Zumba! What Is Zumba? How to Start
Victor Leggett, MAT
Stretch Practitioner | Healthcare & Fitness Professional | Educator | Zumba Instructor | Helping sedentary people to lead an active lifesytle.
What is Zumba?
Zumba is an engaging group fitness movement program led by an instructor in the front of the class and you follow along moving to fun, rhythmical music. It is a wonderful way to keep your heart active, your body healthy, and your mind engaged. Zumba really is a good time disguised as a workout.
How did I discover this definition? Let's explore the events leading up to my first Zumba class to find out.
International Background
After living overseas for 17 years, I was blessed with the opportunity to practice fitness in the form of Aikido martial arts, diving, snorkeling, hiking, and salsa dancing all on a regular basis. With dedication, I was even able to earn my 3rd degree black belt and diving certification given the overflowing wealth of fitness opportunities.
Sadly, when I returned back to the States, my access to exercise had significantly diminished after I stopped visiting family & friends and commenced job searching. Fortunately, the multi-ethnic church I had started attending in Texas was starting this popular exercise program called, "Zumba." My ears perked up because it was not a common word to hear from the pulpit or anytime in a worship setting.
Overseas, I had heard of the word before and heard my colleagues were staying after school to exercise at my former international school in Indonesia, but had never tried it myself. So, I made sure I would be present at the first Zumba class at my church.
My First Class
Thus, I grabbed my workout attire and bolted over to the church on a Tuesday evening. It was during the colder months in March so everyone was dressed appropriately before class began. Then, a little after 6:00, our lively instructor, Edith, shouted, "Vamos - let's get started," and my enthusiasm and excitement into the world of Zumba commenced. By the end of class, no one was dressed in their winter attire and layers came off to accommodate the sweat.
As stated earlier, Zumba is a group fitness dance program with Latin-inspired music. The definition I wrote earlier omitted the word dance because the ability to dance is not required. If you like tapping your foot when you hear a song on the radio, then you can move along with Zumba.
That description, in and of itself, does not really make it any different from other types of exercise programs, but the colorful attention given to fitness details is what makes Zumba stand out and be different. It has not simply a passing fad or temporary trend. Making fitness fun, easy and accessible is why Zumba has been around since 2001 and is still thriving. Zumba was created by Beto Pérez, a Colombian dancer and choreographer and is still very active helping grow the largest fitness brand in the world.
Social Nature - Join the Party
For instance, the Zumba slogan, "Ditch the workout, join the party!" is aptly named because of the social aspect of Zumba. Our instructor, Edith, gave us instructions to give the person standing next to you a high five and I felt no reservations about doing so. Throughout the workout, you engage with the teacher and those around you during exercise if you choose to do so.
Confidence
At my first class, I was in the back row trying to follow along. I was afraid I would not be able to keep up and did not know the routines. But do you know what? I quickly discovered it does not matter. No one is looking at you, but rather, everyone is smiling and encouraging one another to just move.
Muscle Conditioning + Core Strength
"Follow along and do as I do!" shouted Edith. So everyone did. Everyone started gliding to the left; then back to the right. If Edith lifted up her knees when "Proud Mary" was passionately singing, then we all lifted up our knees. There was turning of the hips and stepping to the front & back.
Sometimes, I was able to follow along. But sometimes, I moved to the left when everybody was moving to the right, but that made it fun and was not embarrassing at all. As Dory from Finding Nemo would chant, "Just keep swimming." But in our case, just keep moving.
领英推荐
While doing those moves, I discovered we used large muscle groups from all over our body. Our instructor, Edith, would shout out, "Feel your quads or thigh muscles during this squat!"
But the real key and boost was the next day and during the following week. Having not worked out for several months, I truly felt the extra bounce in my step the next day. Yes, I felt Delayed-Onset-Muscle-Soreness (DOMS) the next day. (Just a fancy phrase meaning my muscles were sore the next day). However it was a good feeling of soreness - just enough to feel the firmness, but flexible enough that I was encouraged to return.
Fat-Burning + Cardiovascular Conditioning
After feeling some good muscle soreness, I did a bit of research and asked Edith some follow-up questions when I saw her again. I discovered Zumba uses up energy in the form of calories and burns up to 600 to 1000 calories per hour. It is a great way to get in some great cardio workouts since it is an aerobic activity (oxygen creating pursuit). Cardio is simply short for cardiovascular which simply means it helps your heart, lungs and circulatory system to work to the best of its ability.
Stress Reliever & Physiology of Zumba
Dancing along with others truly is like the fun atmosphere one sees in the movies or a live dance event. Whether at a western cowboy square dance, a 70s roller skating disco night or a high school reunion with a DJ, everyone at a dance is smiling and having a good time. A Zumba workout does exactly the same thing - it leaves everyone smiling and happy. Thus, music is also a key element and is vital to the success of Zumba.
I truly believe in this because after my first class, I saw my sister the following day. She noticed I had an extra bounce in my step when she saw me and commented about it. Also, when I was at my local grocery store (HEB), a little boy pointed at me and told his mom because I was dancing along to "My Girl," and other 1960s themed music that HEB often plays. Zumba is a helpful way to relieve stress. I had not been moving and feeling like that before I started Zumba.
Variety of Zumba Courses
In addition, you may not be aware, but there are a variety of Zumba classes besides normal Zumba which is sometimes called Zumba Classic. There are specialty classes: using weights, moving inside swimming pools, programs for older adults or just for kids, as well as some using a step or circuit style with High Intensity Interval Training (HITT). An upcoming Zumba article will help explain the differences so you can choose the most appropriate type of exercise class to help you reach your best results.
How to Start and Keep Moving
If you are interested with starting Zumba, then there are several options available to you:
Please keep your heart active and engaged by joining a Zumba class today.
In fact, I joined my first in-person Zumba class earlier today, a relaxing July morning in 2022. It was my first face-to-face fitness class since the world shut down for Covid in 2020. I believe if you go, your heart will indeed thank you. I know I am now feeling reinvigorated.
Indeed, let us celebrate upcoming good times! Please continue to stay safe.
Go in peace, Zumba with Mr. Purple
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The video is celebrating U.S. Independence Day, July 4th with a salsa style Kool & the Gang cover of "Celebration." Please feel search Zumba with Mr. Purple YouTube channel for more easy to follow routines.