ZUMBA is a great form of exercise that feels like no exercise when you’re doing it. Well, it probably depends on your teacher. The basic premise of Zumba is to increase your heart rate up and down at controlled points to increase calorie burn. Zumba does this by incorporating Latin dance moves (such as Cha Cha, Mambo, and Samba) with hip hop dance moves and finally some belly dance moves. Your instructor really depends on how much of each pattern you receive during class. In my experience, as a trainer with an aerobics background, you’ll find a workout that’s more aerobic and not so focused on specific dance steps. A trainer with a background in dance tends to incorporate more specific dance steps into his or her routine.
Zumba participants generally wear comfortable workout clothes and possibly a hip scarf. Attire varies from participant to participant. Some like to wear long sleeves and sweats (or are new to Zumba), some like to wear shorts and tank tops, and some like to get into the grove and put on their fanciest workout clothes. Hip scarves vary, too, from those who prefer a hip scarf that makes noise with coins to those who wear a hip scarf with a bit of sparkle and no jingle. A Zumba class is full of participants wearing metallic hip scarves that add to the class’ energy intensity as you can hear/feel your movements as you go.
The calorie burn one gets from a Zumba class is insane. Depending on how hard you push yourself, your calorie burn can be up to 900 calories in a one-hour class. To intensify your workout, try things like raising your legs higher when jumping or tilting your pelvis inward when doing sit-ups to get more of your stroke. If you’re just starting out, you might want to test your abilities with your first Zumba class. How comfortable are your joints when jumping? Does something hurt when you move a certain way? Zumba allows participants to customize their workout to suit their level. By all means, don’t hurt yourself while working out, but try to increase your intensity each time you participate in a class to maximize calorie burn. What other form of exercise provides fun while getting a great workout? Try a local Zumba class in your area. Search them on Google and local gyms and dance studios. I listen!
