Written by Mimi Gold, J Member, and Group Ex Enthusiast
Imagine being in one of the happiest, most fun-filled places in your life! You’re surrounded by extremely wonderful people who are constantly smiling at you and each other as well as engaging in friendly conversations. Then, to your delight, a remarkably talented, competent young woman goes to the front of the room, introduces herself to everyone, and activates a playlist. Instantly, current, popular, upbeat music is playing, causing you and everyone else in the room to have an incredibly wonderful burst of energy and an even higher elevated mood. And then, while focused on the leader, you feel completely uninhibited and do a variety of interesting and challenging moves in sync with everybody else. In short, you simply feel like you’re at the very best party in the world! And it’s one of the greatest things you’ll ever do.
What I’m talking about are group exercise classes at the Jewish Community Center. I’m absolutely thrilled to attend Zumba, High Fitness, and High Low classes on the average of six days a week. Why? Because high impact aerobics is a form of exercise I truly love. What gets me going is the absolute fun of it. And I’m getting a versatile, full-body, cardio workout without even thinking for a moment that it’s exercise.
Everyone knows the benefits of taking good care of yourself. Exercise improves your well-being, prevents illnesses, reduces the risk of falls, increases cognitive function, raises your heartbeat, and releases endorphins. It certainly is all that, but it’s also so much more.
“In short, you simply feel like you’re at the very best party in the world! And it’s one of the greatest things you’ll ever do.”
In Zumba, High Fitness and High Low group exercise classes, every single one of the instructors has an amazing amount of energy, positivity and versatile abilities. They step and dance in countless ways. And how they remember all the moves to each beat of every song is beyond me. Once the music starts, and everybody in the room automatically responds to the fast beat tempo, people are smiling from ear to ear throughout the entire class. And the reason is because listening to the music and moving in time with it feel amazingly good. I sometimes can’t get over how unbelievably joyful, exhilarated and empowered I feel.
Socializing with other people is another significant aspect of the experience. Everybody is welcome at the J because it is an open, inclusive community. And acceptance is critical and beneficial for everyone. Similar mindsets and shared values help create a sense of camaraderie. Friendships develop and strengthen. And many social ties and connections last for years. And all the smiles among class members seem to literally light up the group exercise room! The more participation the better. Furthermore, I’ve developed meaningful relationships with the teachers of Zumba, High Fitness and High Low, and this tremendously enhances my pleasure when I attend their classes.
Working out consistently is a simple habit. And the payoff for being active at the J is so wonderful. The more I exercise, the better I feel. And when I’m happy, I’m motivated to keep moving and become increasingly healthy. How grateful I am for this gift in my life! And in October, 2023, I even surprised myself. I attended at total of 61 group exercise classes only to learn that this was the highest number that anyone had done during that period of time. As a result, I was awarded a Certificate of Achievement and given a complementary massage at the J.
I sometimes can’t get over how unbelievably joyful, exhilarated and empowered I feel.
I tell everyone I know how much I love going to J. And I also encourage people to try group exercise classes because I’m certain they will love them as much as I do. It’s so important to have fun in your life, feel joyful, be energized, have a sense of accomplishment, and reach your personal goals. And it’s never too late for anyone to start any of these classes.
It’s like magic. We all have magic within us, and doing something for yourself is one of the most valuable things you can possibly do. The key to success is consistency and persistence over time. Simply figure out what benefits of exercise are important to you, establish a prompt, set your expectations realistically, and celebrate each of your victories. And when you do something you enjoy and makes you feel good about yourself, you’re likely to stay motivated to do it again and again.
I actually even wrote a poem about how much I enjoy classes at the J. Here it is:
Every morning, starting in the year 2023…
I have done something great that is especially for me.
A perfect start for a productive day…
has been going to the phenomenal “J Sweet J.”What is extremely awesome about this special place…
is instant joy for anyone in the human race.
Social benefits at the J are absolutely tremendous…
Employees and J members are extraordinarily stupendous.Group exercise classes are especially fun…
They make me so happy. I never want them done.
I regularly attend the classes to get physically fit…
It’s something I wholeheartedly love, I readily admit.Fitness instructors have amazing talents, ones I greatly admire…
Their remarkable skills absolutely motivate and inspire.
They are super-experienced and so charismatic…
Members respect and appreciate them. It’s totally automatic.Catchy, upbeat music have classes go with the flow…
Working out together, groups seem to put on a show.
Watching and following each workout direction…
greatly improves my mind-body connection.Exercise keeps me positive and optimistic…
I’m cheerful, hopeful, and always realistic.
Staying fit relaxes my mind, body and soul,…
and preventing dementia is a major goal.Challenging myself with exercise in a variety of ways…
improves my self-esteem, and I can give myself some praise.
Staying physically active as much as I possibly can…
has me making steady progress ever since I began.Exercise is certainly an important use of my time…
It’s as enjoyable as thinking of poetic words that rhyme.
I definitely plan to continue my workout routine…
The J is spectacular for treating me just like a queen!