Legalese

Because gyms are a great supportive space for self-improvement, it does have its share of liability. We aim to provide smart responsible guidance to anyone who seeks it at our gym, but we can never really know anyone’s body like they know their own.  

 For this reason, there are additional waivers and legal documents to sign before joining a small group or private fitness training option. One of our representatives will walk you through all of this and rest assured, it was drafted up with the help of our own legal representation in Biloxi.   

 We are much more concerned about the safety of our clients than any of this legalese so please trust that our staff are fully trained and accredited, our facilities are safe and our equipment is constantly being cleaned, maintained, and repaired. 

Group vs. Private Training

Depending on your budget, you may benefit from small group or private training. Most gyms offer differing levels of training, mine offers the gym membership which includes full use of the facilities and large group classes, there are option small group classes, and personal training options.  

 I find that the small group classes are great for people who need accountability, someone to notice them showing up, and a sense of community. Large group classes also increase accountability as they have an actual start date to prevent you from sitting on your couch until the gym closes never having chosen a time to go. Personal training is a good way to get familiar with the gym, exercises that work for you, diet and nutrition tips, and reasonable goal-setting with a professional.  

Staying Motivated

Whether you need to lift some weights or run a few miles, sometimes the hardest part of exercising the body is turning off the mind. I have a few different ways to stay mentally engaged during an exercise.  

  1. Playlists. I spend a bunch of time putting together different pace, style, and purpose playlists. I aim for sweet indie with strings for yoga and stretching, hip hop and metal for cardio, hardcore for lifting, etc. Putting some mental effort into creating the playlist helps me stay engaged in the music while I’m working out rather than letting it become driving but ambient music.  
  2. Podcasts. I like to consider every exercise session also an opportunity to learn and grow – often that can mean listening to podcasts that will help me do just that. Whether it be a political current events podcast to help me stay aware but not obsessed, an investigative journalism exploration of a crime, or short stories – I like consuming stories without sacrificing an active body. 
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Legalese

I’ve considered to great extent having legal representation. My biggest fear is having someone become injured in a class – not because of the legal fight that may follow, but because I’d hate to cause anyone harm.

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I considered obtaining legal representation here in Biloxi and having waivers present for all events, but ultimately haven’t pursued this yet. When working at gyms, all members have signed waivers as part of their gym membership. But at birthday parties and events, those booking simply sign a waiver noting that no injuries as a result of my classes will be brought to me for retribution.

 

That, however, has huge loopholes as the actual attendees have signed nothing and are likely unaware that such a waiver even exists. And talking legalese during a dance class is not super driving or motivating!

 

So, if anyone has suggestions, please sound off in the comments so I can learn and grow and be better at my job!

Hip Hop

Hip Hop Dance is my most common booking for bar/bat mitzvahs, birthday parties, and Quincenera parties. Hip Hop Dance instruction is a great way to break the ice on a dance floor surrounded by embarrassed teenagers (and their parents). Many people don’t feel comfortable dancing in front of their peers, especially if they don’t have any moves. Let me teach the moves to get the floor going – this usually only takes about 30 minutes – and as people begin to feel more comfortable and loose, I slink off the floor and saddle up to the open bar.

Based on the kind of music you want to play – freestyle, house, hip hop, rap – I’ll design a 30-minute large group class and teach individual moves that ultimately lead to one big choreographed dance.

 

Because I understand people attend these events in all styles of dress, most of which shouldn’t become too sweaty, this is more of a dance than a workout. Don’t worry about what you’re wearing. If your shoes are uncomfortable, kick them off. Just get out here and dance!

Barre

Barre is a great way to gain strength, muscle definition, and balance.  The ballet-inspired Barre Class is usually a 45-minute class focusing on low-impact, isometric movements designed to shape your body. Expect to leave a barre class sweaty and with your muscles shaking.

 

If your goal is to get “beach ready,” I usually suggest doing a cardio dance class (like Zumba or Body Combat) 2-3 times a week and a low-impact muscle toning class (like Barre) 2-3 times a week. This creates a good balance so that as you burn calories and shed weight, you’re also developing muscle definition to take its place.

 

Barre and other ballet-inspired fitness classes also promote good balance, mental clarity, and yoga-like meditation. By holding challenging poses longer, using muscles to do little pulses rather than reps, and using body weight as much as small weights, you’re adding definition and strength without bulk and weight.

 

I suggest wearing tight-fitting clothing that you can move comfortably in and going shoeless. Being barefoot helps to correct and improve balance. Many barre-fitness believers find it to be a good workout to do during a cleanse or dietary changes since it requires so little energy and burns so few calories.

 

This is also a great exercise to adapt for elderly and handicapped folks as it can readily be changed to meet all fitness needs without endangering the infirm.

BodyCombat

BodyCombat by Les Mills is a high-intensity martial-arts inspired workout with no contact. Punch, kick, and jump your way to burning almost 700 calories in a 45-minute class. BodyCombat is a great stress reliever as you can kick and punch your problems out of your way instead of a punching bag or sparring partner.

 

Because of the high-energy nature and driving music of Body Combat, it is not suggested for pregnant women, elderly folks, or young kids. While no martial arts experience is needed to get a great workout from Body Combat, it is very high intensity and includes lots of jumping, so you’ll want to be in fairly good shape when you start.

 

I teach Body Combat at several local gym facilities as well as through a video app. This is more workout-specific than Zumba and therefore isn’t recommended for parties or events.

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I suggest wearing tight-fitting clothing that won’t weight you down or trip you up. There are no tools or accessories for a Body Combat workout – just you and your energy!

Zumba

Zumba is pretty much the first thing anyone thinks of when you talk about Dance as Cardio. Zumba is a Latin-based cardio fitness dance that can easily be adapted for all fitness levels. Whether you want to do 50 jump squats, 25 squats, or 10 deep stretches, do it to the Latin beats that drive a Zumba fitness class.

Classes can also be designed for different lengths. A 30-minute class is a great way to get your heartrate up and burn a few calories while a 60-minute class may allow you to reach peak heartrate to get your burn on all day long!

 

Zumba is a total workout and I try to incorporate endurance, strength-training, flexibility, cardio, and muscle conditioning. By the time the class is over, you’ll find yourself surprised at how much energy you have!

 

Specific classes include Zumba Step, Zumba Toning, Aqua Zumba, Zumba Kids, and Plate by Zumba. So whatever you need, I can develop a class with you in mind. I can also develop a playlist that you appreciate. Not everyone wants to dance to Pitbull!