~*~ Zumba... advice please! ~*~

p1nkk1tten

What is it? Is it difficult? Will I look stupid and what do I wear? What are the results?

Thank you!!

bella*donna

Zumba is a dance based workout, using latin/South American style music.

It's easy to follow - moves are broken down and taught in stages.

No, you won't look stupid. Everyone will be doing the same moves as you.

Wear something comfortable - leggings/track pants and t-shirt is fine.

Results vary of course. Depends how often you do it and how much effort you put in. It's a lot of fun and gets you moving.

p1nkk1tten

Thank you, looking at going with a few friends, but i'm not the skinniest of people. A good sports bra will be in order (LOL). Started Slimming World in Jan and wanting to maximise my results from that... Thanks again =D

bella*donna

I was a size 24/26 when I started weight loss last year. Now 16/18. It's coming off slowly!

It is easy to be self concious when you are bigger, but Zumba is such fun. It's dancing and everyone will be so busy getting their own moves right and worrying about themselves, no-one is going to be paying you any attention (I mean that in the good way!).

It's good fun and will deffo help with losing weight if you are doing Slimming World too.

Good luck, hope you enjoy it!

p1nkk1tten

Well done!! Thats amazing. I joined Slimming beginning of Jan and i've lost 10lbs, so again, slowly but surely it's coming off... gonna start working out at the work gym next week too so i'll be all slinky for my holiday in Sept =D

SandC

Do give it a try it's the most fun you'll have while sweating! I've done about 8 classes now and the time flies. It's surprisingly easy to pick up but anyway, the instructor will tell you not to worry if you don't, just keep moving. It's a bit like dancing in your living room in a way, but you're copying the teacher!

I was worried when we were first going that it would be full of the instructor's amazonian goddess fellow teacher types but that could'nt be further from the truth. All shapes, sizes, ages and that's the truth!

As for results, well I can't pinpoint anything exactly as I do other stuff exercise wise - but for those I know who were doing nothing else, they usually report an aching bum the day after - that's without doing any 'strength' work so you're shaking your booty a lot! Basically it's a great fat burner cos it gets your heart rate up.

CLARABEL

hi

I've been zumba - ing since May of last year, and I love it. the thing that makes it so good is you laugh, the moves are hilarious, and the groups are women of all shapes and sizes. there's no posing or out dressing, it's jst a sweaty, fun great way to keep fit..I'm a 16/18, I' not the biggest or the smallest in my class, I feel really comfortable there.


I love it! Go for it!

p1nkk1tten

Thanks guys, feel much better about it now. Hopefully going tonight =D

faithcecilia

Zumba can be great fun, but classes vary dramatically! Taught properly, the moves are actually not broken down very much, but are repeated enough that you should get the hang of them, and the harder/more intensive moves should always have options. The music should never be stopped and it should feel like a party more than an exercise class:j. In reality, the only class I have ever done that actually fits Zumba's 'rules' was the masterclass on my training day!

Be a little careful choosing you class. Zumba is the only fitness programme in the UK which allows instructors to go out and teach after just a one day workshop (in reality less than 6hrs tuition) without any other qualifications and without any assessment - everyone who attends the workshop is then allowed to go out and teach:eek:. If you are going to a class in a well known gym chain, you can be reasonably confident that they will have at least a Level 2 fitness qualification, but if it is a community class then I personally would check if they are a REPS member.


A good sports bra is essential!!! I actually wear 2 for any form of aerobics - a shaped one and then a croptop style one over the top - and I am only a B cup. Apart from that, just be comfy. Leggings and a t-shirt is fine, then if you really love it, Zumba do their own range of clothing:). Comfy trainers are a must too.

Enjoy - there are only 2 ways to get Zumba wrong - if you don't smile, and if you don't move!:D:j

melancholly

tried one class on youtube and all i can say is that i'm glad my OH was in the other room!! i hope if i do it again i'd be better! (but then again, i've been to various aerobics classes where i ended up at the back almost falling over and laughing with the others at the back who weren't as talented at the dance like moves! still enjoyed myself and it was a nice friendly atmosphere where no-one cared - i still go to pilates even though i can't touch my toes; no-one cares!).

SandC

faithcecilia wrote: »

Zumba can be great fun, but classes vary dramatically! Taught properly, the moves are actually not broken down very much, but are repeated enough that you should get the hang of them, and the harder/more intensive moves should always have options. The music should never be stopped and it should feel like a party more than an exercise class:j. In reality, the only class I have ever done that actually fits Zumba's 'rules' was the masterclass on my training day!

Be a little careful choosing you class. Zumba is the only fitness programme in the UK which allows instructors to go out and teach after just a one day workshop (in reality less than 6hrs tuition) without any other qualifications and without any assessment - everyone who attends the workshop is then allowed to go out and teach:eek:. If you are going to a class in a well known gym chain, you can be reasonably confident that they will have at least a Level 2 fitness qualification, but if it is a community class then I personally would check if they are a REPS member.


A good sports bra is essential!!! I actually wear 2 for any form of aerobics - a shaped one and then a croptop style one over the top - and I am only a B cup. Apart from that, just be comfy. Leggings and a t-shirt is fine, then if you really love it, Zumba do their own range of clothing:). Comfy trainers are a must too.

Enjoy - there are only 2 ways to get Zumba wrong - if you don't smile, and if you don't move!:D:j

My instructor only did his training last Oct but he has nearly 20 years experience of aerobics etc. all the Les Mills stuff and his own salsa aerobics which is brill. We were talking just last week about how I knew of a couple of teachers were about to take the course yet hadn't been qualified in RSA for even a year and had been teaching for only that time. We both agreed that experience surely counts for a lot in the standard of the class.

I haven't tried any other classes in the area, it's been slow getting here for some reason, but two of the main others have dance backgrounds as well as fitness quals.

Have to agree it's more fun without the break downs of routines, you are right, I hadn't really thought about that aspect. He did from week two make a point of not stopping throughout and he now briefly runs through any new routine once. It is easy to pick up.

Good to hear from a teach - but don't they require that you have level 2 ETM? From what I hear they are finding it a revelation having been restricted to doing all the Les Mills stuff at gyms for an hourly set rate - village halls are back in business!:T