What is Zumba?

Zumba is an exercise craze sweeping the nation right now. Almost a million Americans have taken a Zumba class at their local gym and many, many more are begging their local gyms to start offering a Zumba class.

Zumba is an intense style of dance-aerobics workout set to upbeat latin music. Zumba, pronounced ZOOM-buh, is like a dance party held in the gym. It emulates the kind of dancing found in a nightclub without any of the negative aspects found in a nightclub.

Why would anyone try Zumba? Because it is fun, fun, fun! It is exercise that you can do every day and feel excited about doing it. The creator of Zumba made it fun because he wanted you to work out and love working out. It is a fun, effective way to get in an aerobic workout that will show you results.

A Little Zumba History

Zumba was created by celebrity fitness trainer, “Beto” Perez, who comes from Columbia. In the mid 1990s he forgot his music tapes for an aerobics class and had to improvise to the Latin music he had in his car. From that accidental beginning the revolutionary program of Zumba was born. It soon became the most popular class at his fitness facility.

Perez brought the program to the United States in 1999 and it spread from there. It has been very popular among the Hispanic market and is quickly creeping into the mainstream fitness market.

Zumba Workouts Rock!

The word Zumba is Colombian for “fast.” Classes are 60 minutes long and participants are moving the entire time. Zumba classes incorporate footwork and body movements from various dance styles including flamenco, salsa, and hip hop. In a Zumba class you can expect to gyrate, clap, dip, slide, spin, and groove to the fast paced music.

The Zumba routines feature intervals of faster and slower rhythms and some classes use weight for resistance training. Often gyms will offer a beginning Zumba class as well as one that utilizes weights. Either way the general frenzied place of the music leaves everyone in the class dripping with sweat by the end.

If you haven’t tried a Zumba class yet check with your gym or local gyms in the area for classes. If none are offered consider buying Zumba DVDs and having a class of your own in the living room or community center! Get ready to sweat, have fun and a great workout!