Now that the UIL State Spirit Competition is over, cheerleaders are spending their period doing various workouts to maintain their fitness. 

Zumba, a dance workout sensation that took over the fitness world in the early 2000s, has hit the gyms during cheer’s class period. However, this isn’t a typical zumba class.

Cheerleaders first learn the choreography and then put on Kangoo shoes, tall stilt-like sneakers that are decked with springs. Applying normal pressure on the shoes when moving, a person is able to jump higher than compared to normal exercise. The shoes are a Zumba favorite in order to intensify a workout.

Sophomore Malia Willingham brought her mom, who happens to be a Zumba instructor, to teach the rest of the team.

“Me and my mom got into this a couple months ago after UIL, and we just do workout throughout the cheer period,” Willingham said. “I was like ‘hey my moms a fitness instructor and it has to do with cheer and dance and she [could] come and teach us’ and [the coaches liked my idea].” 

Different from a normal Zumba workout, Willingham’s mom compares the Zumba workout to a place only astronauts go.

“It’s basically a fun way to workout, she calls it dancing on the moon,” Willingham said. “You’re basically dancing the whole time while you’re jumping and it really helps your joints and it’s really good cardio.”