Reeled-in by the promise of burning up to 850 calories an hour while having fun, reporter Laura Crombie tried a new fitness craze – and discovered it really is a jungle out there ...
MY NAME is Laura and I am a fitness phobe. There, I've admitted it.
I've tried all kinds of exercise over the years, from roller blading along Cleethorpes Promenade to borrowing a running machine, yet I just can't seem to find a form of exercise that a) I enjoy and b) feels like it's actually making a difference.
My current "fitness" regime consists of a leisurely stroll around Cleethorpes Country Park each evening and a week of skiing each winter – probably not the best for my long-term health prospects.
So, when Humberston fitness fanatic Rachel Blood invited me to sample her latest keep-fit class, I was a little reluctant to say the least.
Would I end up passing out from the exertion? Would everybody else be a Lycra-clad, size-eight goddess? Did I even have any workout clothes?
After delving into the back of my wardrobe and fishing out some slightly greying jogging bottoms and a baggy T-shirt, I headed to St Giles' Church Hall, in Scartho, for my first ever Jungle Body experience.
Rachel, 43, who was responsible for bringing the fun-filled, fat-fighting phenomenon that is Zumba to the area four years ago, has recently launched Jungle Body classes.
She explained: "After my two children were born I became overweight and I didn't feel like me anymore.
"I decided to join a gym and discovered Zumba classes, which I loved. I soon lost four stone and I felt so much better about myself.
"I decided it was time to return to the area where I'd grown up and to bring Zumba back with me.
"The response to the classes in North East Lincolnshire was incredible and it's been more successful than I could ever have imagined.
"The trouble is, after teaching ten hours of Zumba a week, your body becomes used to the moves and it stops challenging your muscles in the same way.
"I started looking for another kind of class that would capture people's imaginations in the same way as Zumba but have even more of an impact on their bodies."
Originating in Australia, the Jungle Body programme includes a series of five fitness classes, with Rachel currently offering Jagua, Burn and Konga sessions.
Jagua combines toning, sculpting, stretching and squatting, while Konga is a high-impact combination of dance with boxing, and Burn, mixes dancing with dumbbells.
I was there to try a Jungle Body fusion class, incorporating elements from all three disciplines. The first relief was that there were people of all shapes, sizes and ages, taking part. In fact, the only way I felt inferior was those ageing tracksuit bottoms!
My fellow fitness buddies were extremely welcoming and Rachel kindly let me linger near the back of the class so that I could watch what everybody else was doing. The hour was broken down into short workouts to individual songs, with a welcome break in between each. Music ranged from Pharell Williams to African dance and was upbeat and energising.
The moves were surprisingly easy to pick up, with a combination of four moves repeated for the duration of each song.
It was fast-paced and, dare I say it, fun. The hour whizzed by as we incorporated aerobic, dance, boxing and even ballet moves into the workout, before picking up our hand weights and then hitting the mat to focus on our abdominals.
Fellow class-goer Jackie Cook, 52, from New Waltham, said she has seen noticeable improvements to her body since starting the classes.
She added: "I started coming to Zumba because I wanted to get fit and when Rachel introduced the Jungle Body classes I decided to try those, too.
"I've noticed that I'm more toned now and I love coming to the classes. The sessions are always different because there are so many moves to mix and match. Rachel is absolutely brilliant, too. She puts all her energy into the class and makes sure you leave feeling good."
As I left the church hall with my legs wobbling and beads of sweat on my brow, I felt something I hadn't experienced in a long time – a post-workout high. And the endorphin rush got me planning my next visit to one of Rachel's classes – I might just get a size eight, Lycra-clad Jungle Body yet.
Rachel Blood runs the following classes across North East Lincolnshire: Monday – Jungle Body mix class at St Giles', Scartho, from 9.20am. Monday – Zumba at Cleethorpes Academy, from 6.30pm. Tuesday – FitSteps at Cleethorpes Academy, from 5.50pm. Tuesday – Jungle Body Konga at Cleethorpes Academy, from 7pm. Wednesday – Zumba at St Giles', Scartho, from 10am. Wednesday – Jungle Body Jagua at Cleethorpes Academy, from 6pm. Thursday – Euphoria dance at Cleethorpes Academy, from 7pm. Classes are usually £4 but Rachel is offering new participants their first class for £2. Call 07967 104195 or visit www.facebook.com/groups/425610094240624Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
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