Letters for George: Everything There Is To Know About Zumba

Dear George,

Now that I worked up my courage and went to a couple of Zumba classes at the fitness center, I decided I should learn more about it. Here is what I found out.

Love,

Dave

What exactly is Zumba? Google says: "An aerobic fitness program featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance and performed primarily to Latin American dance music."

How did Zumba get started? In the mid-1990’s 16-year-old fitness instructor Alberto "Beto" Perez in Cali, Columbia, forgot his music for an aerobics class he was about to teach, so he went out to his car and got a tape of his favorite Latin dance numbers and used it to do a salsa-like workout routine. His students liked it so much that he added it to his gym routines and named it "Rumbacize". Perez moved to Miami in 1999 and, when his students there were equally enthusiastic, he renamed the class “Zumba".

What does "Zumba" mean? Some say Zumba is just a fun word that sounds like Rumba. Others say Zumba is Colombian slang for “buzz like a bee” or “move very fast”.

How much is the Zumba business worth today? It’s the world’s largest branded fitness program. It’s worth over 400 million dollars.

How many people do Zumba? Zumba classes are currently taught at approximately 200,000 locations in 180 countries. About 15 million people participate.

How many Zumba classes are there in Cincinnati? Zumba.com lists over 280 Zumba classes in the Cincinnati metro area.

What dance styles are incorporated in Zumba? Salsa, merengue, samba, hip-hop, raggaeton, cumbia, soca, cha-cha, tango, mambo, and others. Also squats and lunges.

Are there different types of Zumba classes? There are nine different types of classes, designed for different ages and levels of exertion. For example, there are classes for children (Zumbatomic), classes for seniors (Zumba Gold), resistance training classes (Zumba Toning), classes in the water (Aqua Zumba), and circuit classes (Zumba in the Circuit).

How intense are Zumba classes? Classes usually last an hour. According to WebMD, Zumba is an interval workout, involving a medium intensity level. The classes move between high- and low-intensity dance moves.

What areas of the body does Zumba target? Many Zumba dance steps emphasize the hips and midsection, helping strengthen the core. Dance moves also help work the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Traditional Zumba doesn't target the arms, and it's not focused on back muscles.

How many calories does one burn? About 500 to 1000 in a one-hour class.

Does Zumba have health benefits? According to WebMD, Zumba helps weight loss, reduces blood pressure and bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol, and lowers the risk of heart disease.

Do you need to be a good dancer? No dance experience or skills are necessary. In Zumba classes people don't have to move exactly like the instructor. It's more like club dancing where you move to the music in the way you want.

Do men do Zumba? The official line is that 20% of Zumba participants are men. However, instructors are more likely to estimate 5%. In general, men are less likely to participate in fitness groups, and that’s particularly true of dance fitness groups. Male instructors and participants are much higher in Latin countries where males are

encouraged to dance from an early age.

Can older people do Zumba? Because there are different class options, Zumba proponents claim that it is safe for all ages. Also a good thing about Zumba is that you can set your own pace, increasing or decreasing intensity in a way that works for you.

What kind of clothing should one wear to do Zumba? Just about anything as long as you can easily stretch in it. The company did launch a clothing line called Zumba Wear in 2007. Today Zumba clothing is an 80 million dollar business.

Do any famous people do Zumba? Here are some well-known Zumba-lovers: Jennifer Lopez, Jackie Chan, Madonna, Jordin Sparks, Vivica A. Fox, Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde, Kirstie Alley, Emma Watson, Shakira, Victoria Beckham, Wyclef Jean, Toni Braxton, Rapper Pitbull, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Eve Longoria, Zooey Deschanel, Halle Berry.

Can I try doing Zumba at home? Along with DVD’s, there are tons of Zumba videos on YouTube. One website that offers “10 of the Best Zumba Workouts” is www.tone-and-tighten.com.

What if I want to do Zumba on my cruise? Royal Caribbean offers a cruise centered around Zumba dancing.

And what Zumba's slogan inspires us?: "Ditch the Workout -- Join the Party!”

SOURCES;

www.acefitness.org, "Zumba Fitness: Sure It's Fun But is it Effective?";

www.confessions of a fitnessinstructor.com, "What to expect at your first Zumba class;"

www.livehealthy.chron.com, "What Is Zumba Exercise?”;

www.ranker.com, “26 Celebrities Who Zumba”;

www.southbayzumba.com, “5 Fun Facts About Zumba”;

www.sparkpeople.com, "All About Zumba Class";

www.stylecraze.com, "What is Zumba?";

www.thefactsite.com, “Facts About Zumba”;

www.tone-and-tighten.com, “10 of the Best Free Zumba Full-Length Video Workouts”;