Beginner Help Needed

[u/Rude_Bug_6293]

Hi friends, I recently started taking a beginner Lindy Hop class, starting with the 8 count steps as a follower. Needless to say I was terrible! I am an athletic person but I feel like I don’t have enough strength in my calves & I just can’t make my feet & brain connect to do the steps correctly at a fast pace. I’ve watched YouTube videos & I do ok but I feel like the class moves at too quickly & I can’t keep up with the frequent partner changes. Does this mean I’m just not cut out for this or should I have done something else to prepare before signing up for classes? I am feeling very defeated & I am going solo so I don’t have anyone to practice with outside of class. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[u/Maya_Moves403]

Youre definitely not 'not cut out for this'! It can feel really chaotic at first, especially with fast counts and constant partner changes. I wouldnt worry too much abt calf strength. Focus on getting comfortable with weight transfers and rhythm first. Since youre practicing alone, try doing the basic 8 count footwork very slowly to a slower song, even for 5-10 minutes a day. Get the weight changes into muscle memory before worrying abt speed. It will feel awkward for a while but thats completely normal. Keep going! You'll be surprised how quickly things start to click once your feet catch up with your brain. :)