15 September 2011

Nutritionista Samples: Zumba (and 5 Tips for Newbies!)

I’ve been intrigued by Zumba ever since I heard about it a few years ago. I danced all through my childhood, and I was in a student-run dance company in college — which I adored! I knew Zumba has lots of Latin influence, and I just so happen to love Latin music.

When my gym started offering REAL Zumba classes (as opposed to “Latin Heat,” which I can only assume is bootleg Zumba), I knew I had to try one. So far, I’ve had two different instructors, both of whom I liked for different reasons.

The class consists of maybe 6-7 songs with fairly easy-to-follow choreography. Usually, there’s no instruction beforehand, but I hear some beginner classes will do that. The choreography is repetitive enough that a minute or two into the song, you’ll probably have a pretty good grasp of it.

The songs are fast-paced, and usually have some kind of Latin dance element (salsa, merengue, mambo, etc.). One of my instructors uses Latin music only, while the other one also uses Latin remixes of familiar top 40 songs.

What do I think? Hands down, Zumba is the most fun gym class I’ve ever done (besides MAYBE Fight-Do class in Argentina).

Is Zumba the most strenuous class ever? No, definitely not. But after an hour of straight dancing, I definitely get sweaty. And the time goes by insanely fast! I really would do Zumba every single day if I could. I’ve even thought about doing it twice in one day because it’s just that fun.

If you like dancing and are a fan of aerobics in general, you need to try this class. Though my instructors haven’t been quite as cool as the dude above, they’re really fun. And they love to shake their booties, which is pretty sweet.

What I like about Zumba:

It’s just a ton of fun and there’s no pressure to do everything perfectly.
The music is fabulous. And doesn’t music account for at least 75% of how good a class is?!
I never get bored or start watching the clock. I want it to last forever.
The instructors I’ve had so far have been so FUN. They genuinely love what they’re doing.

What I don’t like:

There’s no strength training element — but I don’t think it would be as fun if there were!
Some classes aren’t very intense. There have definitely been days where I don’t feel like I’m working that hard (though it absolutely depends on the instructor!).

As a Zumba newbie, here’s what you need to know:

You really have to check self-consciousness at the door. You won’t get
a good workout if you’re doing the moves half-assed. I’ve watched people do Zumba with a scowl on their face the whole time and I don’t get it!
It can be hard to Zumba in regular gym shoes. They’re a little bit clunky and make some of the moves more difficult. I still do it, but if you have less bulky sneakers, try wearing those. They also make shoes designed for aerobics/dancing, but you don’t want to drop $75 on new shoes yet. So if you have “fashion” sneakers, those might work too. Maybe something like these:
From my somewhat short experience with Zumba, I can tell that the class can really vary based on the instructor. One of my teachers is more lax/loose with her moves, and the other one is more organized. They’re both good, though! If you don’t like the first instructor you try, don’t give up!
It’s okay to improvise! If you don’t quite get how to do a move, just shake it however you can. As one of my Zumba teachers said, “There’s no wrong way to Zumba.”
You may get addicted quickly. I know I did.