Zumba workout is a great fitness program with high- an energy form of aerobic exercise. It is inspired by Latin dancing which makes it a fun way to increase your physical activity and daily calories burned. The program was founded by Colombian dancer and choreographer Beto Pérez in the year 2001.
Zumba is a trademark owned by Zumba Fitness, LLC, where the organization became one of the most well-known fitness organizations in the world. By the year 2021, the company had 200,000 locations in 186 countries, and the number of people who participate in Zumba classes weekly is 15 million around the world.
Each workout involves choreographed movements set to upbeat salsa and international music, which makes the workout exciting and people return for more.
Photo by Kate From pexels
Types of Zumba Classes:
The audience for Zumba tends to be primarily females; however, everyone is welcome. The organization developed numerous programs to make the classes and choreography accessible to people of all ages, genders, and fitness levels.
Aqua Zumba:
this type of Zumba is designed for people with injuries who need low-impact exercise.
Zumba Gold:
is a modified version of the standard Zumba, and it is perfect for an older audience that wants the same fun music and flair, but with a lower level of intensity.
Zumbini:
designed for toddlers and their caregivers, where the class is held once a week for 45 minutes. It involves music and age-appropriate activities which makes it a great learning experience.
Zumba Step:
the same standard Zumba, but this one has the addition of an aerobic step to increase the intensity of the workout. It involves stepping on and off the elevated surface which is a great way to strengthen your legs.
Zumba Kids:
this one is designed for kids between the age of 7 to 11 years old. It is a modified version of the traditional Zumba with added games and activities to keep the kids engaged as they break a sweat.
Zumba Kids Jr.:
Similar to Zumba Kids, Zumba Kids Jr. is tailored for the audience of children between the ages of 4 and 6, and this one is more as a dance party to keep them engaged and on task
Benefits of Zumba:
Great for weight loss:
Zumba is a powerful workout that will help you burn a lot of calories in an hour, the number of calories depends on the level of intensity. Some studies show Zumba exercise burns more calories than cardio kickboxing as it shows in the figure below.
Helps tone the entire body:
After finishing a Zumba class, you will be feeling sore all over your body in places you never knew existed. The reason is that Zumba targets different muscles group at once.
Good for the health of your heart:
aerobic exercises get your heart rate up which will help you maintain a good cardiovascular respiratory system.
Reduces Stress:
Exercising in general helps reduce stress, but with Zumba, you are not only working out, but you are having fun at the same time with dancing which is an added benefit. Also, it reduces fatigue and enhances cognitive function.
Improves coordination:
Zumba needs a lot of coordination because the arms and legs are typically moving in opposite directions. So, the more you practice Zumba your coordination improves. in return, you will feel confident and comfortable when moving your body
It’s fun and will make you happy:
Whenever you exercise your body releases endorphins which will make you feel positive feeling throughout your entire body. In addition, people enjoy Zumba because of the dance to the point they forget they are exercising.
What Areas of the body does Zumba Target?
Zumba classes move between high and low-intensity dancing moves, which were designed to raise the heart rate and increase cardiac endurance. Unfortunately, it does not target every muscle in the body.
There are three main areas of the body that a Zumba workout hits; namely, the core because the Latin dancing steps focus mainly on the hip and midsection. Legs are one of the areas that are targeted in this workout, where jumps and lunges are incorporated into the choreographed movements. glutes are targeted as well and let me tell you, you will feel a burn in your buns while dancing to the music.
The areas that are not targeted are the back and arms. Though the workout involves the whole body, Zumba does not focus on your back muscles. Arms are another story, though they are not targeted, there are some specialized classes classed Zumba Toning. These classes use weights to help participants strengthen and tone their arms.
Photo by Nicole De Khors from Burst
Things that You Need to Consider Before Joining Zumba classes:
The workout involves high-impact movement which can wreak havoc on your joints. That way if you have knee or back pain or arthritis, you should steer clear of any high-impact moves.
Zumba is for everyone no matter what your physical limitations are or even if you are handicapped, you can consider joining wheelchair Zumba classes. They are great, fun, and it is weight free workout.
If you have any other health conditions such as diabetes you should talk to your doctor before you start your workout, especially diabetes patients. That is because the blood sugar goes down as you work out and your energy level goes up, which makes talking to your physician an important thing to do. As well, for people with a heart condition, you should consult with your doctor because he/she might suggest that you join a cardiac rehab program. Then when your condition gets better you can start Zumba classes.
No workout deserves that your risk your health, there is always an alternative, all you need to do is look for them. Always remember that your health comes first.
0 Comments