Zumba Zumba Zumba

Today on Trendy Tuesdays, I am going to talk about a fitness trend that has been growing in popularity with women and I think it is a great idea. Ever heard of Zumba? It is basically an hour long cardio class that combines latin music and dance moves. I have not heard many negative things about it so this post should be short and sweet.

I am going to generalize this post and say that mostly women are fans of Zumba. There is no reason a man can't do it, but I mean, c'mon. So why do women love Zumba so much? What makes it different than the other hundred different types of cardio classes out there? First off, there is music being played the whole time. Not just booty rap or hard rock, but intense and upbeat latin music similar to salsa or something along those lines. This alone will make any workout a lot more fun and give you a solid tempo to work out at. Second, it is comprised mostly of dance moves that mirror excellent cardio workouts and give your body a full workout. This in turn makes you a better dancer while getting in awesome shape. Who doesn't love that? Finally, the classes are an hour long and fairly cheap compared to other classes. This means that you can get in great shape for only an hour a day and not break your bank. Although, I would think you would only want to do classes 3 times a week at most. This is a pretty intense workout to do daily.

So there is nothing wrong with Zumba? Well, there are always the normal things to look out for. A bad instructor can ruin any class. Make sure your teacher knows how to execute the moves correctly without causing injury. I would think that a bad music selection could make the class a lot more difficult also. If you can, see if you can get a sample of some of the music that will be played. No one likes to dance to music they can't feel. This is suppose to be fun. I would also suggest getting a good pair of cross training shoes so you don't beat your feet up too bad. Dancers are known to beat up their feet so be prepared with a good pair of shoes. Other than that, I would say it is a pretty safe thing to do without too much concern for injury.

In conclusion, if you are looking for an uptempo, fun, and rewarding cardio exercise to be a part of, I would recommend Zumba. Finding a class near you should be no problem since the popularity of the classes have grown so much in the last year. Most gyms offer it and even dance studios advertise it. With something as fun as Zumba, there really is no excuse to not get up and get going.