Zumba and toning-how to calculate calories burned

crisma1974

I use a heart rate monitor when doing Zumba to track my calories burned. However, I am going to start doing a class that mixes Zumba with toning. Would my HRM calories burned be accurate? Or how can I measure the calories burned accurately for a mixed class? From what I understand, it is 5 minutes Zumba 5 minutes toning for a total of one hour.

janejellyroll

I would not consider a calorie estimate from a HRM accurate for a class mixing Zumba with toning (not sure what exactly that is) accurate. It's not the type of activity HRM's are designed to accurately track.

cqbkaju

Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned in this case / manner.

I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.
Sounds like a term being used to move ridiculously light "pink dumbbells" around for 5 minutes.
That would be little-to-no exercise in itself and -probably worse- also let your drop your heart rate back down to near resting.

The HRM estimates based on *5 minute* low-intensity intervals are not going to be reliable.

Furthermore, at that level the "toning" part would be counted as part of your "activity level" but not "exercise".

* Edited for clarity

crisma1974

janejellyroll wrote: »

I would not consider a calorie estimate from a HRM accurate for a class mixing Zumba with toning (not sure what exactly that is) accurate. It's not the type of activity HRM's are designed to accurately track.

Zumba Toning classes are fairly new. Basically you add light weights to some low impact steps/dance moves.

As for the HRM calories burned for this type of class, I will play it safe and not log my calories burned. thank you.

aeloine

Yup. Just log Zumba as Zumba.

crisma1974

cqbkaju wrote: »

Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned.

I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.

I thought HRM where the best tools for measuring calories burned for a cardio class. Thoughts?

In the new class I am taking, they will incorporate light weights with low impact steps.

janejellyroll

crisma1974 wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

I would not consider a calorie estimate from a HRM accurate for a class mixing Zumba with toning (not sure what exactly that is) accurate. It's not the type of activity HRM's are designed to accurately track.

Zumba Toning classes are fairly new. Basically you add light weights to some low impact steps/dance moves.

As for the HRM calories burned for this type of class, I will play it safe and not log my calories burned. thank you.

I don't think I was clear. I didn't mean don't log *anything*, I meant don't use the HRM estimate. I would find the database entry for Zumba and log that.

cqbkaju

As @janejellyroll says, just log it as 30 minutes of "Zumba" or cardio.

MegaMooseEsq

crisma1974 wrote: »

cqbkaju wrote: »

Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned.

I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.

I thought HRM where the best tools for measuring calories burned for a cardio class. Thoughts?

In the new class I am taking, they will incorporate light weights with low impact steps.

Heart rate monitors are most reliable for steady-state cardio, i.e. running, rowing, walking, biking. Basically the kind of aerobic activity that has you do the same limited set of motions over and over again. They're highly inaccurate for weight lifting. Everything in-between really varies. Just pick an approach, stick to it for 4-6 weeks, and adjust as needed based on your actual results. Good luck!

tyediri

I use little "pink" handweights during normal Zumba classes sometimes, but I wouldn't class this at toning. It does help raise your heart rate more though and gives you a better cardio workouts (yes, your arms start to ache too), but I just log it as normal Zumba.

lynn_glenmont

crisma1974 wrote: »

cqbkaju wrote: »

Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned.

I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.

I thought HRM where the best tools for measuring calories burned for a cardio class. Thoughts?

In the new class I am taking, they will incorporate light weights with low impact steps.

So you get neither the cardio benefit of significantly raising your heart rate nor the benefits of a resistance regimen that actually challenges your muscles? Sounds like a waste of time.