Does Zumba really burn 600 calories per hour?

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  • llbennett74
    llbennett74 Posts: 132 Member
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    I am 125 and I burn between 300 and 380 in a 45 minute class. If we went a full hour I would guess I might reach 500. I have a Polar FT7. It really varies with everyone and also with how intense your instructor is and how much you put into it yourself such as using exaggerated arm movements, etc. If you go at it half heartedly, you'll get out of it what you put into it.
  • Kekibird
    Kekibird Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Depends. Depends on your body, depends on how hard you dance, and the routine created by the instruction. I have danced hard and burned a decent amount (wearing a Polar HRM) but I had a great instructor that made the routines intense. But I've also slacked and had an instructor whose moves were more basic and simple and not burned as much. Do I think a high burn is possible? Yes. But it can vary class to class.
  • TammyW18
    TammyW18 Posts: 244 Member
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    I am 52 143 lbs and according to MFP data base if i did 1 hour of zumba I would burn 572 calories - According to my runkeeper if i did 1 hour of zumba i would burn 448 cals... so i would take the lower of the two...
  • Junebuggyzy
    Junebuggyzy Posts: 345 Member
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    Thanks you guys! I don't do any of the jumping, I have a bad back. I am 60 years young, 5'1, 150 pounds. My teacher is adorable and lively with a degree in dance, she really jumps all over the place.

    I'll have to get one of those heart rate monitors you all are talking about. How much do they cost?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Thanks you guys! I don't do any of the jumping, I have a bad back. I am 60 years young, 5'1, 150 pounds. My teacher is adorable and lively with a degree in dance, she really jumps all over the place.

    I'll have to get one of those heart rate monitors you all are talking about. How much do they cost?

    Get one with a chest strap.........

    I have this one

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395264468&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+ft4
  • Junebuggyzy
    Junebuggyzy Posts: 345 Member
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    Thanks you guys! I don't do any of the jumping, I have a bad back. I am 60 years young, 5'1, 150 pounds. My teacher is adorable and lively with a degree in dance, she really jumps all over the place.

    I'll have to get one of those heart rate monitors you all are talking about. How much do they cost?

    Get one with a chest strap.........

    I have this one

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395264468&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+ft4

    I can't quite figure out how that one on Amazon works! It looks like it goes around your wrist? I do think that's a good idea, though, a heart monitor.

    My exercise bike will say I burn 200 calories in an hour of averaging 15mph. On here, it will say it burns over 400 calories.
  • Beautifulbridgittlee7
    Beautifulbridgittlee7 Posts: 352 Member
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    I feel I burn 400-700 in an hour, the live class is more fun than the 45 minute or 60 minute dvd. I'm around 140, and I feel if I put a lot into it I can get my heart rate up there.
  • Junebuggyzy
    Junebuggyzy Posts: 345 Member
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    My fitbit says 200 calories :(
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    If you're heavy then maybe. If you're lighter, maybe not.

    If you work hard, maybe. If you half-*kitten* it, maybe not.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited November 2016
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    Necro thread
  • Junebuggyzy
    Junebuggyzy Posts: 345 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    If you're heavy then maybe. If you're lighter, maybe not.

    If you work hard, maybe. If you half-*kitten* it, maybe not.


    Hahah half-kitten. I think I quarter-kitten. I'd say I burn maybe 400 calories. My instructor's monitor says she burns 700 usually.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    If you're heavy then maybe. If you're lighter, maybe not.

    If you work hard, maybe. If you half-*kitten* it, maybe not.

    I'm heavier (182lb), work my *kitten* off (HR 130-150 Av 138) and burn around 10 Cals a minute, so 450 in a 45 minute class.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    firef1y72 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    If you're heavy then maybe. If you're lighter, maybe not.

    If you work hard, maybe. If you half-*kitten* it, maybe not.

    I'm heavier (182lb), work my *kitten* off (HR 130-150 Av 138) and burn around 10 Cals a minute, so 450 in a 45 minute class.

    10 cal/min at your weight is about 7 METs intensity. And that would be continuous-no warm up, no breaks, no pauses, etc. I am not at expert at zumba, but from what I have seen, I don't think the intensity is quite at that level of sustained effort. I suspect your net calories are more around 7 per minute tops for the whole class.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Necro thread

    Bumped by the OP though. So that's fun! Although I don't know why you are flagged as spam!?!

    Junebuggyzy wrote: »
    My fitbit says 200 calories :(

    I tend to trust my FitBit for most calorie burns. It seems to be pretty accurate so far. A little on the low side, but I would rather an underestimate than an overestimate, particularly while losing weight.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Junebuggyzy wrote: »
    I find it hard to believe we really burn 600 calories in an hour of Zumba. I do Zumba twice a week. If I had to guess, I would say it's more like 300. Anyone else feel that way?

    You're correct, not a chance.

    This thread is a pretty good indicator. HRMs are wholly inappropriate for this kind of activity, do most people claiming high burns are misusing the available tools.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Odd are extremely low that'll you'll burn that much.

    Extremely. Low.
  • Junebuggyzy
    Junebuggyzy Posts: 345 Member
    edited November 2016
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Necro thread

    Bumped by the OP though. So that's fun! Although I don't know why you are flagged as spam!?!

    Junebuggyzy wrote: »
    My fitbit says 200 calories :(

    I tend to trust my FitBit for most calorie burns. It seems to be pretty accurate so far. A little on the low side, but I would rather an underestimate than an overestimate, particularly while losing weight.

    I'm flagged as spam? Hahahah. Anyways, I'll assume I burn 200 to 250 calories for Zumba. I'll just go with what my FitBit says then. I am thinking you all are right. 600 is pretty unrealistic.

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