How to Make Zumba Work for You!

The first time I've taken Zumba, I wasn't too impressed with it. I mean, there was nothing wrong with it, but I just didn't care for low-impact dance classes where I rarely sweat. But I took it a couple of more times, and every time, I just left feeling unfulfilled.

However, I took Zumba again with a different instructor. After I went through her class, I was hooked on it! Well, actually, I only attended HER classes, because I loved her style. Her class was high-impact cardio with a mix of slower, Latin dance. But I sweat in her class! My heart was up, my legs were screaming, and I was getting out of breath. Now that is a Zumba class I won't mind attending more often!

Before I attended her class, I didn't know Zumba could be that intense. But now I see that it depends on the instructor.

Zumba has been out since the 1990s, and it's an dance/aerobics class with a mixture of hip hop, Latin, Raggae, and other dance styles. Some instructors would even mix in light weights for more toning.

Now, each instructor does class differently. At my gym, I took classes from three different instructors. One instructor was very much low-impact where I barely sweat. Another instructor's class was a little more high-impact, but I still barely sweat. Then you had the instructor who was high impact where I was getting out of breath. There is no instructor that is better than the other, but they simply have different styles that appeal to different people. Not everybody wants to sweat themselves dry, but not everybody wants to simply dance the entire class and walk away with their clothes still dry.

So, if you've taken Zumba previously and didn't like it, try taking it again with another instructor. This is the case with any group fitness exercise classes.

Question: does taking Zumba classes burn fat? It does, but you really need to make it count. Low-impact classes won't burn fat like high-impact classes would. And you need to have the right diet for you. Diet is key to losing fat, while exercises would accelerate the process.

You need to be consistent with these classes and push yourself to do more. The instructor would give you different options for different exercise tracks. If you keep choosing the low-impact (or easy) option, you won't get much from the class. Take it up to the next option, and the next time, up it to the advance level. You could also do this with low-impact classes. Shake those hips a little harder, move those arms a little wider, and squat down a little lower for your leg work.

Simply attending any group fitness class won't do you any good unless you put in your part. You could make Zumba into a powerful, "fat-blasting" work-out if you try hard enough.

You could literally chisel up your body with Zumba, including your abs! But, this depends on how much you're willing to put into this class. If you take it easy on yourself, don't expect results. If you sweat it hard like the instructor, then you could look like the instructor (assuming that the instructor is an example of fitness). Also, you need to participate in this class often, such as 2 to 4 times a week.

And best of all, if you work your heart out, then your heart would become stronger. A stronger heart means more fat burn throughout the day.

I love taking Zumba! No, I don't like the low-impact class, but that does not mean that YOU won't. However, if you want Zumba to help you burn the fat, it would be to your advantage to work a little harder than you're expected to when taking a low-impact Zumba class.

Aiyo A. Jones, M.S.
NCSF-Certified Fitness Trainer
http://www.21dayhealthchallenge.com