Zumba is the latest global trend and it’s no wonder Australia has been quick to embrace this fantastic new fitness trend. Zumba is a Latin dance fitness experience suitable for anyone. As an instructor, people always have questions and concerns regarding training. I say workout, but it’s often referred to as a ‘party’, which means it’s such a fun and easy hour that you won’t even know you’re working out. Exercise doesn’t have to be boring anymore and with Zumba it’s not. The music is motivating, the movements are motivating, the classroom environment is motivating. In this article you will find essential key points to help you with your Zumba experience.
Zumba is a fantastic way to exercise. It has often been called the “disguised exercise” since it is just that. People who attend Zumba classes always say that they feel like they are not exercising, and that is the idea behind Zumba. Take all your favorite Latin rhythms—merengue, bachata, cumbia, salsa, reggaeton, mambo, cha cha, and other styles like belly dance and flamenco—and simplify these moves for an easy-to-follow workout. Zumba classes include everything you need from a workout, lower body, upper body and without even sitting on the floor to do crunches, your abdominal region!
A one hour ZUMBA class allows you to burn up to 1000 calories per session on average, which is great when you think about the other exercise regimens you would have to engage in to burn the equivalent amount of calories. Zumba is great for weight loss for both women and men.
Zumba improves coordination. And the proof is right in front of you after attending 2-3 classes. For those of you who are Zumba regulars, do you remember the first class you ever did? And how was it a little difficult? And now if you think about how easy the movements have become and how you can pick them up faster. The proof is there, the more you practice Zumba, the better you will become, therefore, you will feel better coordinated.
Zumba is great for general health and fitness level. In an average Zumba class, you’ll sweat, but you shouldn’t be out of breath all the time. There will be times during some of the workouts where your heart rate rises and the workout becomes more difficult, but then there are the songs with the workouts that get you back on track and therefore make the workout seem easy. A lady on the radio the other day here in Adelaide weighed 120kg, and after doing Zumba 2-3 times a week, she’s down to 80kg! Zumba is a workout that works.
Zumba is a self-paced workout that everyone should know about. This means that you do the part of the training that you can do and for those parts that are too challenging you can take them at your own level or just march in place. As long as you keep moving during class, you’re doing something good for your body.
The easiest way to get to know Zumba is by taking a class. The classes are informal and there is no pressure to make the moves right away. As an instructor, I tell people that the first class is the hardest, it’s new, and it probably won’t be like anything you’ve done before, so you’re entitled to make mistakes. People often come to me and say that they are not coordinated. I watch these people during class and they don’t seem to be uncoordinated at all!
The moves are repetitive, so it gives everyone time to pick up on the moves, then later in the routine the moves are repeated again so you have a chance to refine them. After the first class, you will notice that the movements become easier, your fitness levels are better, and your coordination will improve. What better way to spend an hour of your day?
