What I’ve Learned at Zumba®

When Jamal challenged me to take a Zumba class, I was skeptical, but I went. Here’s what I learned.

• The main qualification for a Zumba instructor is to smile during the whole one-hour class.
• It helps if you have rhythm.
• Like dancing, Zumba is hard work.
• Sometimes guys come to Zumba class and the ladies love them.
• You don’t have to hop (high impact) like the young women.
• Low impact (stepping) is fine.
• The older women (like me) hug the back wall.
• There’s great camaraderie among the classmates. You get to know folks and enjoy friendships.
• It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you “do.”
• No one looks great the first…or second time you take a class.
• No one cares what you look like.
• You can really change your body makeup—lose fat and gain muscle—no matter what your age.
• Exercising, being active, can become part of your life.
• Horseback riding is still more fun.

What is Zumba?

Wikipedia says that Zumba involves dance and aerobic elements. The choreography incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo.

The Zumba website claims: “We take the ‘work’ out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Once the Latin and World rhythms take over, you’ll see why Zumba^® Fitness classes are often called exercise in disguise.”