My very first HOT HULA® fitness class

I was introduced to the HOT HULA® fitness program in January when I attended an instructor training workshop in Orlando. I took the workshop because it seemed like a fun new class format, and, even if I decided I wasn't interested in teaching it, I would still get CEUs toward my fitness certifications. I fell in love with HOT HULA® fitness right away. I got an intense, fun, low-impact workout from the class, and I knew I had to bring it to the Valdosta area.

This program requires each workshop participant to become certified before instructing a class. Since I had never done HOT HULA® before, I certainly wasn't ready to start teaching right away, so I took the instructional materials and practiced at home whenever I had spare time. I absolutely love that this program requires approval before starting up a class. Many fitness class formats just give you some instruction and send you out to teach, but Anna-Rita Sloss, the creator of HOT HULA® fitness, wants to ensure that all her instructors are qualified before they represent the program.

If a trainee instructor feels ready, she may send Anna-Rita Sloss Enterprises a video of herself auditioning her teaching skills to gain approval in order to start teaching. I decided I would wait until I took another workshop before I auditioned. I attended one last weekend in Gainesville, Florida. Since I was more familiar with the moves this go-around, I was able to keep up and get much more out of the training instruction. Each workshop participant had to take a turn teaching the class to determine whether she would become certified, while Anna-Rita took notes on our performances.

After the audition, Anna-Rita approved me to teach! I was ecstatic! HOT HULA® is SO fun and a GREAT workout! I can't wait to share it with others.

I immediately started planning my first class. I needed a location where I could start as soon as possible that had appropriate, barefoot-friendly flooring. The owner of Valdosta Nutrition offered to let me teach in his facility, so I scheduled my first class for today, Thursday, May 3 at 8:30 am. I recently dropped a Zumba® class during this time slot, so I knew some of my previous students would be willing to try it out.

I had just three days to organize my class format and advertise. I must have been pretty successful at promoting it because I had 17 participants show up! I was anxious and excited to get started!

I kept this first class very basic. I warmed up the participants with some isolations and easy movements and a few stretches. Then I broke down some basic moves to the rhythm of Polynesian drumbeats.

I showed the class how to do a "tamau," in which participants "smile with their hips," moving them side to side. We practiced it slow and then at tempo, then traveled from one side of the room and back, while keeping our upper body stable, our weight in our heels, and knees bent to work the legs and abs intensely and continuously.

Then I broke down the "ami," or hip circle. We practiced it in both directions, slowly at first, and then speeding it up. By this time, I was completely drenched in sweat! Next I taught the class an "afata," or box with the hips. They caught on fast!

After the step breakdown, we did a few combinations to some fun reggae songs. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. I definitely wasn't the only one sweating. All the participants said they could really feel the burn! Of course I yelled for them to stay low at least a dozen times! We cooled down with the Cupid Shuffle, and hung around afterward for some socializing and sipped recovery shakes from Valdosta Nutrition. I think the class went very well for the first time. I can't wait until my next class, a week from today on Thursday, May 10 at 8:30 am at the same location.