I grew up in a household where music was always playing; my childhood was a mixtape of The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, and Linkin Park. But while I always felt the music, I never had any rhythm — that is, until the pandemic happened. Like many others stuck at home, I flocked to at-home workout programs as a way to stay fit, and quickly discovered a love for dance cardio classes. I spent the past two years memorizing hours of choreography and slowly finding my own rhythm, so when I heard about Shaun T’s Let’s Get Up 30-day program, it seemed like a great way to challenge myself to see how far I’ve come.
I may not be ready to head back to the gym just yet, but with 30 days of high-energy cardio-dance routines and targeted resistance training, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be bored.
Shaun T’s Let’s Get Up! Review
Let’s Get Up! is comprised of six 30- to 35-minute workouts per week with a calendar that makes it easy to follow along. In each video, Shaun T brings you through a series of easy-to-follow dance cardio routines, toning and tightening sequences, and a burst of cardio-based conditioning intervals from his super popular Insanity program. In terms of equipment, all that’s required to complete the program is you, but a pair of light to medium dumbbells is recommended twice a week for videos when Shaun T implements weight lifting into the workouts.
Source: InstagramMy first taste of Let’s Get Up! came in the form of a 35-minute sample workout. I was introduced to Shaun T (though, I was already familiar from Insanity), became acquainted with his team, and got my first look at the work I’d be doing for the next month. The first class had the intensity of a boot camp, but without all the yelling and screaming of a militant-style camp. Shaun T’s high energy made it fun, which helped distract me from the sweat that was already pouring down my forehead at the end of the warm-up. The Beachbody instructor is really in his element here, and strives to make anyone participating feel like they are, too through silly moments and words of encouragement, which is 100% my workout vibe.
Participating in a dance workout can be intimidating, even if the dance floor is just your living room and you’re totally alone. But once the music starts up and Shaun T starts breaking down moves for you by making eye contact with the camera, you can’t help but let go. Slowly but surely, I stopped worrying about how I looked and started to have fun. You know the saying “dance like no one is watching?” It comes in handy when you’re trying to loosen up for this workout.
OK, But Is Dance A Legit Workout?
In an exclusive interview with STYLECASTER, Shaun T explained that dance as fitness is more than just movement, but rather, a total-body, rhythmic experience. “All of that movement causes your heart to beat faster and your entire cardiorespiratory system to work harder, to boost blood flow, to work muscles,” he says. It’s equal parts leaning into the music, letting your body feel the music and move, and strength training.
Dance as fitness “strengthens your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, helps develops agility, coordination, balance, and build core strength,” Shaun T tells SC. Let’s Get Up! is definitely a testament to that. Each class left me sweaty and exhausted, but I also felt stronger by the day, and more comfortable letting go after each class I took.
For me, the most rewarding part of the program has been my becoming more confident in my body and allowing it the freedom to flow, to find what feels good, and go with it. After 30 days of dancing, I’m still nowhere near professional, but I can keep up, which is such a win. I dance for the fitness aspect, yes, but also because life’s just too short not to.
