All About the Zumba Workout

Imagine spending your workout minutes doing the Cha Cha, Meringue, Mambo, Salsa, and the Calypso. Throw in a little rock and roll and belly dancing and you have the core workout for the Zumba DVD series. The key to the popularity of Zumba is the dance moves . You feel as though you are dancing around, free as a bird even though the program is approved by the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America, American Council on Exercise and the Canadian Personal Trainer Association as an exercise routine. With more than 3 million people choosing to follow the Zumba dancing moves all the way to a smaller size, this 2008 fitness boom is sure to last more than 15 minutes.

The History of the Zumba Training Style

Alberto Perez is to blame for this huge phenomenon. As a fitness trainer, Perez walked into class one day without the music planned for the day’s workout. In order to keep the class moving, he ran to his car and pulled out some Latin music of the more personal kind. The rest is history. The Latin beats combined with real Latin style moves and moves from some of the most popular dances have made the Zumba instructors all over the world (35 countries to be exact) a little smoother on the step.

After that first day of Zumba class with his new Zumba music, Perez knew he needed to expand his routines and make the most of this popular accident. He gathered all he knew about Zumba and headed to the United States. The year was 1999 and that is when the Zumba exercise was formally born.

The Most Fun You Can Have in Exercise

Zumba training is all about having fun and burning calories in the process. During the beginning stages of the workout, the Zumba dance steps are taught slowly in order for the newbies in the class to catch on to what is happening. As the class progresses, more and more steps are added making the entire Zumba fitness routine a building process.

The cornerstone of the Zumba class is the music. No matter if you learn the steps or not, once the class is warmed up and those Latin beats hit the air you are moving to the Zumba music and burning more calories and fat than ever before while maintaining a huge level of fun. The moves are sexy, the moves are raw, and the moves can even be made up as you go along.

Who Can Do the Zumba Routines?

Probably the best part about Zumba fitness is the adaptability of the routines. The moves are set for the in class participation, but that does not mean the instructor will come and slap you on the wrist for feeling the music and moving to your own beat. Zumba is a party, it is about having fun and that sets a self guided pace. Young, old and even those with very little mobility will be able to take advantage of the great vibes created by Zumba music. One of the hardest things to do when it comes to finding the workout that you can stick to is enjoying the time spent working out. Experts believe the workouts we do need to be as much mental as they are physical. So, those days when you are running on the treadmill thinking about how little you want to be running on the treadmill are really not helping that waistline one bit.

Zumba, however, offers Zumba DVDs for young and old. The milder or less strenuous version of the Zumba exercises are aimed at the more elderly or overweight and guide you through the Zumba series with just as much upbeat fun as the more moderate workouts. The lighter version of Zumba fitness is called Zumba Gold. Zumba Gold is available in both class and DVD form.

Zumba covers every aspect of exercise one could imagine and they throw in Latin beats, Latin dance and rock and roll to round out the fun. When it comes to burning calories, the Zumba class and Zumba music make the time fly. You will never know you are working out when you choose Zumba fitness for your weight loss, fat loss and muscle toning needs. Zumba, the party everyone is attending and leaving lighter than they came.