Why has Zumba not been added to the exercise database?

dalildevil
dalildevil Posts: 55 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
It's a legitimate exercise is it not???

how many calories are burned in an hour session of Zumba?
«1

Replies

  • losinglbs81
    losinglbs81 Posts: 5 Member
    I was wondering the same thing. I have no idea what to compare it to put in its place.
  • melmckendry
    melmckendry Posts: 2 Member
    I do zumba and it depends on the impact of the routine and your weight. I do high impact zumba and burn around 700-1100 calories in an hour as your instructor
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    to the googles!

    http://www.caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/
  • czuniga03
    czuniga03 Posts: 99
    Zumba Calorie Calculator..
    http://www.caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/
  • quianabenson
    quianabenson Posts: 12 Member
    I started doing Zumba last week, I wore my HRM Monday night and I burned 825 calories. I was surprised, and I love the workout! Have fun!
  • dogacreek
    dogacreek Posts: 289 Member
    I do zumba and it depends on the impact of the routine and your weight. I do high impact zumba and burn around 700-1100 calories in an hour as your instructor

    Definitely depends on instructor and the effort you apply. I only burned 150 calories in one class I took and I never went back. My second instructor took too many breaks and I would only burn about 450 calories in one hour. My instructor now is wonderful and I burned 725 calories yesterday. Hopefully, I will increase those calories as I learn her routines a little better. I use a Polar FT7 HRM to track.
  • PJ64
    PJ64 Posts: 866 Member
    to the googles!

    http://www.caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/


    Too the Googles! LOVE IT!
  • saracatherine89
    saracatherine89 Posts: 291 Member
    I am guessing that Zumba is not here because it is REALLY hard to set a standard to measure by. It is one of those activities that you really get out of it what you put into it- someone who is fully into the moves will burn more calories than someone who is just skating by doing it. With ellipticals/running, you can at least base it by how fast you are going, what resistance/incline you are at, etc, but with stuff like Zumba or any workout DVD it can vary so widely.

    And- I know people get sick of this- but the database over-estimates almost every activity's calories burned. Investing in a HRM is what will be the most accurate way to log calories.
  • dida0721
    dida0721 Posts: 107 Member
    bump...want to save the link mentioned.
  • MrsCCWoods
    MrsCCWoods Posts: 142 Member
    I was wondering the same thing they should put it on here and it's good to wear a HRM or go to the http://www.caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/ website
  • chocolateandpb
    chocolateandpb Posts: 438 Member
    I just count it as "dancing, aerobic"
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    Probably because it really depends on the person, the instructor, and how much effort you put into it. In my class I usually burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 calories for the hour.
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
    I swear my instructor is trying to kill us and for some reason I don't go over 600, using my HRM! I'm fairly fit so what's the deal?
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
    I just count it as "dancing, aerobic"

    Yes. Zumba is dancing, people. Can you imagine how many types of dancing would be in the database if they added every single type? Just log it as dancing if you don't have an HRM.
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
    I have been doing Zumba for 10 weeks and have not burned more than 20 calories per class...but they keep telling me it is because only my eyes are exercising watching my HAWT Latina instructor's *kitten* move around. Most other people in the class wear an HRM so they can see how much they actually burn...or close to it.
  • 1SlimShaylee
    1SlimShaylee Posts: 204
    i do zumba 4x a week and work my booty off!! it is definitely an awesome work out, and i have found that the instructor really doesn't matter nearly as much as the effort you put into it. for example, if you are just doing a simple twist you can increase the effort by twisting double time, adding a little bounce, or a big bounce, etc.

    i am 5'9 and weigh 147lbs and burn around 600 calories per 50 minutes. i LOVE it so much more than the hour i spend on the elliptical!

    oh and i wear my hrm to every class, and have been doing it for quite a while! sometimes you burna little less when you are first starting out because you are still trying to get into the swing of things, but once you really learn the dances and start feeling more comfortable you can really rock out and burn a ton of cals!
  • spicypepper
    spicypepper Posts: 1,016 Member
    I am guessing that Zumba is not here because it is REALLY hard to set a standard to measure by. It is one of those activities that you really get out of it what you put into it- someone who is fully into the moves will burn more calories than someone who is just skating by doing it. With ellipticals/running, you can at least base it by how fast you are going, what resistance/incline you are at, etc, but with stuff like Zumba or any workout DVD it can vary so widely.

    And- I know people get sick of this- but the database over-estimates almost every activity's calories burned. Investing in a HRM is what will be the most accurate way to log calories.

    ^This!!!!

    It really does depend on each individual person as to how many calories they burn. I double check my HRM agains that site posted several times because my HRM SUCKS!!!! Can't wait to get a FitBit!!!
  • mckmom69
    mckmom69 Posts: 22
    I also use kettle bells, which I have learned are *great* tools for lean muscle building and fat burning. But, not on MFP! :(
  • muchadoaboutme2000
    muchadoaboutme2000 Posts: 86 Member
    I have been doing Zumba for 10 weeks and have not burned more than 20 calories per class...but they keep telling me it is because only my eyes are exercising watching my HAWT Latina instructor's *kitten* move around. Most other people in the class wear an HRM so they can see how much they actually burn...or close to it.

    THIS! Only I probably burn a good 35 because my head actually moves up and down. Our instructor has a fantastic posterior. AKA: DAT ASSSS!
  • Nigerianebony
    Nigerianebony Posts: 182 Member
    to the googles!

    http://www.caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/


    Too the Googles! LOVE IT!

    I DO TOO! Stealing that...lol
  • MellyGibson
    MellyGibson Posts: 297 Member
    I'm also an instructor, and have to agree that each instructor is different, so it's not "Standardized" enough to create a generic exercise in the database (no matter how much easier that would be). Heck, depending on the time of day, the same instructor and same routine would give you two different results!

    I believe a HRM is the best way to more accurately track your calories burned. The more you do an activity the more your body gets used to it...less calories burned. That's why instructors usually switch out songs, add new ones, remove old ones - cycle through old and new...etc.

    Just add it to your own personal databse...and log in the estimated calories (I also use the Zumba Calorie Calculator from Google results).
  • MellyGibson
    MellyGibson Posts: 297 Member
    I have been doing Zumba for 10 weeks and have not burned more than 20 calories per class...but they keep telling me it is because only my eyes are exercising watching my HAWT Latina instructor's *kitten* move around. Most other people in the class wear an HRM so they can see how much they actually burn...or close to it.

    THIS! Only I probably burn a good 35 because my head actually moves up and down. Our instructor has a fantastic posterior. AKA: DAT ASSSS!

    I'm SO envious of your instructor, then! I want MY Z-Groupies to post this about ME! :sad:
  • BlueEyedTXmom
    BlueEyedTXmom Posts: 179 Member
    Probably because it really depends on the person, the instructor, and how much effort you put into it. In my class I usually burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 calories for the hour.

    This. I wear my HRM every time and I usually burn in the 500-700 range. I never go by MFPs calculations because they are way over.
  • senyosmom
    senyosmom Posts: 613 Member
    Because there are so many factors I think - your weight, age plus the intensity of the workout. There is so much variation in Zumba depending on the instructor and how much effort you put in.

    I do zumba every week. Ive read from a variety of places that you burn between 550 - 1000 calories. I manually put in 550 and hope I am actually burning more.

    If you really want to know what you burn you need a HRM
  • TurningBackTheHandsOfTime
    TurningBackTheHandsOfTime Posts: 47 Member
    I contacted them about P90X not being available and they said that they are working on adding "several" exercises to their database, I'm not sure if this is a legal issue or a logistics one but they did say they are working on it.... it would be a nice addition and make things much more user friendly for those of us who use dedicated programs and not just individual exercises...
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I am guessing that Zumba is not here because it is REALLY hard to set a standard to measure by. It is one of those activities that you really get out of it what you put into it- someone who is fully into the moves will burn more calories than someone who is just skating by doing it. With ellipticals/running, you can at least base it by how fast you are going, what resistance/incline you are at, etc, but with stuff like Zumba or any workout DVD it can vary so widely.

    And- I know people get sick of this- but the database over-estimates almost every activity's calories burned. Investing in a HRM is what will be the most accurate way to log calories.

    ^This!!!!

    It really does depend on each individual person as to how many calories they burn. I double check my HRM agains that site posted several times because my HRM SUCKS!!!! Can't wait to get a FitBit!!!

    Just an FYI, Fitbit works like a pedometer, making it only accurate for walking, running, and other step-based activities. It would be even less accurate for something like Zumba than your current HRM. Just get a quality HRM.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    I just made my own exercise, called it Zumba, and now its in my personal data base whenever I want it. No biggie :-)
  • ETAWalker
    ETAWalker Posts: 8
    Zumba!
  • mrsgokev
    mrsgokev Posts: 20
    I completely recommend getting a heart rate monitor. You will be able to keep better track of what you are burning off. I've taken quite a few Zumba classes from different instructors and I probably average at 1000 calories/hour. It depends on how much you are putting into it though. I've had instructors where I only burned 800 and some where I burned 1200 in an hour.
  • ReinaLorenz
    ReinaLorenz Posts: 88 Member
    mel you have a great *kitten*!!!:explode:

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