Is is possible to strengthen muscles with Zumba?

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Replies

  • hkry3250
    hkry3250 Posts: 140


    @ hkry3250 I have Jillian Michaels 30DS as well. I was curious about certain moves mostly. I mean, for example, a belly dancer, would they be working their abs with the way they flex them 24/7? Just curious and maybe it is a weird question, but I always wondered. lol.
    .
    Yes, Belly dancers have amazing abs. Not so much six pack type, but hard none the less.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    depends on what your starting point is strength wise. for someone who's been a sitting doing nothing and never exercised, they might get strength increase at first but after while they'd have to move on tpo something more challenging

    This.

    The only "strength" gains achieved by doing cardio exercises like Zumba (or a bike, or an elliptical, etc) will be the specific adaptations needed to perform the exercise activity. There is likely to be little or no progressive resistance, so once a person adapts to the movements, any strength gains will plateau.

    Depending on the individual, that modest adaptation might be of noticeable benefit, so I don't want to dismiss it entirely. It's just not a substitute for resistance exercise.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    zumba.jpg

    Nice snatch.
  • stbrad6896
    stbrad6896 Posts: 135
    use weights. I used to take a zumba tone class at my gym where we danced with light weights. sometimes I liked it better than the regular zumba classes. You can even buy a weighted belt or arm/leg bands and stuff...
  • DREADfullySweet
    DREADfullySweet Posts: 4
    Dance/Zumba can definitely work your core and your legs - take a look at some of the professional latin dancers out there and they look super toned. But it won't do anything for your arms.

    Not true. I purposely have songs in my classes dedicated to particular muscle groups... including arms. and not to toot my own horn, but I've got some pretty nice arms and very toned shoulders considering the body fat that I still carry. (that.... is a diet issue :) but I'm a Zumba instructor, not a dietician haha)
  • DREADfullySweet
    DREADfullySweet Posts: 4
    depends on what your starting point is strength wise. for someone who's been a sitting doing nothing and never exercised, they might get strength increase at first but after while they'd have to move on tpo something more challenging

    This.

    The only "strength" gains achieved by doing cardio exercises like Zumba (or a bike, or an elliptical, etc) will be the specific adaptations needed to perform the exercise activity. There is likely to be little or no progressive resistance, so once a person adapts to the movements, any strength gains will plateau.

    Depending on the individual, that modest adaptation might be of noticeable benefit, so I don't want to dismiss it entirely. It's just not a substitute for resistance exercise.

    TRUE.
  • Diannelise
    Diannelise Posts: 16
    zumba.jpg

    Have done Zumba two years with several different instructors and haven't seen the type of results I'm now seeing doing heavy lifting. Bottom line, weights = awesomeness.
  • tallgirlshelley
    tallgirlshelley Posts: 108 Member
    It just depends on what you want to do. I'm a Zumba instructor as well, and I can tell you that it works every muscle group in your body. I'm currently working on 9 new songs and I'm sore every day - mostly my core. Some songs/instructors work arms more, some work legs more - it's going to be different every class you go to. That's the beauty of Zumba.

    But it truly is cardio. It's not meant to be a muscle-building activity. It's fun as heck and people get out of it what they put into it. It's not for everyone, but many of us truly love it. I'm an addict. I'm not thin; I have a long ways to go to shape up. The Zumba community is loving and accepting. Shaking your *kitten* to awesome music is still better than sitting on the couch.

    If you want more definition and muscle mass, you could always add weights to your fitness routine. No single exercise is going to do everything for every person. You'll have to experiement with what works for you. I love the "fun" aspect of Zumba. I love to dance and although I'm out of breath and sweating like crazy at the end, it never feels like a "workout".
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    Also, yeah, I've been in some Zumba classes that were not much of a workout at all. If you get a chance, look for a different gym/instructor. A lot depends on the instructor. You need one who's serious about fitness, not just dancing around.

    I agree with this... there have been some instructors that are WAY too easy for me... but then there are others where I feel like dying later on... Zumba Toning can really burn as well.

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