How many calories do you burn during 1 hour of Zumba(r)?

Juleswithaplan

Hi There -

New to MFP and loving it so far. I'm one of those peeps that prefers group dance classes but I could not find Zumba in the exercise database. So I've added an initial entry based on the information glommed off this site:

http://www.ehow.com/about_5368632_many-during-one-hour-zumba_.html?ref=Track2&utm_source=ask


Which had this to say on the topic:

"Zumba workouts can vary in intensity, and calorie burn depends on an individual's weight, fitness level and muscle composition. During an hour long session you can burn anywhere from 500 to 800 calories. On average, a 150-lb. person can expect to burn 536 calories during an hour of Zumba. By comparison, the same person would burn 413 calories during an hour of moderate swimming, 477 for an hour of casual racquetball and 684 for an hour of running at a 10-minute-mile pace."

But I'd like to see what you folks here have to say on this and if you feel this is accurate or have any other data.

Thanks for helping me get my fit on!

Jules

kimjoan

It depends on your level of intensity. As a point of reference, I take a Zumba class where several people wear bugs - one day the instructor asked how many calories burned and the woman who did high intensity had burned 825 calories in 60 minutes and the women who was medium to low intensity burned 600.

shugamuffin

I've also had that question. I love Zumba and I work up quite a sweat doing it. I've just compared it to other workouts I've done that have similar intensity (e.g. Spinning). I figure I burn around 400-450 for an hour, but I weigh 120 so it shows me burning less than a 150 lb woman. I'm getting a heart rate monitor next week and I'm hoping for a more accurate number.

Trishkit

Yes, it DEFINITELY depends on intensity. I was going these great Zumba classes for a while, where I was burning 750-800 calories per 60-minute class. There was a ton of great energy and it was super fun. Then the instructor had to move away and now there's an "instructor" who isn't even certified, and I burn around 550, which I don't feel is a great workout for me, since I'm really looking for high-intensity.

Suffice to say, I don't attend that Zumba class anymore and am in the market for a better, higher-impact one...

rmball

I wear a heart rate monitor and burn around 450 for a 50 minute session. I weigh 180ish though.

riley711

This website: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc has a calories-burned calculator. It is based on your weight and the level of intensity of the activity. It has a pretty good list of activities. Although it didn't have zumba specifically, I tried it using aerobics low impact, and dance - modern, ballroom, etc. Both gave me calorie burns in the 600s, which sounds pretty close. However, the best way to determine the burn is by using a heart rate monitor

nkster781

I weight 135 and burn any where between 515 to 610 calories depending on the instructor and routine.

justin_time

the most accurate way is to use a HRM, however for a quick easy to use tool based on metabolic averages using your weight and workout intensity level try http://sites.google.com/site/zumbacaloriesburnt

Juliane1986

I was initially logging 550 for an hour of zumba, but then I bought a heart rate monitor and realized that I was sometimes off. I burn anywhere from 400-560 calories during an hour of zumba depending on the instructor, the intensity and how filled the class is (a larger class severely hinders my ability to move around as much and try and burn off as many extra calories as I can).

I'm glad I got the HRM because I'm more accurate with how many calories I'm logging but it also took me reading some more posts on here to realize that I can't log the full amount my HRM says. I need to deduct at least 90 calories from any 60 minute workout I do for the "resting calories" MFP already allocates you. So generally I'll be logging aroudn 360-500 calories.

Hope this helps.

mags2504

I'm 170 ish and can burn 600-690 for an hour.

ImperfektAngel

hmm, I usually put no more than 550 for an hour depending on how much I have worked at it but some of the posts here are making me wonder if I may be making that number to low?

M_lifts

i wear my hrm with chest strap and i can burn between 500-570 cals/ hour.