Someone or the other is always talking about it. And if you are always clueless about this phenomenon called Zumba, here’s a detailed guide for you. Let’s break down Zumba for you today.

“Give your calories one last chance.”

WHAT IS ZUMBA?

Zumba is an exercise fitness programme founded by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto Perez during 1990s. It was the result of a happy accident when the instructor forgot the routine and instead of a traditional workout, he just played some music and danced like you would in a club and the class broke into a sweat and they loved it.  Zumba is not really a meaningful word, it is just a brand name. The original name of this was Rumbacize which was a combination of Rumba – party in Spanish and Jazzercize. The Zumba trademark is owned by Zumba Fitness LLC. Brazillian pop singer Claudia Leitte is the International Ambassador.

Zumba is a mix of dance and aerobic moves done to energetic music and it also combines movements from various dance forms like hip hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue, mambo and also squats and lunges. There are different types of Zumba classes available for all your needs: Zumba Gold for senior citizens, Zumbatomic for children, Aqua Zumba for all the water babies out there and also Zumba toning which provides resistance training.

The Zumba classes are held by instructors licensed by Zumba Fitness LLC. Currently, over 15 million people take these classes across 200,000 locations and 180 countries.

WHO CAN DO ZUMBA?

This is not an easy workout and if you’re an absolute beginner who leads a very sedentary lifestyle, you will find it really challenging at first. Technically, everyone can do it and the premise is to have fun. There are variations of Zumba classes according to the age and goals of participants, however, pregnant ladies should consult a doctor before trying this out. If you are out of shape, you should take it at your own pace. It will leave you exhausted and panting but if you stick with it, you’ll improve your stamina in a week. Basically, prepare to be tired as hell but if you love moving to the beat of the music, this is the one for you!

WHAT TO WEAR AND CARRY?

Wear something moveable and breathable. It should be a light fabric that will wick away sweat. These classes have a huge turnout and add to that the intense activity you will be doing, you will feel very hot very soon. Definitely, invest in good training shoes to avoid sprains and other injuries. Do not forget to carry a towel and a bottle of water, trust me you will need them.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ZUMBA?

1. Weight loss :
   Zumba workouts are an hour long and depending on the amount of effort you put forth, you can burn 300-500 calories in every session. If you practice Zumba for 4-5 days a week, you can burn 1500-2500 calories per week which leads to almost a 3 pounds a month.
2. Improves strength, stamina, and flexibility
3. Boosts brain function, lowers stress, increases productivity
4. Reduces Cholesterol and body fat percentage
5. Helps to shed belly fat
6. Improves coordination
7. Builds endurance and increases heart rate
8. Social exercise
9. Boosts Mood
10. Reduces depression and anxiety
    

FAMOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OF ZUMBA

Sucheta Pal is the most famous instructor in India. She was an ex-IT professional who trained 3500 Zumba instructors in four and a half years. Among the people who swear by their Zumba routines are eminent people like Jeniffer Lopez, Jackie Chan, Natalie Portman, Emma Watson, Halle Berry, etc.

WHERE TO GET STARTED?

1. You can go to the Zumba website and click on find a class, on giving your location you’ll find a number of classes near you.
2. You can always have our good friend Google search “Zumba classes near me”
3. If you already go to a gym then ask them if they hold classes or get the contact of some Zumba studio from them
4. If a class is not close to you or out of your budget then you can rely on a DVD or some Youtube channels like :
   Zumba, Strong Zumba, Zumba Red studio, JECA, OneHowTo etc.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN A CLASS

The class will be an hour long. It will start with a dynamic warm-up and end with a cool down and static stretches. The workout is broken down into songs each of which will have a different dance routine. Usually, they are pre-choreographed but instructors mostly add their own touches. They don’t speak much, they give instructions in form of cues and signals and you need to keep your eyes on them at all times. Participants learn as they go through repetition and practice. So don’t worry if you fumble initially, you get the hang after a few classes.

TAKEAWAY…

Once you have decided that you want to try out a Zumba class and found one that suits you, you’re almost all set to dance your way into a fit lifestyle. Show up early to class and introduce yourself to the instructor, let them know you’re an absolute beginner if that is the case. Find a place where you can see the instructor clearly. Don’t worry if you mess up, everyone does. And if you don’t like the first class, try a different instructor. They all have their own unique style and you never know what you might like.  Before you know it, you’d have done a heart-pumping hour of workout and had an insane amount of fun too. Good luck!