I CANNOT let October come to a close without writing about this advocacy. Fondly known worldwide as Pink October, this month is allotted for breast cancer awareness. I was happy when my zumba sister, Arrissa Arellano-Navarro, has invited our zumba family to her Rotary group’s “Zumba for a Cause” on October 27, Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. (doors open at 5:30 a.m.) at the Pelaez Sports Center along Velez St.
Last Tuesday, the Rotary Club of CDO Premier president, Tring Zarraga, in coordination with Dr. Malen Sevidal-Saquilayan (the event chairman), came with Arrissa to our gym to personally invite all of us, together with our family and friends, to support their cause. Our resident Uptown Zin (Zumba Instructor Network), Ryan Padulle Romano will be leading the dance.
For just a 200 peso ticket donation, we can dance our hearts out at the SportsCenter, with the knowledge that we’re sweating for something so much bigger than ourselves. After all, one hundred percent of the proceeds are slated to benefit the patients of Northern Mindanao Medical Center Oncology Unit. Oncology is the study and treatment of tumors and cancer.
If you’re a woman, this is an issue you should be concerned with because you’ve got a pair of boobs, hopefully perky, proudly mounted on your chest. Remember, size does not matter when it comes to breast cancer, so don’t forget your yearly mammograms and don’t be remiss in doing your monthly BSEs (breast self exams) by visual inspection and palpation (via hand) at the end of your monthly cycle.
If you’re a guy, it is high time to remind the important women in your life regarding their breast health. Real men also wear pink. We may not be able to stop cancer, but hopefully, together, we can remind each other about health checks and early detection. Doing so helps us catch cancer at an earlier stage, which gives those afflicted by the disease a higher chance of survival.
The Zumba for a Cause is also the perfect chance for any newbie to discover the joys of zumba fitness. Zumba literally takes the “work” out of work outs. This hip-swinging, stomach-gyrating, and lung-busting dance moves, coupled with lively music, feel more like a party than exercise. In zumba, we are energetic and excited because as the hit song goes, “I feel better when I’m dancing, yeah, yeah!”
Here are some more benefits of zumba:
It’s a TOTAL body workout
Studies indicate that an hour of zumba class—with its mix of high and low intensity moves—can burn from 500 to a thousand calories (depending on the pace). It is a total body workout combining these elements: cardio, muscle conditioning, balance, and flexibility. Zumba helps burn stubborn fats, builds endurance, revs metabolism, and tones muscles.
Good for any Fitness Level
Zumba is for everybody and every *body*. Yep, that’s not a typo! Zumba is for everyone—all genders welcome, regardless of age. It is for every body ... meaning, every single body type. The class brings together all types of people, of all fitness levels, to sweat and rock it out with dance moves that are easy to follow.
Improves coordination
There is a variety of tunes and dances from: Latin, K-pop, Hip-Hop, Sexy Dance, etc; hitting all types of movement, and ergo, muscle groups. Joining a zumba class helps improve grace, balance, and coordination. These are essential qualities that are extremely important to maintain as we get older. Being coordinated, maintaining grace, and having impeccable balance means we lessen our risk of falling, which is the number one enemy of aging and brittle bones.
Confidence Booster
Zumba improves posture, tones muscles, and promotes weightloss thru dance. On top of that, all that gyrating and grinding somehow lessens inhibitions and makes a person less self-conscious. Those who do zumba are more attuned with their own bodies, which in a way help in making them feel good about themselves. Someone who feels good also looks good.
Stress-buster
Studies indicate that the upbeat music in zumba releases endorphin, a hormone that triggers positive feelings that make people happy. Honestly, dancing is the perfect stress reliever which helps improve mood and melts worries away. Why be moody, when you can shake your booty?
Meeting New Friends
Attending zumba classes and events mean meeting a bunch of interesting people. Perhaps, of all the benefits of zumba, this is what I am most personally grateful for. I have met several friends in class who now mean the world to me. Zumba makes it possible to forge new, meaningful, adult friendship with like-minded people who value their health, who love to groove, and who promote positivity through dance.
Don’t forget, everyone is invited to attend the Rotary Club CDO Premiere’s Zumba for a Cause this coming Saturday. In zumba, no one cares if you can’t dance well...what matters is you just GET UP and DANCE!