Ease holiday guilt, one leg lift at a time
SHARI CHANEY GRIFFIN THE GAZETTE
Diane Thompson and the 57 others at Jazzercise class Thursday morning probably felt a little less guilty if they went back for a second piece of pie later in the day.
On a day when it’s practically traditional to eat too much, nearly 60 women jumped, punched and lunged to music that could be heard from the parking lot.
“To be totally self-serving, it makes you feel virtuous,” Thompson said.
For several of those working out Thursday, Jazzercise on Thanksgiving is a tradition of its own. Dawn Souza said she has come annually for 10 years.
“It’s kind of like having your coffee in the morning,” she said.
It feels good to work out in the morning and then not worry so much about the big Thanksgiving feast later in the day, she said.
Sue Love, co-owner of the Jazzercise club near Montebello Drive and Academy Boulevard, said Thanksgiving is always one of the largest classes of the year.
She’s taught Jazzercise for 14 years and “as far back as I can remember, it’s always been like that.”
Jazzercise is an aerobic workout that includes stretching and strength exercises. The routines incorporate kickboxing, Pilates and yoga elements performed to a variety of music. What brought Cindy Held to the 90-minute class? “Probably so I can eat more,” she said, laughing.
She’s also on a mission to become a member of the 100 Club, members who have attended 100 or more Jazzercise classes in a year. Held has 22 to go by the end of 2006. And, she said, “You get a full workout here from head to toe.”
“It’s so much easier to do it in a group setting,” Thompson said.
That’s part of the fun of the Thanksgiving class for Souza. She said people who typically come to class on different days and don’t see each other come together on Thanksgiving. It’s like a reunion, she said. “I think everybody thinks they’re going to eat too much,” she added.
Associate instructor Teresa Robertson — dressed as an American Indian for the holiday with long braids and a feather in her headband — called out moves and kept the crowd in a holiday mind- set as she asked who had their turkey already in the oven and who had the most guests coming to dinner.
Copyright 2006
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