zumba - too easy?

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arrowprayer
arrowprayer Posts: 77 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i like to be challenged when i do a class and zumba just doesn't seem to be like a high cardio kind of work out ...
is it??....should i try it?

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what can i expect cardio wise.
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Replies

  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    Depends on your fitness level. I find to actually get a good cardio workout from zumba you need to hit it really hard, exaggerate everything and cover as much ground as possible. It helps if you're moderately co-ordinated and can keep up with the moves. Honestly if I'm actually looking to improve my fitness, zumba would be nowhere near my first choice. It's kind of a "better than nothing" workout you do when I can't bring myself to do anything harder. Fun though!
  • JourneyingJessica
    JourneyingJessica Posts: 261 Member
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    Might be the Zumba instructor too. Try someone else. The "hard" Zumba instructor's class regularly registers 9-12,000 steps on fitbit. The easier one is 6-8,000 steps for the same hour - im trying to pick something tangible rather than how i feel.

    Some instructors use more "dance" where some like my "hard" instructor incorporates kick boxing moves. My girlfriends Zumba instructor incorporates training like Burpees

    My easier instructor i sweat lots. But after the last harder instructor i looked like i stepped in shower fully clothed. I was able to wring my ponytail out.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Depends on the instructor and depends on how much effort you put in doing everything "right". If e.g. you put really the effort into engaging your abs, thighs etc and not just casually dancing, it is far more intensive than just dancing for fun, which is what I see a lot of women doing in Zumba classes.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Try Body Combat. Looks like a giggle but bloody knackering!
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
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    Totally depends on the instructor. There are hard classes and easy classes.

    I teach Zumba and my heart rate monitor tells me I burn about 800 calories per hour. I am literally dripping sweat onto the floor.

    My clientele like to have their butts kicked :)
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    I tend to think so. I prefer class workouts that include strength training, not just cardio, though.
  • Shaselai
    Shaselai Posts: 151
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    zumba is totally dependent on moveset and instructor. I was able to "gym hop" golds gym and try out over a dozen zumba instructors and there are basically 3 types:
    1. High intensity - instructor goes all out on all moves- a lot of jumping, jacks, crunches and even 'slow' songs the feet moves super fast. I find these instructors had experience doing "sensazao", basically a high intensity Zumbaish workout program where theres even more jumping etc.

    2. medium- a mix of fast and slow songs usually tailored for the crowd.

    3. low - mostly instructors that are "not as fit" and they do a lot more foot motions and less intense. Even fast songs like Shake it, Buche, Suave turns into slowbore....

    I like 1 - i cant always keep up especially the sudden leg squats and shifts but it is good workout - heart rate ~160 average. Yes you CAN intensify your moves for a better workout but nothings as awkward as doing one legged kicks on Sauve when everyone else are moving their hands up and down.....
  • Ladyzumba
    Ladyzumba Posts: 217 Member
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    Depends on the instructor and how hard you push yourself. You get out what you put in. I teach and I am soaking wet when I leave. I've also loss a good bit of weight teaching! Try several instructors until you find the one that blows you away. Good luck!
  • Shaselai
    Shaselai Posts: 151
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    Depends on the instructor and how hard you push yourself. You get out what you put in. I teach and I am soaking wet when I leave. I've also loss a good bit of weight teaching! Try several instructors until you find the one that blows you away. Good luck!

    Yeah totally. Also as a sidenote, try to find "energetic" and engaging instructors. I hate instructors that come in and do everything like a "routine". Turn her/his back against the class never turning once and doesnt care if people have trouble with the moves nor show alternative easier moves. Needless to say i dont go there a second time. On the other side of the coin instructors who are too engaging is also not very good if you are new because he/she is busy clapping to the crowd or highfiving and you have to follow the "veterans" there on the dance moves or be able to pick up the moves the first time around....
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
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    My wife is a zumba instructor. She orginally dragged me along to her classes. I' prefer to hand out in the gym and do weights. But now I love it. I burn between 660-850 calories an hr, 4 days a week. It's been a BIG part of bringing my BF% from 19% in Nov to 10% today. Like others said...totally depends on instructor...and how much you put into it.
  • fit_war
    fit_war Posts: 985 Member
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    depend on the instructor ... mine is just... insane (and she makes you feel sexy doesn't matter if you look like a penguin dancing lol)
    usually burn around 525 / 600 using my HRM
  • Pucks_and_Balls
    Pucks_and_Balls Posts: 95 Member
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    I go to Zumba about once or twice a week and burn anywhere between 350-400 calories (or sometimes more than 400) depending on the intensity of the songs and how much I move that day. I still sweat and it's still fun for me to do, but I also do other, more intense classes like Piloxing, Les Mills BodyPump and the 30 Day Shred to supplement it. I think it's a fine workout but you have to be willing to do other things to gain the success you want. The teacher I go to was out sick last week/two weeks ago and so many people were complaining and not willing to try anything else. It was sad really...

    I have gone for my teaching license but can't really speak from experience about what kind of teacher I am b/c I haven't really been able to get going on it. Hopefully that changes soon!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    It depends on your effort and the instructor's choreography. You can burn from about 500 to 0ver 800 calories in an hour. 550 should have you dripping wet. At least it does me and I do five or six exercise classes a week from strength training to cardio so I'm in pretty good shape. If you're not sweating, first try to remember to do both the leg and the arm movements and make sure you're not just stepping the leg movements. If that doesn't work, try another instructor.
  • ThinkInOregon
    ThinkInOregon Posts: 283
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    what can i expect cardio wise.

    80-90% of Zumba is what YOU put into it. So if you like to bring it and work hard, then that is what kind of effort you need to put in. You have to do your part.

    If you like music and prefer dance-type exercise, you may enjoy Zumba. I enjoy it and obviously thousands and thousands out there do as well. There is a reason that Zumba has been so successful, many find it enjoyable and suitable for a wide variety of fitness levels.
  • Shaselai
    Shaselai Posts: 151
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    how do you guys use HRM for calorie counting? Do you set it to read HR and exercise as sprint or something? I have a HRM and it has Sprint and cycling. I do use my fitbit though and it is counting steps but usually 550ish per zumba session..
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
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    My HRM puts me at 450 kcal per hour for an easy 55-minute zumba class and about 575 for a more intense one. I drip sweat, and I have visible ab muscles after a year of doing little except Zumba, step, and hiking for exercise. My arms have definition and everything :)

    Step is about the same as Zumba. Bodypump is easier. Mountain hiking is easier.

    Sure you can coast through class and not come out with much of a workout, and plenty of people do that, but it's YOUR workout. If you work hard, you get results.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
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    It depends on your current fitness level, the instructor and your effort. I find it to be a good workout, but I'm not in awesome shape. If you think it looks fun, then it's worth trying.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Well- you've already decided it was to easy mentally so I suspect you will not get a good workout -because you'll be too busy rolling your eyes and sucking your teeth at it.

    I dance and train for upwards of 20 hours a week- once a week I pop into my dance studio's zumba class and I get a great workout it by being very high energy and really getting low.

    If you want to have a good workout- you can get one out of it.

    It's 'just' a dance workout but it's worth the effort and it's fun. I like doing it to just changing my cardio up and I like the lady who teaches it- it's definitely one of those things if you get into it and do it a few times- you get used to it and you can put more in. My recommendation would be don't just do one class - do it for a month and see how you feel.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    It takes 1-2 classes with any instructor to pick up their base moves. Once you have 1-2 classes under your belt (and you're going left when they say left, etc), you'll be able to figure out if you need an instructor who does higher intensity workouts. I took classes by 4 instructors at Gold's Gym, as well as a separate class at a community center and one class while I was traveling. Some instructors will do more jumping, which is not as intense for me since I am terrible at jumping. Some focus on core. I had one class that, I swear, my arms biceps were parallel with the ground for 30 minutes of the class.

    There are also different types of zumba. Zumba Toning involves the use of small hand weights. I had one instructor certified in Zumba Toning and it was brutal on your arms. There's also aqua zumba.

    Zumba really is "you get out what you put in." If you're not going 100% on the dances, you won't get much out of it. For example, there could be a step-shimmy move that involves stepping forward, shimmying your hips and shoulders in isolation, while keeping your upper arms parallel to the ground and the ends of your arms waving back and forth opposite from your feet (left foot forward, arms wave to the right, right foot forward, arms wave to the left). You can do the same move with wayyyy less effort if you simply step forward, flail your arms, and wiggle your torso.
  • jbee27
    jbee27 Posts: 356 Member
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    It can definitely be high cardio, but it's not for everybody. I did a 10 week class, and while I left dripping with sweat every time, I also never really felt like I was enjoying myself. I'm not super coordinated, so I had a hard time picking up/remembering the moves, and always felt a bit silly.

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