InQuire Editor-in-Chief Kiran Saggu and Culture Editor Molly Hope have been going on a mission, to experiment and join in with Kent Sport’s many classes on offer, testing the waters and seeing which classes are the best! In this edition of their reviews, Kiran and Molly ventured into the world of Zumba and Hatha Yoga, lets see what they have to say…

Zumba

Mondays 12.10pm, Wednesdays 6.30pm, Saturdays 11.15am

Intensity – 2.5
Fun level – 5
Quality of Instruction – 4.5
Post-workout soreness – 1
Uniqueness – 3
Type: – High Energy, Dance, Cardio
InQuire Approval – 4
Male/female ratio: 100% Women
Would return? Yes

If you’re into health and fitness in any way you’ve probably heard of Zumba. It may have a reputation for being a mom class, even our newspaper editor told us it wasn’t really a workout. Well, went to test that. It’s description says it ‘fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms with easy to follow moves. The dance routines feature interval training sessions combining fast and slow rhythms that burn fat and tone your body.’ As a couple of Zumba virgins, we were sceptical if our skill level was up to scratch to keep up with all the seasoned Zumba ladies. However, the energetic and slightly insane instructor Emma instantly put us at ease and brought our inner Latina. The class started off with Jax Jones’s ‘Instruction’ immediately giving us flashbacks to Vensday and getting us in the mood to groove (hopefully with more coordination). To anyone worried about their lack of dance ability we can assure that, in a class of full of spirited women energetically dancing to ‘Gasolina’, you stop caring about looking like an idiot and just get into it. Whilst, the bangin’ playlist made the class seem more like fun than exercise we were still sweating profusely by the second ‘warm up’. Overall it was a great time and We agree that this class may not be the one to go for if you’re looking for something quick and effective to get you those summer abs. However, if you’re looking for a fun, high energy class to do with a friend and fit some good old cardio into your day then we would highly recommend Zumba.

Hatha Yoga

Fridays 5.30pm, Sundays 11am

Intensity – 0.5
Fun Level – 2
Quality of Instruction – 3
Post-Workout Soreness – 0.5
Uniqueness – 3
Type: Relaxing, Meditation, Calming
InQuire Approval – 3
Male/Female Ratio: 90% women 10% men
Would Return? Yes

Having attended many yoga classes before we walked into Hatha Yoga expecting to find much of the same stretching and poses as any other yoga class. However, the experience turned out to be less of a fitness class and more of a led meditation. The class is described as ‘slow-paced’ and ‘suitable for all abilities’ with a focus on ‘breathing exercises and slow stretches improve your flexibility and encourage relaxation’. The interesting part of this is the ‘slow paced’. Really forcing yourself to move your body without any vigour and without rushing, is a lot more challenging than you’d expect. We spent the majority of the 45 minute class lying down on the mat, gently moving our arms and legs and focussing on our breathing. That’s not to say this was a bad class. Admittedly, it was a little hard to get into it at first. For this class to be most beneficial to you, you must ignore your surroundings and focus on your body and its movements. If you’re too caught up on the soundtrack of Asian music with soft jungle noises playing in the background, and whether or not your feet smell once the instructor asks everyone to take off their socks, this class won’t live up to its full potential. We both left feeling extremely relaxed in both body and mind. It was just the wind-down we needed after a busy week. So, don’t go to this class looking for a stretching and toning yoga session, or something that will get you even mildly sweaty. But, if you’re looking for a calming and mindful class that leaves you feeling ready to take on another busy week of Uni then this is could be a really beneficial class for you.