Zumba Dance Workout

by WLR Staff, Adam Vaughan

As your body gets used to a particular exercise routine, you may find your weight loss begins to tail off.  Finding an enjoyable alternative fitness workout can be tricky, and keeping to it can be even harder.

For over ten years, the Latin based aerobic dance and fitness sensation Zumba has been gaining popularity as one of the favourite UK exercise classes.

Popular in homes and gyms around the world for its focus on fun, high energy fitness, a Zumba workout burns calories and helps you to lose weight.  The brain child of fitness instructor Alberto Perez in Colombia during the 1990s, the Zumba dance program fuses Latin music with contemporary dance beats to make exercise fun.

How many calories are burned in a Zumba workout?

Workouts can vary in intensity, and calorie burn from a Zumba session depends on an individual's weight, fitness level and muscle composition. During an hour long session you can expect to burn anywhere from 300 to 600 calories depending on the intensity of your Zumba class.

What can I expect from a Zumba workout?

The Zumba program claims to be an effective, easy to follow, calorie burning dance workout - so if the Latin beats don’t get your feet tapping we don’t know what will!

Zumba aerobic dance classes generally last about an hour, and consist of a combination of Latin American dances, hip-hop, belly dancing and other dance styles.

Zumba instructors are licensed and each will tailor their own fitness routine, keeping to the fundamentals of Zumba to provide a strong aerobic and muscular workout. The whole body moves in a Zumba class, helping to burn fat and build lean muscle. 

As with any organised exercise, make sure that the instructor is fully qualified to teach Zumba and that they comply with Health & Safety regulations to ensure you get the best from your workout.

What are the benefits of a Zumba exercise workout?

Zumba keeps motivation peaked with a catchy soundtrack, plus you get the opportunity to try the moves you've secretly always wanted to have a go at!

Music is naturally the main ingredient to Zumba classes and helps to move the workout from one toning, strengthening or cardio move to another, targeting every major muscle group in the body.

The routines feature interval training sessions which are currently recognised as one of the best ways to burn fat.

Weight Loss Success with Zumba

Sarah lost weight with Zumba Dance and Chris used Zumba as part of his workout routine.  Read their stories and see how much weight you could lose when you burn calories with this lively dance class.

I don’t like gyms – can I still lose weight with Zumba?

Dance classes are designed to be fun and high-energy, making Zumba an enjoyable way to lose weight and improve fitness. Anyone can do Zumba - even if you are new to exercise.

There is no specialist equipment to buy and most gyms and fitness studios in the UK now offer Zumba classes. DVDs are available for those who feel more comfortable exercising in their own homes, making a Zumba for weight loss easy in the privacy of your living room!

Why is Zumba fun?

The goal of the Zumba dance instructors is to make people want to work out, and to love working out. Fun and easy to do, Zumba is the type of fitness exercise you'll want to do every day and enjoy doing it.  By the end of the class, you’ll wish you started years ago!

• It's different. You probably never thought you'd be exercising to this type of music.
• It's effective. Zumba is an aerobic workout, great for overall fitness.
• It’s enjoyable. A Zumba class will make you stick with the program until you get results.

Is Zumba a new dance?

The Zumba program claims to borrow from the following dance styles: 

• Salsa
• Meringue
• Mambo
• Flamenco
• Cha-cha-cha
• Samba
• Belly dancing
• Bhangra
• Hip-hop
• Tango

Are there different Zumba classes?

There are a number of different types of Zumba workouts, each designed to burn calories and tone your body:

• Zumba® – is the basic high energy Latin dance workout. You will get fit, lose weight, and your energy levels will increase.
• Zumba Gold® –designed for active, older people and those new to exercise. It takes the basics and modifies the moves and pace to suit the needs of the participants.
• Zumba® Toning –combines body-sculpting exercises and a high-energy cardio workout. Participants learn how to use toning sticks to target arms, abs, glutes and thighs.
• Aqua Zumba® –Integrates Zumba with traditional water aerobics to give you a body toning cardio workout.
• Zumbatomic® – is designed exclusively for kids (4-12 years), packed with specially designed, child-friendly routines.
• Zumba® in the Circuit –is a 30 minutes high intensity Zumba workout combined with circuit training.  Designed to burn calories, Zumba in the Circuit moves participants from one exercise station to the next in rapid succession. In just 30 minutes this time effective workout can be adapted for all fitness levels.

Where can I join a Zumba class?

Most regional sports centres will run a class, so get in contact with your local leisure centre and enquire.  Alternatively visit the website http://search.zumba.com for information on a class near you.