Zumba is the exercise for weight loss, burning belly fat, and many others.
All the founders of Zumba have the same first name “Alberto”, including Alberto “Beto” Perez.
One of the most famous Zumba moves is called The Beto Shuffle, the “single-single, double-double” merengue step. Every Zumba class in the world incorporates this infamous move named after Zumba’s creator.
Zumba is not just a Latin-based dance workout. Rhythms from around the world are incorporated into the routine, including in Bollywood.
You can burn up to 1,000 calories in a Zumba class. In fact, there have been studies showing how effective it is, and that you burn more calories than kickboxing, power yoga, and step aerobics.
The word Zumba doesn’t mean anything. We made it up because it sounded catchy.
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Origin of Zumba fitness
Zumba fitness music
“Zumba used very Latin-inspired music – salsa, merengue, rumba, reggaeton. But in the last 5 years, it is international music genre– Bollywood and bhangra is included, there’s belly dancing too.” You will be surprised that several international artists are creating music only for Zumba. “There are award-winning Grammy artists like Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, and Wyclef creating music exclusively for Zumba. Zumba music is catchy, very upbeat, and has a clubby feel to it.”
Benefits of Zumba
Burning calories is the biggest benefit you can get from Zumba. Sucheta tells you how, “Firstly, Zumba can burn calories between 500 -800 calories in every class which is for one hour. You can do Zumba once a day or twice a day, it totally depends on you. But every session of Zumba makes you burn 500 – 800 calories without feeling that you worked out. In Zumba, your mind is in class – you trying to figure out the steps, having fun, and moving to the music. Zumba is an exercise in disguise. It is not like a boring gym – doing reps and sets; therefore people stick to it and that’s why it is effective.”
Zumba has both physiological and psychological benefits
You can divide the benefits of Zumba into two parts:
Physical – It burns calories and Zumba is a total body workout, amazing to tone up.
Psychological – Zumba is a happy drug. Zumba is an electrifying joy. You forget everything – especially stress from your daily life. Zumba improves your mental health and improves your physical image which in turn helps you feel better.
Zumba and strength training
Zumba is definitely a cardio workout but what about building muscles and strength training? “Zumba fitness is a combination of cardio and strength training,” says Sucheta. “Zumba involves a lot of bodyweight training, so you don’t have to go and pump weights. Zumba involves chest presses and overhead raises. The way the instructor teaches you, the fitness part is hidden in that – so you are working every muscle in your body, in addition to your cardio workout.” Zumba is a more a no equipment kind of workout.
“It includes lunges, squats. You can also build six-packs with Zumba, the best example is the trainer – Alberto “Beto” Perez, who has amazing six-pack abs. You can have a lean body with Zumba.”
Specialty in Zumba
“Zumba toning – When you talk about strength training in Zumba toning we actually use dumbbells for strength training. They are not actual dumbbells, they are maraca-like sticks or Zumba toning sticks. You can actually shake them and they are weighted – distributed weight. And the class is done using those weights.”
Weight loss workout
“Zumbatomic – is Zumba for kids. Zumba comes into the picture, especially with increasing obesity in children. A child will not go and exercise if it is not fun; hence Zumba brings the fun element through dance and exercise.”
Weight loss workout
“Aqua Zumba – Zumba in the pool. It is less stress on the joints and it is more effective as there is resistance both ways- it has resistance against gravity and resistance against the buoyancy of water. It is perfect for those with arthritis and those who do not like to sweat it out and those who have body aches like back problems.”
Weight loss workout
“Zumba sentao – it is the newest specialty; it is Zumba using a chair. The whole workout is done using a chair; it is amazing for core workout and total body workout. You can do your squats and lunges with Zumba sentao.”
“Zumba gold – it is Zumba for older adults. This Zumba will keep you fit in a fun way. The beauty of Zumba fitness is that you can modify your steps. Initially, the Zumba instructor announces at the beginning of the class you can go at your own pace.”
