Why is Zumba so popular?
InsolentMint
Posts: 48
Zumba in particular? Isn't it just like any other fitness dance class, or am I missing something crucial?
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Replies
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Whatever blows people's skirts up. I watched some Zumba on youtube, even tried mimicking some, at best I looked like a spastic rhino. I do like Hip Hop ABS, though.0
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I want to try it because it looks a laugh. If I can laugh and burn calories then I am happy.
Although I have no co-ordination so will look a right nutcase. Hoping to go to a class next Monday or Tuesday.0 -
I went to a zumba class once to see what all the craze was. I couldn't see what all the fuss was. I wasn't way too impressed..0
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I find that it's a completely different atmosphere than other group fitness classes. The class I go to, there are disco lights going, loud music that just makes you want to move and the actual Zumba moves are easy to learn and fun to do. I don't think there is anything "special" or "unique" about it that makes it better than any other aerobic interval class though. It's just a fun way to exercise for an hour.0
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I like it because it's fun and the time goes by so fast, I have a hard time on the treadmill or elliptical I get bored easy and the time just inches by. Not with Zumba,0
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I've never done Zumba, mostly because I have no rythm, but I think it draws people in because it's fun. Not everyone enjoys running, lifting or whatever. If it's enjoyable then people are more likely to stick with it. And for a lot of people, dancing is enjoyble. If it burns calories and you like it, then why not?0
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My wife danced in college so she loves zumba because she can let loose and dance. She picks up the routines
quickly and burns around 500 calories in an hour.. Once in a while I will stay after body pump and do a couple songs
and it is fun but I am going left when others are going right.0 -
I tried it once and didn't really like it - you need some coordination which I don't have much of! By the time I got the complicated move, the girl teaching had already moved on.0
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I absolutely love it. I really don't feel like I am working out at all. The music starts and before I know it 45 minutes are gone. I have no rhythm but found that I could pick up the moves after just a few classes. Some instructors are more hard core than others, but all of the moves can be modified if you need them to. For a while when my plantar facitis kicked up, I had to modify some of the moves, and just worked harder on others. I consistently burn about 500 calories in the hour, but I know lots of people burn more.0
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I love, love, LOVE Zumba! Why do I love it?
1. If I don't know how to do certain moves, I'm told to at least dance like crazy and keep my heart pumping fast.
2. After an hour of it, I feel like I can still keep going! It's a workout without feeling like one!
3. The classes offered at the university in my town are FREE! So I get to work out with lots of other silly people. :laugh:
4. When I'm feeling a little blah, I tell myself to do Zumba for at least one song...and before you know it, an hour has gone by. :happy:
5. I can create various youtube playlists with my favorite Zumba clips/songs.
Okay, too many smiley faces...
Zumba isn't for everyone, I guess. I do it on my days that I don't run. And I don't like running too much so maybe that's why I really look forward to my Zumba days. If you find a Zumba class with a really fun instructor and a great group of people who aren't afraid to be silly because they don't know the moves, it really makes a big difference! I used to go with the girls in my dorm all the time and we had a blast!
Good luck!0 -
I tried Zumba last fall and have been going regularly ever since. I tried a few different classes / times with different instructors until I found the ones whose style I liked and have stuck with them. I can't dance and have no rhythm. My kids tells me I look like a 'bear in pain' when I dance. I suppose that was the nicest way they could find to tell me to stay off the dance floor.
The classes are upbeat, loud and just down right fun. No one judges anyone on their size or ability. The instructor usually shows a modified move for those of us who aren't agile (or young) enough for some of the more complex moves. But there is basicallly no instruction. You have to just jump in and learn as you go. After a couple of classes, you know most of the routines to the songs.
If you get the chance, try a Zumba toning class. Zumba with 2 lb. weights...the chicken wing flaps on your arms will thank you!0 -
I go to Zumba, but I'd be just as likely to go to another aerobics class if it was held at the same location and same time slot. I have no rhythm and it's not my style of music but whatever 0
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I finally broke down & did a zumba workout on youtube, I didn't want to like it because it is so popular but I loved it! I think the reason I liked it was because it was such a blast, It didn't even feel like exercise but I was out of breath and dripping with sweat, It's a great workout for people who love to dance and enjoy upbeat music 0
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It's great for people who want to do something different.
It's great to get people moving.
It's great for people who just want to get their heart pumping.
It's great for people who don't want to spend time actually dedicated to doing a specific work out.
it's great for people who don't want to research specific workouts- and just get told what to do.
it's also very easily modifiable- you can kind of do whatever and get away with it as long as you are having fun and moving.
And no- that's not a BAD thing- it just is what it is.
it's fun to do different things- and it's easy to just be told what to do. I would do it in addition to my workouts- but i don't have time- I would never SUBSTITUTE Zumba for real training though. I'm not naive.0 -
I like it because it's fun and the time goes by so fast, I have a hard time on the treadmill or elliptical I get bored easy and the time just inches by. Not with Zumba,
^^This. Same for me.0 -
I've been doing Zumba 3 times a week for a few weeks now, and I love it because it's a very energetic, lighthearted and fun way to get your heart pumping. I've attempted running at the gym and could never get into it, and when a friend asked me to join, I was all over it! I also enjoy the songs they get us to dance to
It's probably nothing different from other aerobic workouts, but maybe because it's still fairly new it's popular? And some of the moves are dirty and really amusing to watch women in their 50s (this coming from a woman in her early 20s) pretty much bump and grind and have a good time.0 -
Zumba is VERY instructor dependent, which is my main issue with it. I've been to 3 Zumba classes ever, the first 2 I walked out of because the instructors were incompetent and had no clue what they were doing or how to teach. The 3rd was amazing, but I haven't had that day/time off work to go back to the afternoon class. If you can find a good instructor it's fun and a good way to get a workout in without feeling like you worked out or dreading the gym.
For those not so inclined to the "Latin Music," check your gym to see if they offer WERQ dance fitness. It's VERY easy to follow and has a distinct format and choreography, which is different from Zumba.0 -
another option is bowka
different- less complicated and very easily tailor-able as far as intensity goes.0 -
You're not missing any crucial point, there are just people who really enjoy and prefer fitness classes to other forms of exercise. I think it's really fun, but it can be super hit and miss with the instructors. -You- need to be more in charge of how hard you work in a class, but a bum instructor can really ruin the whole experience. People like it because it's new-ish, it gets you moving, it gets your heart rate up, and it's something you can throw into your schedule a few times a week to break up the monotony.0
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I tried it once, but I have the grace and coordination of a newborn giraffe. So Zumba is not for me. 0
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It's the trendy cardio class of the moment.
Early 90's - Step aerobics
Late 90's - Kick boxing/Tae Bo
2000's - Spinning
2010's - Zumba
2020 - ??? no classes because we'll all be running from real zombies.
ETA - bootcamp, also popular mid 2000''s0 -
There are plenty of step, spin, bootcamp and cardio kick box classes in the present day. What's your point?0
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It's great for people who want to do something different.
It's great to get people moving.
It's great for people who just want to get their heart pumping.
It's great for people who don't want to spend time actually dedicated to doing a specific work out.
it's great for people who don't want to research specific workouts- and just get told what to do.
it's also very easily modifiable- you can kind of do whatever and get away with it as long as you are having fun and moving.
And no- that's not a BAD thing- it just is what it is.
it's fun to do different things- and it's easy to just be told what to do. I would do it in addition to my workouts- but i don't have time- I would never SUBSTITUTE Zumba for real training though. I'm not naive.
I agree. In addition, Zumba is easier than
-running (flat and on hills)
-pull ups
-one handed push ups
-heavy lifting
-HIIT
I only do Zumba when I've had a crazy training week (2-3 hours/ day 6 days/ wk) b/c I don't want to think and it is "easier"0 -
I love zumba!! It is totally a fun class and a great way to burn calories. When I first started I was a dunce but have kept at it for quite some time now. Great Workout!!0
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It's the trendy cardio class of the moment.
Early 90's - Step aerobics
Late 90's - Kick boxing/Tae Bo
2000's - Spinning
2010's - Zumba
2020 - ??? no classes because we'll all be running from real zombies.
ETA - bootcamp, also popular mid 2000''s
Step aerobics with Denise Austin...lol
Remember Gilad - Bodies in Motion?
Zumba is great, I love it but of course it is not for everybody...if you like to dance you should like it. And the calorie burn is amazing! I am so salty-sweaty after class.
Lots of new exercise is evolving and hybrid classes such as boxing and pilates are being formed...keeps you challenged and mentally interested too.0 -
I enjoy Zumba and, like others, I didn't want to. Everyone was doing it, and it looked so silly. The time does go by very quickly, and the upbeat music keeps it fun. I think you have to find the right instructor. Some are too difficult for me.
Although, as with anything, if I do it too long I get bored. If I do too much Zumba I don't want to do it anymore. I tried to keep my cardio switched up so that I'm not always doing the same thing.0 -
I'd like to try it, but mostly because I have danced (all different types) for a good portion of my life
Though I broke my ankle badly in three places about a year ago, and my dance moves aren't quite as great anymore with the lack of flexibility in the ankle. All of the classes at my gym just don't seem to be very convenient for me, so it has been difficult to get to a class.
We'll see how it goes if I do try it. There is one tonight at 6:30, if I'm not too tired I might go.0 -
Zumba looks like one of the most outrageous and crazy activities that a person can partake in.
But if you let yourself go and focus on the fact that everyone in the class looks like a fool too, it will probably be the most fun you've had working out (if you're a dancing person). The time goes by so much faster than other workouts and I don't get bored with it. The dances change with each song, adding variety into your workout. And if you have an enthusiastic instructor, it's even better!
I am a HUGE fan of zumba and would reccommend it to anyone to try, at least once!0 -
For those who can't seem to get to a class, I purchased Zumba Fitness Rush for the Kinect, and I find that I actually get a better workout in the 20 minute class on the game than the actual class in real life. I imagine if I did the hour class on the game I would really burn some calories.0
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I tried it once, but I have the grace and coordination of a newborn giraffe. So Zumba is not for me.
Hahah. The good instructors will tell you to try it at least three times to really give yourself a chance to get the moves
As to the original question the Zumba format is super flexible. It probably explains why the quality or essence of the class is so instructor dependent, but they can either teach from the quarterly(?) releases or they can make up their own stuff and it'd still be branded as Zumba. If an instructor didn't like some moves in BodyCombat they couldn't just teach whatever; it wouldn't be allowed.0
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