Fitness First’s Fitness Xplosion

Last October 1, Fitness First launched three of the newest and most innovative exercise programs today which was joined by more than 1000 health and fitness enthusiasts all over the metro. This special fitness event is actually an exercise marathon that featured seven exercise classes and was held at the halls of SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia.

All of the more than 1000 participants spent a whole day of heart-pumping and body-sweating exercises led by well-renowned fitness experts in the country today. The proceeds of this event will go to Gawad Kalinga, a non-profit organization that aims to build and developed poor communities in our country.

Being a runner myself, I was fortunate to be invited to try two of these newest aerobic exercises: the Drums Alive and the Zumba classes. Actually, it was my first time ever to try an aerobics class, so all of these things are kind of a whole new experience for me. Though I’m into physical fitness, I never ventured out trying to do aerobics in the past because I used to perceive it to be a “lesser-intensity” exercise fit only for females to endure. But since I was invited, I took the liberty of trying it out.

The first one is called Drums Alive. It is quite different from the usual exercises I’ve seen before. This program incorporates drum sticks, exercise balls and lively music. The experience is quite unique for me because it involves a lot of physical movements as you drum the exercise ball in the beat of a fast paced rhythm. At the same time, one gets to learn how to play drumming in a band. The Drums Alive program is composed of different sets of exercises where a participant gets to hit other exercise balls in different directions, 360 degrees. At first, I didn’t feel any pressure or tension but, after a while, I was able to feel the “core” heating up as I was perspiring. Now, that is the “workout” I was waiting for!

The second one is the Zumba class that features different Latin dances like Rumba, Samba and a bit of contemporary hip-hop. The high energy dance routines of these programs enable the body to burn fat and tone the body much faster in a more fun way. As for me, dancing is something I was not born to do but through the repetitive dance moves and steps, I was able to get it right in the next cycle or at least part of it. For a guy, dancing the samba, exactly how half naked girls do it at Mardi Grass – Carnaval in Brazil, at first it was a bit embarrassing. But then, as I observed other guys who were doing it much worse than me, who cares?! :)

I consider the two consecutive exercises I went through as a full body workout. I decided to skip the third exercise program Sh’bam because I didn’t bring any change of clothes so I couldn't afford to sweat too much. Nonetheless, I had a wonderful time with just two exercises. These three fitness programs are now available in all Fitness First branches. Everyone is encourage to try it and bring your physical fitness to a whole new level.