BJJ training.

I feel like I’ve gained a bit of weight and my conditioning has slipped in recent months. I’m not going to give up my classes, but I do think I need to rethink my approach. I need more cardio hours and to be able to lift heavy weights. I’d also like to keep up my BJJ training. I’m hoping things improve with my shoulder so I can get back to my main training soon.

Sometimes you have to take a step back, reevaluate what you’re doing, make the necessary adjustments, and keep moving forward.