If you’ve ever lost yourself to the beat on the dance floor, then you already know dancing can be both a great workout and a blast. Dance and fun are at the heart of Zumba. The Latin-flavored dance fitness classes have taken the world by storm and can now be found in most large gyms, including at EōS Fitness.
If you’ve been hankering to know more about Zumba classes and whether you should give it a try, here’s everything you need to know.
What Is Zumba?
The story goes that Zumba made its hip-swinging world debut in the ’90s when fitness instructor Alberto “Beto” Perez forgot his normal music for an aerobics class in his native country, Columbia. In a moment of both desperation and serendipity, Perez put his Latin-dance cassettes into the music player… and the rest was history.
Zumba made its way to the United States in the early 2000s and slowly grew into one of the country’s most popular dance fitness classes. Though Zumba has grown to incorporate a number of different class modalities, the typical class is 30 to 60 minutes and features students dancing to an upbeat Latin mix of samba, mambo, salsa, and merengue music. Certified Zumba instructors build simple choreography, matching the fast and slow rhythms of the music to create a natural interval experience. The movements build upon each other until ending with a cool-down section.
That’s a Zumba workout in a nutshell. Interested in giving Zumba dance a try? Here are some of the biggest Zumba benefits to look forward to.
Reason 1: Almost Anyone Can Do Zumba
Zumba classes are designed to be as welcoming as possible to people of all types and backgrounds. The dance moves are simple and easy to learn even if you have two left feet. Drop into any Zumba fitness class, and you are likely to find people of all ages, shapes, and sizes. This makes Zumba a great option for new exercisers or anyone coming back to the gym after a long break.
If you feel a little intimidated by the thought of joining a group fitness class, then Zumba is a great place to start. Even if you don’t do every movement perfectly, no one will notice or care. The point of the class is to let go, have fun, and be yourself. Every Zumba class is a Zumba class for beginners!
Reason 2: You’ll Burn a Lot of Calories and Fat
Can you perform Zumba for weight loss? Fortunately, Zumba has been around long enough and is popular enough that researchers have started digging in, and the results are promising. A 2012 study from the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine recruited female college students and found that they burned an average of 369 calories during a 40-minute Zumba workout. That means a Zumba class burns more calories than kickboxing, power yoga, and step aerobics.
Additionally, a separate study found that participants were able to lower their body fat by completing 24 Zumba exercise sessions over the course of eight weeks. The Zumba results are in, and it seems like attending classes consistently can help you shred calories and sizzle away body fat. (Of course, for the best health results, you’ll also want to commit to a healthy, well-balanced diet along with Zumba fitness.)
Reason 3: It’s So Much More Than Dancing
Don’t let the fun beats and big smiles fool you. Zumba is a serious cardio workout. A well-designed Zumba session will include interval training and will help you improve your muscle conditioning, balance, and coordination.
Is Zumba cardio? You bet it is! By consistently taking Zumba classes, you’ll improve your cardio endurance, which provides numerous physical benefits. Zumba exercise can help you lower your blood pressure, lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and help you maintain a more active lifestyle.
To really optimize your Zumba results, perform resistance training or strength training on your Zumba off days.
Reason 4: Zumba Can Improve Your Confidence
Zumba classes allow you to celebrate your body no matter your size or current physical challenges. Dancing is freeing and when you see what your body can do in Zumba class, you’ll feel more confident showing yourself off in the world.
Improving your fitness will also help you feel great, which can translate into all corners of your life. A systematic review of Zumba benefits in the journal Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that besides improving aerobic capacity and reducing body weight, Zumba also provided psychological and social benefits for participants.
Reason 5: It’s Easier to Stick with Zumba
One of the most common reasons people fail to reach their health and fitness goals is that they lose motivation to keep up with their workouts. This may have happened to you. At first, you were enthusiastic, and hitting the gym was easy. However, over time, it may have become harder and harder to convince yourself to go out and exercise.
Zumba can help keep you honest. The fun, upbeat, and social atmosphere of every class helps you look forward to coming to class. Also, the easy-to-learn moves mean you won’t have to deal with that uncomfortable “outsider” feeling for your first few classes. In fact, a 2014 study of sedentary adults found that Zumba exercise “showed good feasibility and adherence.” If they can stick with Zumba, so can you!
Reason 6: You Have Lots of Zumba Options
Zumba isn’t just a singular class anymore. Over the years, the Zumba company has released a variety of different Zumba classes, including:
- Zumba Gold – Designed for older adults, this class offers all the great music and dancing with less intensity.
- Strong by Zumba – This class incorporates bodyweight movements, like squats, lunges, burpees, and pushups to music.
- Zumba Toning – Students dance while holding light weights to add a strength component to classes.
- Zumba in Circuit – This class alternates between dance moves and bodyweight exercises to provide a more complete body workout.
You can find some of these variations at gyms across the country, including at EōS Fitness. Choose the Zumba class that fits your abilities and your goals and have a blast.
Reason 7: Zumba Is a Ton of Fun
Last, but certainly not least, Zumba classes are just plain fun. What’s not to love about dancing to great, soul-stirring music as your workout? In a Zumba class, the time flies by as you learn great moves and rock your body. There’s a reason the unofficial motto of Zumba is “Ditch the workout – join the party!” There is no judgment in a Zumba class, just a lot of good feelings and camaraderie. For many students, Zumba doesn’t even seem like work.
The fun of Zumba fitness is one of the biggest Zumba benefits. It helps students keep coming back so that they build momentum and see real results from all their hard work. After mastering Zumba, you may be ready to try new and equally exciting dance fitness classes or different group fitness classes altogether. It all starts with Zumba classes.
You Can Try Zumba Dance for Free
Are you ready to set your hips free and start burning serious calories with Zumba? Now, you can try Zumba classes for free at EōS Fitness with a Complimentary 7-Day Pass. Just grab a pass for your nearest EōS Fitness and then sign up for a Zumba class. Most EōS Fitness locations regularly offer Zumba, and many gyms also offer other Zumba variations.
Once you complete your first Zumba workout, you’ll be hooked. Fitness is just a hip shake away. Get your Complimentary 7-Day Pass today.
