Zumba Fitness

Exercise is one of the more efficient ways to improve your physical and mental well-being. To break past the frustrations exercise can sometimes bring, it is important to find ways to make exercise fun. No matter your age, limitations, or fitness levels there are enjoyable ways to fit in physical activity and get you feeling better every day.

Sure, pounding on a treadmill day after day may not be everyone's idea of a good time, so why not try a more low impact yet high yield workout like dancing? Dance is once again becoming a favorite form of exercise across countries, largely due to the new trend called Zumba. It all started in the mid 90's when the founder forgot his music for a traditional aerobics class he was teaching, so he was forced to improvise using the tapes he had in his backpack.  Those tapes consisted of salsa inspired music. Spontaneously he created a new kind of dance-fitness that focused on letting the music move you. The class loved it! That day a new concept was born, Zumba Fitness.  Their slogan is "Ditch the workout, join the party!" The first class  has since evolved over  the years and now incorporates hip-hop, salsa, belly dance moves, squats and lunges to name a few. Zumba classes are being offered in over 140,000 locations around the world in over 150 countries. If you would like to find a class near you, visit their website zumba.com and click the link "Find a class" on the top banner. Need another reason to join the trend?

"Dancing (including Zumba) is great for your heart, improves your balance and joint stability, helps prevent osteoporosis, and burns calories," according to Dr. Sperling of WebMD. “If you danced 60 minutes a day, you could lose an additional 10 to 12 pounds in a year” (WebMD, Fitness Basics). The more intense the dance is, the higher your heart rate will be and the more calories you will burn. The key is to move your whole body.

 If you are not comfortable diving right into a Zumba class, you can purchase Zumba DVD's to follow along to in the comfort of your own home. You could even search online for dances to follow along to, or create a playlist of your favorite tunes and be your own choreographer. If you need a nudge to get to a class, invite a friend or co-worker to join you.

Most importantly remember that exercise doesn't have to be boring! You can make it fun. Look for ways to change up your routine from time to time to keep it exciting. Don't be afraid to let dance be part of that routine.

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