Have you ever gone to the gym and then realized you left your earphones at home? Then you know how good music can help or detract from your workout. So if you’re not really into country music, you may have already written off the idea of trying Country Heat from BODi’s workout list.
If you’re thinking, “I can pry my Drake playlist out of my cold, dead hands,” I get it. Country music is a total love-it-or-hate-it thing, and no one understands that better than Country Heat creator Autumn Calabrese. “I hated country music until I was about 16. I hated it!” she says. Her family then moved from Cleveland to St. Louis, and friends made her obsessed with Garth Brooks, LeAnn Rimes, and Shania Twain. Now she says: “I probably listen to country the most when I’m in the car.”
who knows? You, too, may have a deep-seated obsession with country music. Or not, but there’s only one way to know, right? Even if you don’t like country music (yet), there are several reasons to give Country Heat a chance.
1. Country music is funnier than you think.
If you don’t listen to a lot of country music, you might think it’s all about sad songs about pickup trucks. But don’t ignore the entire genre just yet. There are plenty of upbeat country songs out there, including songs that blend country with pop and hip-hop, like Justin Timberlake’s country-inspired “Drink You Away” and Nelly’s cover of Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man.”
“The term ‘country music’ has a negative connotation for a lot of people. They think of it as old-school, exciting music, and that’s not the case anymore,” Autumn says. “You can listen to country music and dance to it. If you go to a line dancing bar, you’re going to come out covered in sweat.”
Still skeptical? For example: According to jog.fm, Luke Bryan’s “Kick the Dust Up” is measured at 172 beats per minute, a tempo similar to high-energy workout tracks like Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” and Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood.”
2. Country Heat is more than just a line dance.
Country Heat is not a line dancing instructional video. The moves are inspired by line dancing, but it’s a high-energy, calorie-burning dance workout. It’s also easy to learn, accessible to almost any fitness level, and tons of fun. “Country Heat feels more like dancing than working out,” Autumn says. “It’s something people can get behind.” (But if you like good old line dancing, there are two bonus line dance workouts.)
3. You don’t have to be an expert dancer to pull it off.
If you’re not the most graceful dancer, you may be hesitant to try Any dance training. Try the BODi dance workout Cize — anyone can learn the routines in a fun way, but at least a bit Just a little bit of rhythm can make you feel like you’ve really accomplished it. However, the basic movements of Country Heat are easy to learn, even for beginners.
Each workout also comes with a 15-minute primer that explains each move in detail, so you can learn footwork. in front You put it to music. “That’s my number one tip: break down the movement and execute it,” Autumn says. “Even though it’s basic choreography, taking 15 minutes to learn the moves makes a big difference. Then when you go through the routine, you feel more confident because you’ve seen what happens and practiced it.”
4. Don’t suffer from burnout.
Even your favorite songs can get old if you listen to them over and over again. However, each 30-minute Country Heat workout includes six different songs, so you don’t have to listen to the same songs over and over again. (However, I can’t get “Footloose” out of my head. Sorry.)
5. Country Heat is designed for beginners, but anyone can work up a sweat.
The great thing about this style of dance is that it’s not about precision or perfection. That means you can have fun, put your own spin on it, and push yourself as hard as you like. “If your arm doesn’t move exactly like mine, it won’t make or break the results,” Autumn says. “You get the most out of it when you’re having the most fun, when you’re immersed in it, not worrying about technique, just thinking about challenging yourself.” And you don’t have to be a die-hard country fan to understand that.
