Zumba is the newest fitness fad sweeping not only the United States, but the rest of the nation as well. The fad is actually spreading so quickly that it is leaving a lot of people in the dark on what Zumba really is even fitness enthusiast. I am a Physical Education Instructor, personal trainer, and avid runner; but for several months I had no idea what the term Zumba meant or why everyone loved it so much.
I recently got certified as a Zumba instructor and now want to let you in on the specifics of this hot fitness trend.
The main thing that is attracting everyone from the working mom to the fitness enthusiast is that Zumba just doesn’t seem like exercise. Zumba is a combination of Latin dance moves including directional and fitness variations (squats, lunges, bicep curls). In essence you are working all the muscles of the body, but dancing in a non-impact fashion to accomplish this.
Zumba really works your abdominal and leg muscles. You will definitely be sore in these areas the next morning.
The second aspect that is so attractive is the party atmosphere created by each Zumba Instructor. Latin music is played while an energetic instructor takes you through variations of the Merengue, Reggaeton, Salsa, and Cumbia. All this is compacted by the enthusiasm of a large group of students getting excited about fitness.
A typical Zumba class can consist of four to twelve different songs. Each song will have its own choreography designed by each individual instructor. This is another great aspect of Zumba; instructors are able to really put their own spin on what goes into each dance routine.
Uh oh I said dance routine, so a lot of you are ruling out Zumba right now. I myself have two left feet, but I love Zumba. This isn’t the typical dance class. The instructor will take you through a routine teaching you each step involved in his/her specific choreography. The steps can be kept quite basic or made more difficult just depending on your level.
No Zumba instructor is going to call you out for doing it wrong but will encourage you to put your own spin on it. Some Zumba instructors will even do a free style song where participants will be able to demonstrate their own dancing ability. The point of Zumba is to get a workout but have fun doing it.
