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You've probably heard of the dance-fitness revolution Zumba, which took the workout world by storm a few years ago. With hip-swiveling moves and pounding music, Zumba-goers would work up a sweat trying to get their hips to salsa, merengue and cha-cha-cha to the beat. While regulars insist it’s fun and effective, we all have reservations when embarking upon a new fitness adventure – so is Zumba really for you?
Dubbed “fitness parties”, these 60-minute classes offer heart pumping, dance-loving goodness to all. It was designed for everybody and every body! One of the first things you notice when you walk into a Zumba class is that there are people of every age, size, dance ability and background getting ready to show their moves. Whether you can boogie like Beyoncé or were born with two left feet, the dance floor is open to all.
Now, don’t be fooled by all the fun, Zumba is most certainly a workout – and a sweaty one at that. So, if you love the feeling of an endorphin rush this could just be the workout for you. And the aching muscles the next day? The best antidote for that is Round 2.
Zumba is a Latin-inspired cardio-dance workout, which incorporates a mix of low-intensity and high-intensity moves. Alberto Perez, a Colombian Aerobics instructor, founded Zumba in the ‘90s when he forgot to bring his music to class, and instead improvised with Latin beats and the moves that he grew up dancing to.
Today, a fusion of dance moves – from styles like Salsa, Mamba, Calypso, Merengue, Reggaeton and Flamenco – all feature regularly in Zumba classes, with some jazz, country and hip-hop thrown in, to mix things up. The result is a workout that relies on music and choreography for an interval-style, calorie-burning class with a party-like atmosphere. The best bit? There are no wrong moves: if you can’t follow the steps, just keep moving.
Zumba is considered to be an optimal fitness choice, as it mixes resistance training with cardio intervals; a combination experts believe maximizes calorie output, body toning and fat burning. Zumba cleverly combines effective body sculpting movements with easy dance steps, so people forget they are working out, allowing them to exercise longer, and burn even more calories.
Zumba is believed to boast a number of benefits, one of the most important being weight loss. Since this extremely fun workout incorporates a lot of routines designed to improve your cardiovascular system, it is also extremely helpful in your fight to lose those unwanted pounds. Whilst figure vary, the average person can burn anywhere between 600 to 1000 calories in just one session.
Another great advantage of Zumba is that you are toning your entire body each time you go to class. You’ll also notice an improvement in your coordination. While the health benefits speak for themselves, Zumba is also a great way to have fun, meet new people and beat the boredom of your daily jogging route – so give it a go, there’s no time like the present.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
