Thoughts/Experience with Zumba.

kweede14
kweede14 Posts: 29 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm looking for a fun workout. I thought about trying Zumba because people seem to like it, but I don't want to spend the money if it's not all it's cracked up to be. Thoughts?
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Replies

  • tj_17
    tj_17 Posts: 15 Member
    I just got the Exhilarate Zumba DVD's & it is awesome!!! It really makes you sweat & you feel really sore the next morning! It's really worth it in my opinion; you burn a ton of calories within 45-60 minutes & you have a lot of fun!:D
  • Jaymeow11
    Jaymeow11 Posts: 24
    love zumba so much funner to do with a friend. but its just another cardio workout. i would do some online zumba videos before spending money
  • samr73
    samr73 Posts: 440 Member
    I absolutely swear by Zumba!! I've been lucky and have two great instructors (and it does make a big difference) but it's fun, you don't notice you're working hard and burn loads of calories - although as with everything, you have to work hard to get the results. It also gave me a mental boost when I desperately needed one so was kind of a whole package for me :-)
  • dankas001
    dankas001 Posts: 209 Member
    there are loads of workouts on tou tube have a look
  • annafonte
    annafonte Posts: 82 Member
    Zumba is a fun way to work out. I absolutely love it. I've got a wii so I have zumba for the wii. You burn a lot during zumba and you don't even notice as you're having so much fun.
  • thatjosiegirl
    thatjosiegirl Posts: 362 Member
    I do a Zumba class a few times a week and I love it! It's a ton of fun and you burn a load of calories doing it.
  • bgirls2
    bgirls2 Posts: 4
    I got the same set for Xmas. It is great!
  • kaji13
    kaji13 Posts: 172 Member
    They had a groupon for a place near me, $25 for 10 classes, can't go wrong with that! I've gone twice so far with a couple friends, it's a lot of fun! And I definitely sweat a ton and felt sore the next day
  • amyfullbrook
    amyfullbrook Posts: 97 Member
    Zumba is great fun! I lost so much weight doing it 3 times a week combined with strength training and diet...I think I lost about 25lbs doing it a year or so ago.
    A very fun way to workout! It's hard to keep up and catch your breath at first, mixed with the new routines you've got to try and memorize but by the 2nd week you're flying through and having a great time!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    many gyms offer a free trial class.
  • singlefemalelawyer
    singlefemalelawyer Posts: 382 Member
    During the holidays I didn't have my zumba games on my wii, so I found a couple classes on youtube and got a good sweat. I'm sure you can find some classes online like that so you can try it before spending anything.

    Here's a couple beginner classes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa2IWYs3ags

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afPfWEJSnvM

    Here is an hour long class if you want a bigger challenge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcRo0j4UO10

    There are tons more on youtube I am sure.

    Enjoy!
  • singlefemalelawyer
    singlefemalelawyer Posts: 382 Member
    Also this:

    4259.jpg

    Love Zumba!
  • dankas001
    dankas001 Posts: 209 Member
    lol single
  • firesoul19
    firesoul19 Posts: 37 Member
    I love Zumba, but the dance/teaching styles vary greatly with the teacher. I've had 3 different ones: really fast, moderately fast with lots of hispanic flair (she was actually from Colombia), and moderately slow-ish with more African flair. The middle one was definitley my fave. It's fun if you like to dance, have good rythmn, and can pick up moves quickly. This is me.

    I also have the Wii game, which is fun but not as fun as with other people and I find the belt slips pretty often. Lastly, I've tried the DVDs you see on TV (my sister's), and those are ok. Probably better for people that need lots of practice to get the moves down.

    So pick your poison! Overall I love zumba, so hope you have a good experience with it. :)
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    many gyms offer a free trial class.

    Agreed. Or even independent Zumba instructors who hold classes at universities, gyms, community centers. Free trial or like $3 to $5 per class in my area.

    Personally, can't get past the music. It embarrasses me. I am super picky about music so I just find it cheesy and cannot get past...
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
    I tried it once and honestly the workout is what you put into it. When I did it the class was PACKED so it was hard to move around (I got a spot in the way back corner so I was able to move a bit more). There were people though who were dancing at a leisurely pace and those who were shaking it.

    I was one of the ones shaking it and was sweating pretty good afterwards. It was okay. I didn't know many of the moves and basically looked like an idiot with my arms flailing and my hips swinging :laugh: . While I would have given it a second chance it was way too packed (and smelly)
  • esescovar
    esescovar Posts: 11 Member
    I have a toddler at home and live in a small town that doesn't offer classes, so while my son is napping in the afternoon, I do a 45 min zumba workout on my Wii. I recently got the Zumba Core and Zumba World Party and love them! I don't feel as self-conscious since no one can see me do it. Zumba burns about 10 calories per minute which is great! I love to dance so being able to do so in the privacy of my home everyday is a blast! It's my personal time. I've lost 9 lbs with healthy eating and only doing zumba as my cardio!
  • chani8
    chani8 Posts: 946 Member
    I've got rhythm but let's just say, I dance to a different tune than other people, and hate to be told what to do and when. I've tried Zumba a few times on youtube and it's just not for me. I'd rather pump iron. Pass me my dumbbells. ;)

    So try it before you pay money for it.
  • kristarablue2
    kristarablue2 Posts: 386 Member
    I am really mixed on Zumba, the workout is really going to depend on who is teaching. I have gone to a zumba class in which the instructor was amazing and kicked my bootie all over the place, I had a burn equal to that of kickboxing or boot camp. However that was ONE instructor that was consistently amazing and it was at a gym that really pushed their clientele. I have taken Zumba from four other places that was sub par at best, often it is dependent on who the clientele is, I have burned over 500 calories at Zumba and I have burned 150 depending on instructor. I have been really let down most of the time by Zumba. Maybe I am just not going to the right places or the right instructors, as I said one I went to was amazing but that was one our of five. But then I want to be dripping with sweat. I suggest you try it out before signing up for a long term class.
  • kweede14
    kweede14 Posts: 29 Member
    Thanks for all the input/suggestions! :)
  • adriennewx
    adriennewx Posts: 38 Member
    i think it can be a bit hit and miss. at my gym there are 4 different instructors and every class is totally different. two seem more like salsacize (pretty boring), another is like streetdance which is bloody hardwork haha and the last is what i would say proper zumba is, all hip shaking etc. it is taught by an african man and his wife and it is a great class!!
  • LesaDave
    LesaDave Posts: 1,480 Member
    Zumba is a FUN workout, but it really does depend on the instructor.

    I try to go to all Zumbathons that I can. That way you can try more than one instructor on the same day. Gives you an idea about how each person is.

    But, yes, the instructor has a BIG part with whether you like that class or not.
  • myfuture14
    myfuture14 Posts: 12
    I just went too my first zumba class yesterday and I was very nervous but I loved it had a great time. Got lost a couple Times but no one cared except for me. I agree with having a great instructor probably makes a big difference. This instructor was great got us clapping and yelling, she walked thru the group and motivated us. She really encouraged ids to let loose said zumba is what you make of it. I'm going again tomorrow will have a different instructor see how that goes. I'm excited about all the new changes I'm making. Good luck with your endeavors and have fun no matter what
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    4259.jpg

    Hahaha :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    TRUE!
  • Kooney30
    Kooney30 Posts: 3
    I love Zumba and my instructor! I like going to the classes instead of popping in a dvd because I dont push myself as much at home. Plus you meet so many different people but everyone has the same goal which is to be healthy all while having fun. Its the best cardio workout for me especially since I like dancing.
  • andreajaeger89
    andreajaeger89 Posts: 18
    I LOVE ZUMBA!!! :heart: I have been doing it for over a year now, but I agree with most that it all depends on the instructor you have. My instructor is about 4'11 85 pounds and from Peru. She is amazing and adorable. She is great at making Zumba feel like a family and not cliquey or judgemental... Well at least not to people we don't know. I've been going so long that I have a lot of freinds that a regulars and we "judge" each other when we mess up or look silly. Lol. :laugh: There is a group of us regulars about 15 or so that do GNO at least once a month. We range in age from 24 to 57 and we have a blast. Going to class for me is like hanging out with my besties and dancing for an hour. It can be intimidating and hard at first, but I always tell people to give it three tries before you call it quits. By the third class you will have learned a majority of the dance moves and some of the choreography. Zumba rescued me from a depressed couch bound life. I worked a desk job 8-4 and my then bf worked two nights a week and had nigth classes twice a week. I spent a lot of time home alone and was really depressed. :brokenheart: When I finally worked up the courage to go to Zumba I wondered why I hadn't done it sooner. I lost weight, built up my confidence, and made a bunch of new friends that have made all the difference in my life. I love them so much!!:love:
  • bf43005
    bf43005 Posts: 287
    I didn't care for it. I have burned more calories in other classes and enjoyed them more. But that's personal preference. The instructor was amazing, someone who is regually teaching classes at my gym, so it wasn't that. I think the music was part of it, not my style. I didn't feel like I got a good cardio workout. But if you are strongly opposed to other cardio this might work for you because I sure didn't feel like I was tired or anything while doing it.
    I would suggest checking out a YouTube video and trying it first before buying into a long term commitment. Good Luck!
  • bobbijodmb
    bobbijodmb Posts: 463 Member
    I love love love Zumba classes-- amazing and so much fun!

    I bought the DVDs and I hated them-- just wasn't the same for me. I have zumba on my wii and only played it twice.

    So for me, I loved it in person, but just not the other versions
  • librarygirlontherun
    librarygirlontherun Posts: 32 Member
    LOVE IT, but only in a class with a GREAT instructor. It helped with my staminia with my running. Sadly I can not work it into my Marathon training, but will come back to it after my race.
  • Urban_Princess
    Urban_Princess Posts: 219 Member
    I love Zumba! It works all the time and I always work up a sweat. I have Zumba for the Wii but I rarely use it because I have an amazing instructor. I know it is a bit of money to sign up for classes, but I would suggest trying out a few classes with different instructors because they can be different. I have one instructor who is amazing and just kills you every time. I went to a different location and had a different teacher and I barely raised my heart rate. So it really does depend on the instructor. Don't give up after one try. If you are self motivated then I would suggest trying out a dvd or something for a game console

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