Why don't guys do Zumba?

bethira
bethira Posts: 132 Member
edited October 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I attend an early morning Zumba class. It's typically about 10 - 12 ladies and one older gentleman with the worst rhythm I've ever seen in a human but his smile and energy are infectious. He's been a fixture in this class since before I joined the group and earlier this week another older gentleman who I've seen watching us through the glass door finally came in and joined us. He stayed to the back of the class but seemed to be enjoying himself. I hope to see him in future classes.

But why don't more men do Zumba? It's fun. The workout is intense. There are a lot of jiggling boobs to watch if nothing else. Or am I stereotyping based on my admittedly limited point of view? Guys, please weigh in. :happy:
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Replies

  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    For me why I don't consider classes like that:

    You're not stressing any muscles to the point that you are going to make them need to grow, and there just are easier ways to do cardio.

    To be an "ideal" man you have to do a LOT more strength training and muscle building than most women realize. Cardio and muscle moves more akin to endurance just don't do a damn bit of good here.

    Building muscle ain't easy; it's a LOT easier to burn fat (to a point of say 10% body fat or so for a man).
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
    I think most guys would just rather lift weights than spend an hour dancing tbh! Plus it's very heavily marketed towards women...
  • Assassins_Angel
    Assassins_Angel Posts: 329
    i guess as the poster above me mentioned most men are all about muscles and obviously Zumba isn't aimed at major muscle definition
    Which is a shame as Zumba is an awesome workout!!

    (im a girl btw just incase my pic confuses) :)
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    I Zumba all the time.
    <--- This is actually the outfit I wear when I do it too.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I Zumba all the time.
    <--- This is actually the outfit I wear when I do it too.

    LOL
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Dance classes are kind of sissy.
    Guys tend to steer themselves to sports, jogging and weight lifting.
    Well...you asked.....:flowerforyou:
  • MissLuana
    MissLuana Posts: 356
    I wouldn't do Zumba because my interests are in building muscle and lifting weights. Besides I really think that when you look at each individual and his or her goals, you have to consid
    There are a lot of jiggling boobs to watch

    where do I sign up?


    :laugh: :laugh:
  • ZeroWoIf
    ZeroWoIf Posts: 588 Member
    Zumba is great if you are over 60, and your joints have limited movement j/k. Zumba is great for women but guys are interested in building stamina, strength, and endurance. Zumba sessions are extremely long, and may be boring to some of us.
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member


    To be an "ideal" man you have to do a LOT more strength training and muscle building than most women realize. Cardio and muscle moves more akin to endurance just don't do a damn bit of good here.

    This is highly variable depending on the woman. I'd be all over a guy that does Zumba and totally ignore a weight lifter. I put much more weight on personality than looks, though.

    Also, men that sing. Hot stuff.
  • jmoneycgt
    jmoneycgt Posts: 80 Member
    Probably the same reason I as a female don't Zumba (or BodyJam/SH/BAM). I don't enjoy it. If I try to force a workout I don't enjoy I will quit. I'd rather do other things.
  • georgeinthecord
    georgeinthecord Posts: 84 Member
    As a guy who does Zumba, I feel like a lot of guys are just can't get down with shaking their hips like a male version of Shakira :) haha.

    It's fun though, and definitely more enjoyable than spending an hour monotonously on an elliptical or a treadmill or something.
  • Aid_B
    Aid_B Posts: 427
    There are a lot of jiggling boobs to watch

    I know two guys who went to Zumba and got abused for it . Thety were shouted at by some woman who told them that "they were filthy perverts and Zumba was for women"

    I guess she didn't know they were both gay
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
    Dance classes are kind of sissy.
    Guys tend to steer themselves to sports, jogging and weight lifting.
    Well...you asked.....:flowerforyou:

    I must be a guy then :laugh: <running and weight lifting is all I do>
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I attend an early morning Zumba class. It's typically about 10 - 12 ladies and one older gentleman with the worst rhythm I've ever seen in a human but his smile and energy are infectious. He's been a fixture in this class since before I joined the group and earlier this week another older gentleman who I've seen watching us through the glass door finally came in and joined us. He stayed to the back of the class but seemed to be enjoying himself. I hope to see him in future classes.

    But why don't more men do Zumba? It's fun. The workout is intense. There are a lot of jiggling boobs to watch if nothing else. Or am I stereotyping based on my admittedly limited point of view? Guys, please weigh in. :happy:

    While it it fun I think it's two things:
    1) most of the guys I know don't dance in a mostly dark club unless they're completely tanked so getting them to dance in a well lit room while sobor is laughable.
    2) As a group fit instructor I find that fitness classes are primarily a women's dominated world. Most the women I know love the group atmosphere . . . most of the men I know prefer to work out alone or with one other guy, they don't rove in gaggles.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I have a male MFP that does Zumba on the wii.

    Its not just Zumba, very occassionally do I see a guy in my step or legs, bums & tums classes. The former is great cardio, and the latter involves lots of squats and lunges. We do see a lot of guys hanging around the water cooler checking out us ladies working out.

    I do classes but also lift, so I don't see why guys can't do the same.
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    I Zumba all the time.
    <--- This is actually the outfit I wear when I do it too.

    I want to go to your class..........
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Well to be honest, every time I wander past the studio where they are doing zumba....it really doesn't look like an intense work out.

    Lots of people think they are pushing themselves, but they really aren't

    Spend an afternoon sprinting with a 40 kilo sled then see if you still think zumba is intense.
  • KAA1982
    KAA1982 Posts: 90 Member
    The 1 Zumba class I took had 2 guys in it. One in his 20s and the other in his 50s. The guy in his 20s was a regular apparently and was great!
  • ChrisRS87
    ChrisRS87 Posts: 781 Member
    I feel ridiculous doing dance related classes. Accidentally walked into a cardio kick class and left in 5 min, lol.

    But like others said I can get cardio in easier without dancing in a class dominated by women.

    HOWEVER, I do suggest to every guy to take a legs class occasionally, and abs classes regularly. Most of my friends don't have the core strength to keep up in the abs class at first, and the legs class is a legitimate workout, I could barely walk right for 5 days after the first one I did. Its a good change from going really heavy with squats, lunges etc to use bodyweight.

    Best part is the legs class has a lot of talent, and I'm usually the only guy in a room of 45. When we're doing squats I'm just looking straight ahead at those in front of me, now thats motivation.

    #AssAssAssAss
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Because they are not cardio bunnies?
  • MellyGibson
    MellyGibson Posts: 297 Member
    I'm a Zumba instructor, and I usually have 2-3 guys in my class from time to time.

    Zumba is an incredibly awesome way to help with the cardio endurance - it's an interval-based cardio dance workout. Of course, that's if you're teaching it properly, which a lot of instructors don't seem to be doing (judging by what I've read on the Zumba boards).
    One reason I think a lot of men don't do it is because a lot of the instructors tend to choreograph "sexy, hip-shaking" movements into their routines that feel quite unnatural for most straight men (even though I'd really LOVE to see them do it! What, I'm a healthy woman that likes looking at men!)

    Keep in mind that the founder of Zumba is a man. There are thousands (more like tens of thousands) of Male Zumba Instructors....

    ....but it is seen as a very "feminine and sissy" activity.

    Doesn't stop them from watching through the windows....
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    To make a sweeping generalization... men seem to prefer competitive exercise, even if they're only competing against themselves. Lifting more, running faster, scoring points, etc.

    There's no winner at Zumba. Except the guy in the back of the class watchin' all the booties bouncing around.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I see some men doing regular Zumba.

    WhenI do Aqua Zumba and African Zumba, I'll try to remember if any mem were there.

    But, in general, you see more men in the weight room and more women doing cardio/classes.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    I Zumba all the time.
    <--- This is actually the outfit I wear when I do it too.

    bwahahahahaha :flowerforyou:
  • sarabluebell
    sarabluebell Posts: 68 Member
    I asked my husband why he doesn't do Zumba with me...He looked and me and said really? I gave a blank stare back..He asked If I really wanted him in a room with half naked women shaking their "girly parts" around....I laughed...He said he would be so distrated by it. Men are visual he reminded me...lol I cant stop laughing about how childish men can be sometimes
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
    I wouldn't do Zumba because my interests are in building muscle and lifting weights. Besides I really think that when you look at each individual and his or her goals, you have to consid
    There are a lot of jiggling boobs to watch

    where do I sign up?

    HA!
  • jaeysson
    jaeysson Posts: 41 Member
    I tried a Zumba class for the first time this week. It was fun but not a very good workout for me. My HR on avg was 124bpm, which for me is barely zone1. If anything it was a coordination workout trying to learn the steps and moves.
  • jesusHchris
    jesusHchris Posts: 1,405 Member
    I only dance when I'm drunk and that probably wouldn't go over very well in a Zumba class.

    I have been meaning to attend a yoga class, but I still can't get over the idea that the chicks will think I'm there to creepily stare at them twisting themselves in half.
  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
    I did Zumba once mainly because it was for charity. I was one of 2 guys there.

    I thought it was awful First of all, It wasn't a very intense workout for me, I had been doing Insanity for 3-4 weeks prior to it. I barely broke a sweat.

    Second of all, I just felt foolish. My rhythm isn't all that great, I'm not really into dancing, and I felt like I was in some sort of 80's aerobics class. Just too girly for my tastes.
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