AS(U) Should Try This: Grind class
If you love upbeat radio hits and burning calories, then Grind is for you! The class is a series of hip-hop dance combinations set to popular music. The dances are cardio-heavy and engage many body parts, but most of them center around shaking the hips.
The instructor, Danny, was helpful and motivating. He shouted constant words of encouragement and never stopped smiling. He explained that, at its simplest, Grind “is a class that focuses mainly on squeezing the core and the different movements that the hips can do.”
Honestly, I was slightly nervous to attend this class — mainly because my dancing career began and ended with an embarrassing sixth grade recital. However, the class projected an infectious energy and my nerves were eased quickly.
We started off with a slow and simple warm-up combination. But after that, the energy intensified. The dances became very fast and required us to jump, spin and drop to the floor. We worked out to Beyoncé, Ariana Grande and Rihanna, so it really wasn’t a problem to keep up as I got my queen on.
We were given breaks to catch our breath, but I don’t think I was ever able to until it was over. Seriously, I was drenched in sweat and dying inside, but somehow I still had a great time!
After about 45 minutes, it came time to cool down. We grabbed mats and engaged in several yoga-style exercises and stretches. This was an element to the class I was not expecting.
But although we were building muscle and endurance, I learned that Grind is about more than fitness. The whole class emphasized feeling and being confident, regardless of skill level.
“Don’t think of it as a fitness class,” Danny said. “Think of it as a time to let go, be comfortable in your own skin and just feel good.”
Though the dance combinations have specific movements to execute, you are encouraged to put your own spin on everything. You also get to freestyle. For me, freestyling meant awkwardly bobbing my head and flapping my arms — but hey, I tried. And nobody laughed at me, so that was a bonus.
I was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I think that’s the point of the class — it challenges you to put yourself out there and then to feel good about what you just did.
“The most important thing to remember is that you come for yourself,” Danny said. “You’re not coming to perform for anybody or do anything other than feel great and take care of your body because you love yourself.”
That’s what I liked most about Grind: the emphasis on feeling and being confident. As Danny described it, the class is a “judgement-free zone.”
So if you’re feeling nervous about dancing in front of others or you’re just awkward like me, don’t be afraid! This class is designed to leave everyone feeling good.
“It doesn’t matter if you look like Beyoncé’s backup dancer or if you’ve never danced a day in your life,” Danny said. “We are just here to have a good time and to celebrate ourselves.”
