Zumba Class "Zumba Circle Luana" in Hokuryu-cho, Japan!

Monday, October 12, 2020

Zumba class "Zumba Circle Luana" is held every Wednesday (from 5:15 p.m.) in the martial arts room of the Hokuryu-cho Rural Environment Improvement Center (gymnasium) as one of the circle activities of the Hokuryu-cho Cultural Federation.

Dance and have fun with Zumba (ZUMBA)

Dancing happily to Latin rhythms under the guidance of fitness instructor Natsumi Sengoku!

Zumba (ZUMBA) means "festive" in Spanish and is a Latin dance fitness that combines a variety of dances. It is a fun way to move your body to rhythmical music.

Zumba Gold / Karada Bar® / Zumba

Classes in Hokuryu-cho are divided into three classes: Zumba Gold (slow tempo class), Karada Barre® (stretching with equipment), and Zumba (high tempo class), each lasting about one hour.

Participants that day included 14 people from in and out of town (Zumba Gold: 6, Zumba: 8).

Zumba Gold (slow tempo class)

Stretching with Body Bar®.

The Karada-Bar® program is a program that incorporates the five elements of "muscle strength," "balance," "coordination," "stretching," and "unwinding" using the equipment "Karada-Bar®. The Japan Karada Work Association (Gifu Prefecture) is promoting the program.

Zumba (high tempo class)

A light and lively dance exercise to a fast-paced rhythm. This dance is full of energy.

Natsumi Sengoku, fitness instructor, talks about

We spoke with instructor Sengoku after the three classes and three-hour lesson.

Farmer's wife became a fitness instructor four years ago!

Dr. Natsumi Sengoku was born and lives in Shintotsukawa Town, Hokkaido, Japan, and is 47 years old. She married into a farming family and engaged in farming while raising two children. When her children grew up, she started going to the gym as an exercise for her own health.

When my aerobics teacher encouraged me to become an instructor, I began studying fitness and continue to try to obtain various certifications. I became a certified instructor when I was 43 years old.

Started "Zumba Circle Luana" in Hokuryu Town

When I first became an instructor and started my activities, I was given the opportunity to hold a lesson class in Hokuryu Town.

At first, only "Zumba (high tempo class)" was offered, but "Karada Barre®" classes were added, and a beginner-friendly class "Zumba Gold (slow tempo)" was also established.

Karada-Bar® exercise is a program that uses a wooden bar to move the body, and is popular with both men and women alike as a form of exercise that improves flexibility.

This is my fourth year teaching in Hokuryu Town. There have been times when I honestly thought about quitting because of the small number of students. But the members of Hokuryu-cho are all warm and nice people, and each time they encouraged me to keep going. Now, I am happy to see so many people participating.

Zumba is a fun way to enjoy music.

My parents were ballroom dance instructors. I grew up in such an environment, and when I first heard the Latin music of Zumba, the rhythmic sound went right into my body.

I like the fact that Zumba uses "visual cueing," in which the next movement is communicated through gestures rather than "verbal cueing," which is vocal instructions, so you can enjoy the music while enjoying fitness. I was quite moved by the importance of music and being able to exercise while feeling the music.

Value communication in face-to-face instruction!

I value face-to-face instruction in Zumba. I am the instructor and I am the participant, not everyone is facing the mirror, but I am the instructor and I want to meet the participants face to face and enjoy the exercises while maintaining good communication.

18 regular lessons

In the midst of this Corona disaster, he also offers online lessons and currently teaches 18 regular lessons.

Home in Sunagawa City, Takigawa Sports Club Sante (6 lessons), lesson classes for participation in cultural festivals, Q-REN Body Maintenance Pelvic Gymnastics (Body Maintenance), Kids Dance, and at a gym in Iwamizawa, etc.

We would like to work on fitness for seniors.

At the "Back and Shoulder Pain Reduction Exercise Lesson (completed in 3 sessions)" held in Shintotsukawa Town, we were surprised that several 85-year-olds participated and exercised well with everyone. In general, most seniors have pain in some part of their body or have physical functions that are deteriorating. I realize that I will continue to learn more about senior fitness and put more effort into it so that seniors can live a healthy life forever.

One new song is incorporated every week.

In my daily life, I am constantly incorporating music into my body, listening to music in everything I do. We also come up with choreography to go along with the music. Everyone looks forward to it, so we make an effort to incorporate one new song every week.

Mental strength cultivated by farmers

The guts I developed as a farmer are still alive today. We are moving forward with a high level of professionalism, not cutting corners.

Become a personal fitness trainer.

My goal is to become a certified personal fitness trainer. I am studying every day," said Natsumi Sengoku with her best smile.

Natsumi Sengoku Qualifications

AFAA Certified Fitness Instructor (PC.FDEC) - ZUMBA (ZUMBA GOLD/ZUMBA Kids, Senior Fitness, Kids Fitness)
Q-REN Body Maintenance Pelvic Gymnastics (Body Maintenance Technique)
Certified as Karada-Bar® Level 1 by the Japan Bodywork® Association

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers for the wonderful Zumba lessons that move your body to the music and lead you to health, both physically and mentally, with the power of ultimate fun.
　

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◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi