Zumba Skeptic

I Love zumba! I sweat constantly.. even for a bit afterward. and I burnn calories. I forget im working out because Im having so much fun. although I do perfer a zumba class over a zumba dvd or game for a game console...

If you like dancing it's a great workout. It doesn't feel like a chore and it's definitely a mood booster for me. I'd say try a class because it's night and day compared to videos. The instructors will also really make or break the class. 1 of my class the choreography include a lot of squats,lunges and core work and the other 2 are really dancy. It's definitely sweat inducing and according to my HRM I burn on average 700 cals per hour.

That said.. If it's not your thing then don't do it. I swim, hike and zumba for my cardio because I love it. I don't do treadmill and elliptical because I hate it... Pick a workout you'll enjoy doing !

Zumba classes vary by gym and instructor. In my gym we have two very energetic instructors. The more senior one has instructors from other gyms attend her class, usually lasts an hour and a half and is VERY energetic.

There is a wide mix of abilities in the classes I've attended, as it takes awhile. I've been taking Zumba for a few months, have the shoes and the shirt but still get lost sometimes.

Here's my blog post on Zumba:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/JanieJack/view/why-i-don-t-mind-being-the-fatty-in-zumba-450452

Thanks for that blog!! I go to zumba at a college campus rec center, and not only am I usually the fattest, I am also the oldest in the class-- old enough to be these kids' mom. I *love* zumba. Most of the instructors I've had are great (and give lots of verbal cues), and the other participants are nice too. Some have even come up after to tell me they wish their mom would do zumba. (And honestly, if there are any that aren't nice or are giving me the stink-eye, I'm having too good a time to notice.) I love to dance, I love group fitness, and zumba burns lots of calories. win win win.

I do Zumba because to me it's fun and burns calories. I started because of a bad right ankle. Aside from lifting weights 2-3x a week, I also walk, jog, swim, ride an exercise bike, and do RIPPED classes for my cardio. I used to jog 4-5x a week but because of my bad ankle, I can't jog as much, and only jog 2x a week now. Zumba is easy on my bad ankle and going by my Polar HRM, I average anywhere from 800-1200 calories per hour. Yes, I look like a spaz and it probably doesn't help being a 6'3, 300+ lb man in a class of 20-30 females. Do people point, stare, and laugh? Yes, I've noticed, but I don't care.

Love love it!!

I love Zumba. I only do the classes. My daughter does the xbox kinect and loves it. I have tried at least 5 instructors. I still go to 3. One is for toning. And only for fun. The others I do for a great workout. I sweat almost the entire time. I know the dances, so I can really push myself. Which is the key. I have been next to people who don't push themselves and they don't sweat. Their loss. I try and be around people who really push themselves. We sometimes even wear hand weights just to give it a little extra something.

I have always loved weights and hated cardio. Hated running and the treadmill. So zumba and kickboxing are the only way I get any real cardio. I am 5'4" , female and bench 115 most days. I am also 52. So zumba was the best thing I was ever drug to. LOL There is one male in my zumba class. He MOVES, he is my encouragement. I go to classes that use music I can mostly understand. My instructor throws in a lot of squats and kicks. Can't say enough about it. You have to go long enough to learn the moves. Then you can just let your body move.

I don't want to look like this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ksfpQSrg0

Did you google "worst example of Zumba ever"? I have danced my whole life and find this to be a fun way to get in some cardio but if a class I paid for looked like this I'd ask for my money back.

I go to Zumba Class on M-W-F and well i love it. I think it depends truly on the instructor how good of a work out it is.. Mine will pretty much dead by the end of the hour long class but at the same time its fun and you burn a lot of calories..

I enjoy cardio that is fun, and dance workouts are fun to me. I am sure that I look worse than the person doing that youtube video. I do it with my XBox 360 and have the DVDs. I like that I have fun and burn calories. Don't care what I look like since I'm home. Do what you like? If you go to a boot camp or do Insanity and hate it, then you won't do those things long-term, right?

You have to find the right instructors! I have an amazing instructor who is very high energy with slightly challenging choreo and most of her dances tend to be on the hip hop side of things, which I absolutely love! The first time I tried Zumba, it was similar to that video and I was bored out of my mind, only burning 400-500 cals an hour. Then I found my favorite instructor and I'm burning up to 850 cals an hour, dripping sweat and shedding a ton of weight! If you're not sweating after class, you're not doing it right!

I love my Zumba.. prefer my wii to the classes we have here.. I burn my calories doing Zumba than on the elliptical or walking. if it wasn't for Zumba I probably would have quit trying to lose weight.