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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2012)
8 The Clackamas Print ; sportsed@ clackam as.edu Wednesday,' Feb. 3, 20J2- Fitness Z um ba craze shakes students into shape ££ I Zumba is sexy, passionate and alluring. Get your sexy on, join Zum ba.” Maria Dixon Zumba instructor Destiny D unrud sways to the music. By Nora Goodman The Clackamas Print -<Ä , M o s t, p eo p le are, fast, asleep a n d d re a d in g th e rin g in g o f th e ir a la rm a t 5 :3 0 a .m . o n M o n d a y m o rn in g s , b u t th a t can ’t b e sa id fo r a sm all g ro u p o f d e d ic a te d early m o r n in g risers .th a t are th e la te s t to g et c a u g h t u p in a w o rld w id e craze. M ix in g m u sic a n d d a n c e , a fu n n e w fitn e ss fo rm h as b e e n created : Z um ba. | ~ “Z u m b a is sexy, p a s sio n a te a n d a llu rin g ,” sa id in s tr u c to r M a ria D ix o n . ’‘G e t y o u r sexy o n .’ Jo in Z u m b a .” i '« D n eo ft'i ■ ori g m-ally‘from Pd»u;--is -cm p l b y f e d a n A d m in istra tiv e A s sista n t a t C lackam as; C o m m u n ity C o lle g e . S he b eg an as a n adviser a n d h a s b een w o rk in g in t h e te s tin g d e p a r tm e n t fo r m o r e th a n sjx years ago. A fte r b e in g ¿ s u b s t i t u t e in th e -fa ll, sh e b e g an te a c h in g Z u m b a classes th is te rm . A c c o rd in g to D ix o n , Z u m b a o rig in a te d in M ia m i, F la. m o re th a n 11 years ago a n d is n o w in m o re w h ich , is n e e d e d to p re v e n t d e p re ssio n d u r in g th e th a n 100 c o u n trie s , in c lu d in g A fg h a n ista n , B razil, c lo u d y O re g o n w in te r m o n th s . T o n y a D u r h a m jo in e d th e e v e n in g Z u m b a co u rse J a m aica, J a p a n , In d ia , N o rw ay , S w eden, a n d Z a m b ia . L a tin a n d o th e r m u sic is im p le m e n te d in to b asic at G C G d e te r m in e d to re b u ild h e r s tre n g th a n d b a l a n ce afte r b e in g in v o lv e d in a car a c c id e n t w h ic h left r h y th m d a n c e steps to g et a g o o d c a rd io w o rk o u t. h e r w ith 4 2 screw s fro m th e w a ist d o w n . S h e sa id it T h e re are d iffe re n t levels o f Z u m b a : B asic o n e a n d has. ta k e n h e r a lo t o f w o rk , b u t sh e loves to sw eat, tw o a n d Z u m b a G o ld , a -le v e l f o r b e g in n e rs a n d so m e th in g t h a t sh e c e rta in ly d o es a lo t o f w h ile ta k p e o p le w i t h disa b ilities., in g Z u m b a . D i x o n d l s o said t h a t s tu d e n ts w h o h av e ta k e n L u c k ily e n o u g h fo r th o se w h o aren ’t early risers, .Z u m b a h av e b e e n k n o w n tQ lose w e ig h t, re d u c e b lo o d p ressu re, d ep ressio n ,; in crease b a lan ce, b e t Z u m b a is o ffered a t tw o tim e s d u r in g th e w eek , o n te r m e n ta l .focus a n d h ave a n overall m o re ch eerfu l M o n d a y a n d W e d n e s d a y ev en in g s f ro m 5 :3 0 p .m . a ttitu d e . D e s p ite -th d -le n g th y ^ fis t o f b e n e fits arid- u n til 6 r5 0 p /m . a n d T u e s d a y a n d T h u rs d a y m o rn in g s fuft a tm o sp h e re j it’s h o t a P E c re d it fo r nothing,* »as fro m 6 a.m . u n til 7 :2 0 a.m . I t s e e m s t h a t th e p e rfe c t c o m b in a tio n o f c a rd io , Z u m b td ta h leave eveh th e f itte s t o f p e o p l e -p a n tin g g o o d m u sic, f u n a n d d a n c e h as b e e n ach iev ed in fo r b re a th w ith a sm ile o n th e ir face. Z u m b a , w h ic h h as g ro w n .,w o rld w id e a t an . a s to n “M u s ic is th e ra p y to th e Söul,” sa id E m ily O lse n , an,evenang Z u m b a s tu d e n t a t-G C C . Qlse-n sw as lo o k ish in g fate. W h ile C la c k a m a s o n ly , offers th e tw o in g fo r a danfce class w ith a g o o d 'c a rd io w o f k ’o u t - c la s s e s o n x a m p u s , th a tm u m b e r m ay g rd w as th e fad c o n tin u e s to c a tc h o n . a n d a lo t o f f u n w h e n she jo in e d Z u m b a a t C C G - S he sa id th e class i s g o o d fo r in c re a sin g e n d o rp h in s , Popular Clackamas course teaches methods for self-defense By Mark Sunderland 4 The Clackamas Print Tucked into a classroom at the back end o f th e gym in Randall H all is- the self defense class. T h e walls are covered in thiek'w hite pads anti the sound from the gym per vades the d o o r Led by PE Instructor Robin Robinson, the class begins w ith a series o f stretches to loosen up the body. Banter between the teacher and the students seems to relax th e m inds o f all students present. - O nce stretches are done, the class begins w ith some basic kicks. Robinson has the students line up against the back wall o f the room and commences kick drills. H e moves from the back to the front o f the class paus ing to, give clear and concise instruction ori how, to execute the various strikes and blocks. “T urn th e body, rotate the-- body,” Rohinson says in a dear voice to the class as they w ork through learning an elbow strike. W ords o f instruction are dear and w ith Robinson describing the technique and showing how to execute the form. A n h o u r later, the class ends on a high note w ith encouraging wbrds from'Robinson and friendly conversation fills the room from both student and teacher. W hile the class m ay sound fun, there area lot more benefits to the course than just plea sure. In addition to the giving o f required PE credits and training in self defense, die class is also part o f a larger degree program and has typically been extremely popular. “T h e self-defense class was part o f the criminal justice program,” said Robinson. “It is one o f the first classes filled up first every term.” ;?': T h e popularity o f the classisn’t just in con nection to criminal justice. It’s also extremely beneficial in learning how to stay safe, as well asjkeep fit. “Because I am a girl for one,” said student Leah M oe. “I’m small, so T ’m taking self- defense to learn som e moves to keep myself safe if that situation, was ever to com e up.” , | M oe’s motives are com m on am ong stu dents, m any o f w hom realize that learning a form .of self- defense can go quite a long way. Even those w ho are there for fun know that the process is a lot o f work. It is a, PE class so one can. expea tcrbuild up a sweat. . “It’s very athletic and helpful and helps a lot ofpeople w ho don’t have training in self- defense or karate,” said Brandon Davis, w ho has returned to take the class several times. Spencer Bellivar, another repeater, adds an interesting light to the class as he is' in a wheelchair. However, despite his handicap, Bellivar insists that his wheelchair isn’t an inhibition. -■“T ts different just because I have to think o f how situations w ould w ork in m y case,” said Bellivar. “Instead o f kicking, I w ould just move m y chair. J hâve to think o f other ways I would do things. It’s n o t more difficult.” T h e class draws both pew students and returning students b ut the reason for that isas m uch for the instruaor,,as ifis.the class itself. “ [Robinson] ,.b .awesome,” said M oe. “H e is very clarifying. H e wants us t o d o - th e moves right. H e doesn’t w ant us to get injured while doing o u r moves and-fhe says] w hen were'practicing b n .someone,' rernern- ber they can-get pay back.” . “[Robinson] is very friendly, funny, always ç n time,” said Davison. Robinson’s full dasses indicate that both he and his course are a hit, b ut self-defense isn’t anything new to. him . H e’s been teaching it w ith a passion for a long time. “I started training in the karate style vdien I was 17 and I first got out o f high school and have been in love w ith itevefisihce. Ifs ju st a-great lifestyle,” said. Robinson. “W hen I firstcam e here, they V * 1 had a guy teaching JHIIH, karate an a about the jWBWCL tim e it was tim e for / | I him to move on-. I acknowledged I jfc; . could teach it and » . I’ve been doing it 1| ever since” H A teacher who * loves w hat he does seems W to be quite the recipe for a good teaching environ- flj ment, and the students J 9 that attend the self- H defense class all seemed MS to have fun. All in all, the class sounds like quite the experience an d J H r Robinson’s 1 students GO 3o. x b o th give it high Hy praise and advise jfflF | their fellow stu- j g S S - dents to join. iBBF - 8 i A lex Bowers Mis. à punching bag in Self-defence class.
