Too big to Zumba?

1Kristine1

I think you just have to keep at it. Zumba classes can be really fun and more motivating than doing it by yourself at home. Bring friends. Being awkward I think is a prerequisite for any new activity, it just takes getting used to and learning the steps. Also you can be unbalanced and uncoordinated at any weight, I sure am. Besides most people are concentrating on what they are doing and aren't likely to notice or judge you for making a few mistakes.

embersfallen

defintally not! I am right around there.... and I LOVE LOVE LOVE zumba. I have a bad knee and ankles, so I have to modify... but tonight for instance, in an hour I burned 760 cals per my bodybugg...and that was after very little exercise this past week due to the evil time of month...so I had to get back into the swing of things... the first few times I took the class.. I felt like a complete dork... and also like i was the biggest person in class... funny thing is, the instructors at BOTH zumba places I go have said I am not... and that I do pretty well..( one even said * you must go out dancing a lot?* LOL!) And sometimes I am totally two left feet! a lot of it is the perceptions we have of ourselves... let that go, and just remember, even if you were 400 pounds, it would be the right place to be as long as you enjoyed it and got a good workout!!!! When i was my biggest, over 330... i took a kickboxing class... with the free standing bags... i was mortified most of the time. lol. but in the end? I won the contest for most weight lost in 10 weeks, and was a different person, if not so much outwardly... inwardly.. because I had conquered something I felt * rationally* i had no business doing. Just go, talk to the instructor beforehand and tell her your concerns, and just enjoy the music and how it makes you feel!!!! And on a side note, there are plenty of smaller girls in the classes i go to who are uncoordinated as well. lol. So don't let it keep you home! We all start somewhere, and getting used to ANY new class takes a bit of time!

1Kristine1

I know how you feel! I go 3 times a week or more to zumba classes at a studio near by and I always feel awkward. Lately it's helped to take a friend, so we can laugh about how terrible we are and practice our steps outside of class together. I spoke with the zumba instructor because I felt like I was 'disrupting' her class, because everyone is in sync and I'm in the back of the class jumping around, flinging my arms around, spinning around at least 3 steps late, huffing and puffing, and she' was so nice about my concern. She told me that people like us is why she teaches zumba; she showed me a photo of herself and she weighted over 300 pounds when she started and was just like me, awkward and sweaty. She told me to keep coming, because it's not about the skinny girls in the class or if I get the steps right, it's about me shaking my booty (even out of sync) and sweating! Keep going, you deserve to be there!

Love it!

Exactly!

cimonroe

There's "I can't" or "should I" and "I presently struggle with" Just keep plugging in the time, you'll be just fine. I know some very heavy people that have done Zumba and even P90X that struggled at first but very soon came out way on top! Keep it up!!

jplord

I am a 245 lb 6' 2" male and I love to Zumba. No judgment, no "Keep up or go away", just music, difficult dancing that gets easier the more you do it, and prodigious amounts of sweat! It helps to have a class teacher who is a twin and her sister helps What ever keeps you motivated, right? See you in Zumba!

meerkat70

I'm not much smaller than you, and I do it and enjoy it. It's great fun.

Do be cautious with the calorie counter at zumbacalories though - they wildly overestimate. I work hard, and burn maybe 400 cals per my HRM. The calculator places me at 678 for a 'mild' workout and nearly a thousand if I put it as high.

MandyLJ

There are all shapes and sizes and abilities in my group, we just keep moving and having fun. I still can't get my top half doing the shimmy, but although I could not wiggle at first, now Im getting it. I have never enjoyed exercise before, but love the class, to me aerobics is about being ashamed of your body, and punishing it, whereas Zumba is about celebrating your body and getting pleasure from moving it. I definitely would need the group atmosphere for the motivation and fun, find the right leader for you (mine has a big smile and wiggly bottom!). I put it down as 'dancing' in my exercise log, so it only allows me just under 400 cals, which I know is conservative. I have lost over 10kg since January, just doing Zumba twice a week and myfitnesspal! Good luck and go for it!

hollyhunt123

Do be cautious with the calorie counter at zumbacalories though - they wildly overestimate. I work hard, and burn maybe 400 cals per my HRM. The calculator places me at 678 for a 'mild' workout and nearly a thousand if I put it as high.
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This is SO true! I love Zumba and do it twice a week. Be very careful how you estimate. I go for an hour, sweat pouring off me, out of breath...and my HRM reads 600 at most. Remember, there are alot of HRM out there that are not accurate. I go to a class, lots more fun, and great way to meet people who also want to loose weight or get fit!

WendyKing1974

You are definitely not too big to Zumba! I was 390lbs when I started doing Zumba one time a week and barely making it through the class. I was (and still do occasionally) missing steps all over the place. The thing is, no one in the class is watching you. They are watching the instructor to make sure they are doing it right, lol. Now I'm at 264lbs and do Zumba 3-4 times a week. I LOVE it and would not be where I am without Zumba and MFP!

ETA: I use "Dancing, aerobic, ballet or modern, twist" to estimate my calories for Zumba. I think Zumbacalories.com way over estimates.

RobbieKCPhT

Thank you all SO MUCH for all the encouragement! I truly appreciate it a lot! Please "Friend" me so we can keep in touch. I pulled a hip flexor muscle a couple weeks ago, and have been struggling with exercise the past 10 days. Seems like each time I exercise, I end up at the chiropractor the next day! (DAMNIT!) I so want to ZUMBA after reading all these awesome posts! Thanks again everyone!

Jude1064

I have never zumba-ed before. I have back/neck issues along with being big. Any advice so I don't injure myself?

karylee44

just go and move and enjoy the music. doesnt really matter if you get all the moves down perfect i have been going there for over a year and i still look like a crazy person flopping around on the floor! and i have a bad knee.. so i have to modify my moves.. i don't do any jumpy things. so go.. have fun.. i have found it to be a very supportive place.

dianacannon89

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

So true right!!!

WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING LADY!

I started Zumba-ing at 315lbs and god help me this last week I didnt step on one person a full 2 months later I am finally not stepping on people :laugh: Zumba is not about getting every move right its about moving PERIOD!
Go your pace but go in the direction others are going! I cannot keep up with the latin days Ive got the mambo to the left down but the right forward step left forward step right forward step right its getting me all sorts of messed up!

So do what I do Laugh and smile through the entire class and LOVE IT! I LOVE ZUMBA!

dianacannon89

I have never zumba-ed before. I have back/neck issues along with being big. Any advice so I don't injure myself?

Yes mama you can! I have a bad knee but its really a lot of fun. Do modified moves of what the instructor shows and check around if they have any Zumba Gold classes these are slower paced so you can pick up the moves.... I learned the hard way in a regular Zumba class but by gally Ive got it now! You can too! Just go your pace in the direction everyone else is going as well! & the pros know to watch out for us noobies! so they either go around or count out loud so we can get the steps too :flowerforyou:

tamzi4864

I couldn't agree more!!! In the class I go to, we have retired teachers, former dancers like myself, a bunch of ladies who are doing WW together at work and now do Zumba together etc. Not everyone is small...we all started somewhere!! The biggest thing that is stressed is that it is ultimately YOUR workout! Party how you feel comfortable...it all comes after time. If you keep moving and you're breaking a sweat, then you are burning calories! I commend anyone who tries something new! Get the heck out of your comfort zone and SHAKE IT!!!!!!! It's fun and makes you feel like a "girl" again!:happy:

LauriH78

Heck no! I took my first Zumba class in the gym last Saturday. I did what I could , sweat my rear end off & felt great at the end. Just move at your own pace & do what you can do. They dont care if your not perfect at doing the steps, they just care that your there making the effort. I am 240 lbs & plan on going back every Saturday. Just have fun girl. Own it!! LOL!

katcol89

Hey Robbie,
I have two suggestions that you may want to use. (I am a big girl also.) First, if you like Zumba , my gym offers a class called Zumba Toning. It offers most of the same moves but not at the fast pace. It helped me to build my coordination. See if you can find something similar to that. Second, to jump start the weight lose again, stick with your elliptical but add some interval training to your routine. If you are not sure how to do that effectively, I will be glad to assist you or you can search the web for elliptical interval training suggestions. Good Luck and keep losing.
kat

jjelizalde

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

So true right!!!

WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING LADY!

I started Zumba-ing at 315lbs and god help me this last week I didnt step on one person a full 2 months later I am finally not stepping on people :laugh: Zumba is not about getting every move right its about moving PERIOD!
Go your pace but go in the direction others are going! I cannot keep up with the latin days Ive got the mambo to the left down but the right forward step left forward step right forward step right its getting me all sorts of messed up!

So do what I do Laugh and smile through the entire class and LOVE IT! I LOVE ZUMBA!

I wish I looked even that good! I do the DVD at home with the dog jumping all over me and around me. I have found I have at least six left feet, not just one! I can't get the moves right but I think the whole point is to try and to keep moving. Whether you do the steps like a pro or just flop around, you're moving and burning up those calories.

dlhenry511

You are not too big for Zumba! Zumba is for everyone. As long and you are shaking and moving that is all that matters. You are getting your heart rate up and burning calories. I go to Zumba 2-3 times a week at the gym and I love it. All types of people. I weigh 173 and on average I burn 500 calories in an hour. ( I have a HRM) Go to a class, you will love it!

mrsmel55

I do Zumba with the Wii in my living room. The Zumba 2 game tells you how many calories you burn for each song and keeps track of your workouts. I LOVE it...They even have practice where you can learn the steps at a slow pace. For a 23 minute work out I burn 352 calories. And I am bigger than you at 237.