Zumba and toning-how to calculate calories burned

crisma1974
crisma1974 Posts: 52 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I use a heart rate monitor when doing Zumba to track my calories burned. However, I am going to start doing a class that mixes Zumba with toning. Would my HRM calories burned be accurate? Or how can I measure the calories burned accurately for a mixed class? From what I understand, it is 5 minutes Zumba 5 minutes toning for a total of one hour.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I would not consider a calorie estimate from a HRM accurate for a class mixing Zumba with toning (not sure what exactly that is) accurate. It's not the type of activity HRM's are designed to accurately track.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited February 2018
    Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
    HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned in this case / manner.

    I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.
    Sounds like a term being used to move ridiculously light "pink dumbbells" around for 5 minutes.
    That would be little-to-no exercise in itself and -probably worse- also let your drop your heart rate back down to near resting.

    The HRM estimates based on *5 minute* low-intensity intervals are not going to be reliable.

    Furthermore, at that level the "toning" part would be counted as part of your "activity level" but not "exercise".

    * Edited for clarity
  • crisma1974
    crisma1974 Posts: 52 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I would not consider a calorie estimate from a HRM accurate for a class mixing Zumba with toning (not sure what exactly that is) accurate. It's not the type of activity HRM's are designed to accurately track.

    Zumba Toning classes are fairly new. Basically you add light weights to some low impact steps/dance moves.

    As for the HRM calories burned for this type of class, I will play it safe and not log my calories burned. thank you.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    Yup. Just log Zumba as Zumba.
  • crisma1974
    crisma1974 Posts: 52 Member
    cqbkaju wrote: »
    Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
    HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned.

    I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.

    I thought HRM where the best tools for measuring calories burned for a cardio class. Thoughts?

    In the new class I am taking, they will incorporate light weights with low impact steps.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    crisma1974 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I would not consider a calorie estimate from a HRM accurate for a class mixing Zumba with toning (not sure what exactly that is) accurate. It's not the type of activity HRM's are designed to accurately track.

    Zumba Toning classes are fairly new. Basically you add light weights to some low impact steps/dance moves.

    As for the HRM calories burned for this type of class, I will play it safe and not log my calories burned. thank you.

    I don't think I was clear. I didn't mean don't log *anything*, I meant don't use the HRM estimate. I would find the database entry for Zumba and log that.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    As @janejellyroll says, just log it as 30 minutes of "Zumba" or cardio.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    crisma1974 wrote: »
    cqbkaju wrote: »
    Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
    HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned.

    I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.

    I thought HRM where the best tools for measuring calories burned for a cardio class. Thoughts?

    In the new class I am taking, they will incorporate light weights with low impact steps.

    Heart rate monitors are most reliable for steady-state cardio, i.e. running, rowing, walking, biking. Basically the kind of aerobic activity that has you do the same limited set of motions over and over again. They're highly inaccurate for weight lifting. Everything in-between really varies. Just pick an approach, stick to it for 4-6 weeks, and adjust as needed based on your actual results. Good luck!
  • tyediri
    tyediri Posts: 183 Member
    I use little "pink" handweights during normal Zumba classes sometimes, but I wouldn't class this at toning. It does help raise your heart rate more though and gives you a better cardio workouts (yes, your arms start to ache too), but I just log it as normal Zumba.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    crisma1974 wrote: »
    cqbkaju wrote: »
    Sounds like you might be doing about 30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio, at best.
    HRMs are not a tool to measure calories burned.

    I don't know what "toning" is supposed to mean either.

    I thought HRM where the best tools for measuring calories burned for a cardio class. Thoughts?

    In the new class I am taking, they will incorporate light weights with low impact steps.

    So you get neither the cardio benefit of significantly raising your heart rate nor the benefits of a resistance regimen that actually challenges your muscles? Sounds like a waste of time.
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