Zumba-Learning Tips? Favorite Youtube Links?

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I sorta have a love-hate thing with Zumba - I am very bad at following the choreography, but I love my gym's Zumba teacher, and after a few classes, I know that it would be great fun, if I could only keep up. (I've done plenty of cardio, so it's the dance part I have trouble with, not the jumping around part :)

For those of you that have been doing it for a while, how did you learn? Does you have some good youtube links with Zumba choreography? Any other tips?

Thanks guys!

Replies

  • CathyS205
    CathyS205 Posts: 20 Member
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    I learned by lots of practice on the wii zumba game before going to any classes. If I'm on my wii I can close the curtains and no one can see me. I am not the most coordinated, but it is a lot of fun. I don't have any links or anything, but just remember that there are probably others in the same boat in the classes too. When I did go to a class, a few of the others even told me not to worry about not knowing the moves because they had been going for a long time and still didn't know exactly what they were doing. Just enjoy. :)
  • Arabian♥Breeze
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    I been doing Zumba on the wii and its way better then in person classes. You can put it on easy mode until you can get the hang of it!! ITS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FUN!!!!! Good luck
  • ShrinkRapt451
    ShrinkRapt451 Posts: 447 Member
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    I bought the DVD set. The first DVD is an introductory video that takes you through every step, slowly at first, so you can get the hang of the movements before they have you try it at tempo. Now, I'm not saying you should pay for the entire set new... but I'd bet you can find that DVD or the set for cheap on eBay.
  • Malissas
    Malissas Posts: 64 Member
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    Hmm... I also bought the dvd set and I think its gathering dust! Even the basic one was too hard for me!
    Haha I'm so uncoordinated!

    I do have the wii zumba which I'll probably try again soon. I got it at the same time as Just dance 3 which I really liked and played daily for a while. And yes, with (a lot of) practise I did get much better.

    I have not tried zumba in public yet, thought I'd master a certain level gracefullness first :) hehehe
  • TamsinEllis
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    I'm afraid I have yet to try this (working on learning belly dancing at the moment) however I was debating between Zumba and Belly dance, on Amazon I found a set of discs and what they call toning sticks (you'll probably know much more about this then me for obvious reasons) for what I think is a reasonable price. From reading the reviews the majority of people who bought the product were beginners so maybe it's worth a try until you get the hang of it then start up the classes properly?
    (Cheaper then buying a Wii and the Zumba disc for that if you don't already have a Wii)
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zumba-Fitness-Exercise-toning-sticks/dp/B002HZ4XMC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1323326759&sr=1-1
  • alikat789
    alikat789 Posts: 105 Member
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    Just continue to go to the class and have fun. Find an instructor you love. You eventually pick up on the steps.
    My instructor always says "Follow my feet, when you are comfortable do the arms, then when you are comfortable do the hips" . If you ever get lost go down to the basics of following feet.

    I still got lost in some songs and some moves and i've been going for over a year. Remember that you can always bring the intensity down and then sometimes that makes the moves so much easier to do. Sometimes i find i over think a move but when i realize that i just relax and have fun and then the move becomes second nature.
  • craftydeb
    craftydeb Posts: 77 Member
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    I go between all three of the 24-hr fitness gyms in town and there are three instructors who have just a little variation on what they teach. It's all fun and I'm learning all different steps, and now I don't feel like the uncoordinated clod I felt like the first class I took!
  • lloydmel
    lloydmel Posts: 259 Member
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    I bought the DVD set. The first DVD is an introductory video that takes you through every step, slowly at first, so you can get the hang of the movements before they have you try it at tempo. Now, I'm not saying you should pay for the entire set new... but I'd bet you can find that DVD or the set for cheap on eBay.
    There are some of the introductory videos on youtube as well... it helps you reevaluate how you've been doing the moves too... I like to review those from time to time and make sure I'm not completely doing moves the wrong way.
  • deniserenee_02
    deniserenee_02 Posts: 158 Member
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    Have you ever been to Zumba Gold? It's for beginners :)
  • Zumbaeng
    Zumbaeng Posts: 28 Member
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    Rumba is about having a party like atmosphere. Don't fret over chorography. Keep moving hover you are comfortable and go often. It will click. I just became an instructor. It's all about having fun!