fitworking Friday 7.

Our featured activity this week was Zumba. New to me, and my initial apprehension soon turned to bewilderment as my arms and feet seemed hopelessly out of sync with my brain, never mind the rest of the room and the music. It was exhausting! And then our host Virginia gently congratulated us on completing the warm up! Eek ...

With the clocks changing this week there were times I really didn’t know if I was on old time, new time or somewhere in between. And that honestly did not matter, as I was having A Good Time. I was taken aback at how fast it was and how much I needed to be concentrating - although again, all that actually mattered said Virginia, was moving, and smiling. This was a welcome world where PBs are definitely not measured!

I found the group discussion beforehand on Trying New Things personally evocative. We really do remember the achievements when we accomplish something for the first time. I recalled a childhood of swimming for the first time at the beach at Hayling Island on a Bowyers (one for the real Witneyites) coach trip day out, riding a bike on Colwell Drive and saying the alphabet lying under our sideboard on Burwell Drive.

Why was I lying there? Who knows, but it segues into Virginia’s piece on dance - and asking why as adults we sometimes find doing natural ‘childlike’ activities (eg dancing, lying under the sideboard) scary or embarrassing. We all shared examples of what could stop us, what helped us and what we’d enjoyed achieving - before Virginia led us expertly into that latino place of dance and smiles.

And yes, the next day I did ache in all the right places, and plenty of the wrong ones. I’ll look forward less nervously to my next time!

You can follow Virginia on Instagram at zumbawithvirginia  - and there’s an example of her class schedule below.

Next Wednesday 5th November, it’s Philosophy and fireworks - join us for a Guy Fawkes night of ‘Pumpkins, Plots and Poppies’.  Philosopher Rebecca will help guide us as we reflect on how rituals and traditions both ground and stabilise society, while also evolving and changing. And then we'll take a walk to observe and discuss in real time!