Is Zumba easy or hard? I want honest opinions .

TangaP
TangaP Posts: 6
in Motivation and Support
I have never done zumba but I hear so Many great things about it. I'm a little nervous about it because( whisper )* I can not dance*. Any advice on the class? The people who says its easy and fun or good dancers. Is it worth my time signing up and giving it a shot?

Replies

  • htmlgirl
    htmlgirl Posts: 314 Member
    I always tell people that as long as you are trying and moving, you'll get a good workout. It might take a few weeks to pickup on the moves, but you'll get it eventually. I did zumba at my old duty station and before that I was uncoordinated and couldn't dance at all. After a while, I picked up on it and could do it. I would give it a couple times before you make a decision on whether you like it. You should definitely try it though. It's a lot of fun and you don't realize you are exercising.
  • lizzue
    lizzue Posts: 276 Member
    My feet and body didnt seem to want to do what everyone else was... lol bit embarrassing but it was sooo much fun and i find if I am having fun then I am more likely to keep doing it! x
  • kirstypoos
    kirstypoos Posts: 9 Member
    The joy of Zumba is that it's as easy or hard as you make it! If you copy the instructor exactly then it's really hard on your quads and bum and core, but everybody sorta does their own take on it, and you all just bounce around doing vaguely similar moves at your own pace.

    Personally, the first few weeks I went it was exhausting every time as I was mega unfit and had water breaks after every song (not the only one!); now I try to keep moving whilst everyone else is having their drinks!
  • exercisathon
    exercisathon Posts: 8
    I have been going to zumba for about 6 months now. I am not the best when it comes to coordinated moves. It feels like you cannot do it in the beginning. You don't need to be a dancer to do zumba. In a few weeks, you get the hang of the moves. Like our instructor says, try to keep moving as much as you can. You don't have to look graceful or be conscious.... just enjoy it. It is a lot of fun. I really look forward to it every week. So my advice would be go for it... you will have a blast of a time :)
  • MissYatta
    MissYatta Posts: 57 Member
    I'm not a good dancer either, but it is a great workout. When I first started, I was out of breath in about 10 minutes, but gradually I've been building up. It took me a while to like it because it took me out of my comfort zone, but eventually I grew to love it. Have some water and a towel near by because you will sweat!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    My daughter wants to do this, and we're going for our first class today. I have the coordination of a very uncoordinated thing (I stomp on my *own* toes when I dance).. So I'm kind of dreading it. But hey, the things we do for our children...
  • foxyhotgal
    foxyhotgal Posts: 79 Member
    i loveeee zumba :) and i have managed to get a load of my friends to come and they are of all different fitness abilities, some have never been to the gym before and they loved it too. The thing with zumba is its not like other dance classes as such, you dont really need to learn a routine and if there is a move that your brain just doesnt understand you wil soon be on to the next one anyway! there are soo many people in my class ranging up to like 6o year old ladies and none of us have much coordination!! half the time we are all moving the wrong way! if it gets too hard then just stop and take a breather or slow down, it is only as hard as you make it!

    i think you should go and try it and see, if u find its not for u then you dont have to go back, but its sooo much fun and doesnt feel like exercise, maybe you can drag a friend along too xx
  • HakumeiRyu007
    HakumeiRyu007 Posts: 3
    Zumba is a kick in the pants like any other exercise, even maybe more depending on your instructor but its fun as hell. I am lazy and fat but a Zumba class is the only thing I will voluntarily walk in for without kicking and screaming.
  • elexichoccyeater
    elexichoccyeater Posts: 310 Member
    Zumba is the best exercise ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
    It makes me laugh so much! I have been doing it now for 5 months and I am still absolutely useless!
    When yo first start it will seem a bit difficult to keep up, but very soon after you will realise most of the dances have similar steps and it will get easier and easier! however the easier it becomes the harder you work and the more cals you will lose!
    The first time I thought I was going to self combust as I was so unfit... now it is relativity easy and I go 3-4 times a week :)
    If you want some support... feel free to add me xxxx
    (ps for the first few times concentrate on your legs and worry about what your arms are doing later )
  • Jenjaz1910
    Jenjaz1910 Posts: 433 Member
    I am a rubbish dancer but I like to try lol I ALWAYS break into a ridiculous sweat doing Zumba! I do it on the WII and I would say it is pretty hard especially to start with. There is a websit zumbacalories I think it is called where you enter your data and it works out approx how many cals you burn doing it! I burn between 179 to 402 cals depending on how long I do it for x

    EDIT: on the WII you can chose the level you want to do begginner/easy, intermediate or expert
  • Hayter2013
    Hayter2013 Posts: 77
    Why not get the games on the Wii or PS3 before giving classes a shot? I am the most un-coordinated person going, my brain cannot process some of the moves and sometimes I am moving my feet too much when the on screen instructor is not!

    I bet I look a right idiot but as long as the curtains are firmly closed and I am actually doing it, I feel great!

    I have never been to classes, but I bet they will start people off at the same level, not having people who don't know what they're doing with experienced people pushing and shoving them out the way as the novice is dancing in their space!! That would put me off completely!!

    Just give it your best! If you think you look silly, well you could always get drunk first!! lol
  • Malaika946
    Malaika946 Posts: 107 Member
    I do mine at home and love it!
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Try it and see for yourself! If you love music you will probably like or love Zumba!
  • SEDONACPA
    SEDONACPA Posts: 1
    It's easy if you have great knees! You will sweat more than any other exercise. It pretty much ruined my knees with so much lateral movement.. It's also a LOT of fun!
  • traceyjolli
    traceyjolli Posts: 60
    I do it at home... so I dont care if I miss a move or struggle with one!! it was hard at first, especially when you are unfit, now I enjoy it, sweat buckets and burn calories!!

    Good luck and give it a go x
  • mischa_12
    mischa_12 Posts: 126 Member
    It's not easy but it is a lot of fun and you feel great afterwards. I looked ridiculous because I have no rhythm at all, no one cares though! you just have to keep moving and it's a fantastic workout.
  • Bding123
    Bding123 Posts: 19 Member
    I LOVE zumba! I find that those who have natural rhythm are the best at it as i suppose it is a form of dance - But i think everyone could do it. At my gym there are beginners, intermediate and hard core classes, so perhaps find a beginners class first to see how you get on.
  • peppermilk
    peppermilk Posts: 2
    It definitely helps to have some dance experience. It can be a little intimidating at first, but one you practice it is so much fun! I would recommend it for anyone wanting to burn calories in a fun way :)
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
    Depends on the instructor.. Some classes are high impact, another ones are ´easier´. I was also scared about starting doing zumba. The first classes i was like .. what the hell im doing here, i cant even follow the steps!!. But you just gotta get used to it, and learn the steps, aaaaand know what the instructor expects from you.
    Try it, its addicting I can tell you that. I never really liked dancing, but now im always waiting for the moment I start to move!
  • Anastazia36
    Anastazia36 Posts: 27 Member
    Is it working?
    Have you seen a difference on your bobies?
    I am thinking to start too but it seems too much fun to work!!
  • justaspringhaze
    justaspringhaze Posts: 67
    I love Zumba! I've found that the difficulty varies by teacher. I am a TERRIBLE dancer, so I struggle with classes that are led by teachers with a strong background in dance, but I LOVE classes that are led by teachers with more of an aerobics orientation. It really depends on the teacher, and it's so worth a try!
  • Princess_Sameen
    Princess_Sameen Posts: 284 Member
    Zumba is hard one of the best workouts! sweat so much! but lets face it if it was easy wouldnt be a good workout for weight loss!
    it is so much fun though! i can an hour now and i can tell you by the end i can barley breath and well the sweating is eeeewww :laugh:
    Give it a go you will be hooked
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I can't dance at all. I found rumba far to easy to be worthwhile as a workout, but frustratingly hard as a dance.
  • psiren28
    psiren28 Posts: 530 Member

    (ps for the first few times concentrate on your legs and worry about what your arms are doing later )

    I so agree with this. I've been doing it over a year now and my arms still do different things than the instructor. I can't seem to coordinate the top and bottom of my body.

    The great thing about it is that nobody cares. It's not a dance class, there's no performance, as long as you're moving about and pushing yourself you'll get a great workout.

    It's as easy or hard as you make it, you can tailor the moves to suit yourself if some of them are too hard or high impact. Our instructor is an ex Latin American dance champion so she's a very good dancer and has the wiggle down. I find some of the more wiggly dancy moves impossible but it really doesn't matter. I just wiggle a bit, do my thing and it's all good.

    I'd totally recommend trying it. I'm a person who has never been to an exercise class more than twice before quitting because I find them boring, but here I am over a year later still looking forward to my Zumba classes each week.

    I go with my mum who's 61, she loves it too. There are all ages, shapes and abilities and no one feels out of place or self conscious because everyone's having too much fun.
  • majordlite
    majordlite Posts: 266 Member
    I am very uncoordinated, and it took most of the first class to get the hang of most of the moves...and I didn't think I would last the whole hour. But it got easier and easier every time, until I wasn't watching the clock all the time. And it was so much FUN. I've never laughed so much in an exercise class. You'll love it, I have no doubt, if you give it a bit of a chance.
  • jes1975
    jes1975 Posts: 15 Member
    I love Zumba.

    I have issues with my joints so I opted to go to the Zumba Gold class, which is not as intense as the normal fitness class. I have also ventured into Zumba Toning which is not too bad for me (even if I do have to put the weights down sometimes).

    Zumba is what you make of it. There are times when I struggle with specific moves, however in the spirit of Zumba I just keep moving and do my own thing until the routine is back on a move I can cope with (be it mentally or physically).

    I also have the first zumba game for the wii, and some zumba DVDs. These are a bit more intense, but the joy of the DVD/wii is that I can stop it and come back to it and not worry about wasting money on a class I can't do.

    Can you tell I've just finished a night shift? I'm rambling on a bit now.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Did it this morning, and we had a lot of fun. It wasn't a difficult workout (I'd say it's light / moderate cardio), and the moves required concentration, but were manageable (and I am very uncoordinated!). And as others have said, it's very acceptable, if you lose your way, to bounce about enthusiastically till you find your way back in again.

    My daughter coped with it all well too.

    It was a good, fun way to burn some cals and get the heart rate up a bit. I wouldn't have it as my main workout, but it was very cool, and we'll definitely do it again. Probably make it a once a week kind of thing.
  • AnnetteBailey71
    AnnetteBailey71 Posts: 3
    Hi ya ...

    I participate in alot of aerobic excersise ...Body attack , Body combat , Body Pump and Zumba as well as running and cycling ..i know sounds mental...

    Body attack and the les mills programes are very structured so therefore are easier to pick up and follow and i would say a good way to build endurance quickly , i love the pounding thumping beat which makes the moves easier to follow... however body attack is absolutely the hardest one but my most favourite .
    Zumba when done correctly can give as much of a buzz as body attack and combat if you give it your all ...You will be abit all over the place at first but just stick with it and eventually it will fall into place .Zumba isnt as structured and there is more freestyling involved
    My only advice would be is find firstly an instructor thats really good with lots and lots of enthusiasm ...i do zumba with a guy called johnny stewart and i have to say i have never met anyone quite like him in the gym lol ...he is absolutely mad but his enthusiasm is infectcious
    Secondly the music has to do it for you ...im sorry but i once attended a Zumba class where they played rock around the clock and it nearly put me off for life lol ...
    Lastly just have fun, smile when your doing it and just let go its actually a very liberating form of excercise and once you get into it its addictive
    Go for it ...best of luck x

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