ZUMBA!

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Does anyone know how many calories Zumba burns? There is no Zumba catagory under exercise so i just make it General Aerobics.

What do you think?

I do Zumba 1-3 days a week and love it but would hate for anyone not in class to ever see me do it, I'm a horrible dancer but I have fun with it!

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  • vrdz3215
    vrdz3215 Posts: 493
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    I did a zumba class with my hrm and i burned around 500 cals for the hour...it varies though person to person....Zumba is so fun!
  • calvarado
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    I love Zumba too! Right now I am taking 45 minute classes 2 x's a week. I had a hard time figuring out how to enter it as well.... on average, for my 45 minutes sessions, I have entered it under the dance category- and it's 279 or so per 45 minutes.. I know that is just an estimate... sometimes it's definitely more, and I'm sure that sometimes it's less. I feel that's average for me.
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    It depends on how much you really get into the music. At my gym, the women are reporting 500-700 calories burned, with most in at 600ish. However, the instructor said that if you do it like she does (she's from Columbia and can out-shake all of us), then it's more at the upper range of 700-800.

    But, what matters most is that you like it and keep doing it.

    Don't do Zumba in high tread shoes. Look into getting some "dance sneakers" (go to a dancer's supply store). It made Zumba so much easier, with all the turns and shimmies. Now, my knee doesn't feel any strain.
  • calvarado
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    I bet I'm actually burning more- considering I've been a dancer for life, and I can sweat off quite a few lbs per class, leaving me exhausted and shaky- in that really awesome endorphin filled kind of way!! I should really get one of those little wrist watches that tells you all of that info as you're doing it- bet I'd be surprised!!
  • faymom
    faymom Posts: 11 Member
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    My heart rate monitor tells me 800 calories but i am considered "obese" and my personal trainer says that overweight people will burn more calories than a "fit" person because the overweight person has to work harder to do the same moves. I do find that I burn more calories when I remember to eat a small hit of protein 45 to 30 min prior to exercising. Seems wrong to eat before exercising, especially if I am already at the gym but ..... it is a metabolism thing they say.
  • CrystalT
    CrystalT Posts: 862 Member
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    It depends on how much you really get into the music. At my gym, the women are reporting 500-700 calories burned, with most in at 600ish. However, the instructor said that if you do it like she does (she's from Columbia and can out-shake all of us), then it's more at the upper range of 700-800.

    But, what matters most is that you like it and keep doing it.

    Don't do Zumba in high tread shoes. Look into getting some "dance sneakers" (go to a dancer's supply store). It made Zumba so much easier, with all the turns and shimmies. Now, my knee doesn't feel any strain.

    You are so right about the shoes!! I went to my first class a week ago and just wore my normal running shoes. It was a huge mistake. I just couldn't move like the instructor did. We discussed shoes and she said you don't HAVE to go buy dance sneakers. She said any sneaker with low tread that slides easily across a tiled floor will work. I searched my closet and was able to find some shoes that will work.

    As far how many calories I burn, I didn't burn nearly as much as what everyone else is saying. According to my HRM, I only burned about 200 calories during the 40 min class. I'm blaming that on the fact that it was my first time and I could barely keep up. I'm sure I didn't even get half the workout I could have. I'm sure once I'm more comfortable with the steps and able to keep up, I'll be able to burn more.
  • ma9321
    ma9321 Posts: 227 Member
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    I take a Zumba class 4X a week... 1 hour each class. I use a Polar HRM... I burn anywhere from 675-800 Cals per class. I've been doing it about a year now...
    I haven't worn my HRM lately since I'm 17 weeks pregnant.... I need to wear it my next class to make sure i'm eating enough for the baby and me.