Zumba Workouts For Beginners

Most gyms offer a range of ways to get fit, lose weight, and shape up. They’ve got freeweights and resistance machines to build muscle strength, size, and tone and cardio machines to burn fat and calories as you get fitter. But, unless you work out with a friend or a trainer, these are all solo activities.

Some people prefer more social workouts, and most gyms cater for those too.

Group exercise classes are immensely popular, and a lot of gyms operate a booking system to make sure their studios are not overcrowded. There are lots of different group exercise classes to choose from, including:

• Body Pump – a weight training-based class
• Body Combat – a martial arts-based class
• Step
• Spinning – a cycling-based class
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Tai Chi
• Circuit training
• High-impact aerobics
• Low-impact aerobics
• Body conditioning
• Calisthenics

Zumba Workouts For Beginners

One of the most popular workouts is called Zumba, which is a dance-based workout. It has a large global following, and Zumba workouts are invariably well-attended all you need is Zumba shoes and you are good to go!

But what if you can’t go to a gym; can you still do Zumba?

Surprisingly, the answer is yes. There are DVDs you can buy and online classes you can join. There are also plenty of FREE Zumba workouts on YouTube.

For this article, we’ve tracked down some of the best Zumba workouts for Beginners on YouTube, so you can work out in the comfort of your home.

What Is Zumba?

Zumba is a dance-based aerobic workout that was initially developed back in 1998 by a Colombian fitness instructor and choreographer Alberto Pérez. Originally called Rumbacize, Zumba started off as a Latin dance-based class but evolved to include other styles of dance. Zumba Fitness LLC is now a global company with an estimated net worth of $30 million.

Zumba classes in gyms are typically 60 minutes long and are set to music. There are several different music and choreography styles in Zumba, including cumbia, salsa, merengue, mambo, flamenco, chachacha, reggaeton, soca, samba, hip hop, axé, and tango.

Most Zumba classes are taught without any verbal instructions. The class is led by an instructor who shows rather than tells you what to do. This means you can do workouts presented by non-English speakers, making Zumba truly international.

There are ten different types of Zumba, varying in complexity and intensity. Variations include:

• Zumba Gold – beginners and older exercisers
• Zumba Strong – a higher intensity interval-based workout
• Zumba Santo – a chair-based workout
• Zumba Toning – using weighted bars for strength training exercises
• Aqua Zumba – a pool-based Zumba workout
• Zumba step – a workout based around an aerobic step platform

Zumba workouts are mostly low-impact, which means they involve very little running or jumping. As such, Zumba is a very safe workout that is ideal for beginners, older exercisers, overweight people, and anyone with minor lower limb aches and pains.

Is Zumba Good For Weight Loss?

If you want to lose weight, Zumba could help. It’s estimated that Zumba burns between 500-600 calories per hour.

However, those figures assume that participants work hard. Taking it easy and cruising through an hour of Zumba will burn far fewer calories.

Also, to lose weight with Zumba, you’ll need to:

• Do at least three workouts per week
• Be consistent – it’ll take weeks or even months before you see noticeable weight loss
• Combine Zumba with a sensible diet – A Plate by Zumba is the official diet and healthy eating guide of Zumba Fitness LLC.

The best way to lose weight with Zumba is to combine your dance workouts with other forms of exercise and activity.

For example, try to clock up 10,000 steps of walking every day, do 2-3 Zumba workouts per week, and do 1-2 strength training workouts. Combined with a sensible diet, this should produce noticeable weight loss.

Some Zumba Workouts For Beginners

Do you want to try Zumba but don’t want the expense or hassle of joining a group class? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! Here are some beginner workouts to try. Just stream them to your TV, clear some space, and get to work!

1. 20-minute Beginner Zumba Workout

If you are new to Zumba, this workout is a great place to start. At only 20 minutes, it’s the perfect duration – long enough to work but short enough to manage. The music is quite fast, but the choreography is simple and easy to follow. With YouTube, you can slow down the playback speed, which may be helpful if you have difficulty keeping up.

2. Zumba Burn It Up 30-Minute Low-Intensity Workout

This workout is a little longer than #1, and the choreography is a little bit more complex, so it’s a great workout if you love to dance. This is an official Zumba workout delivered by certified ZIN instructors, so you’ll get a taste of a real Zumba class.

3. Home 20-Minute Zumba Workout by Tanju

If the last workout left you tripping over your feet, this could be the Zumba program you want. Instructor Tanju takes you through a basic but fun workout that doesn’t require elite-level coordination. This workout is ideal for beginners and anyone who prefers to follow a simply choreographed workout.

4. Zumba Dancer Workout for Beginners

A lot of Zumba instructors don’t speak during their workouts, leaving you free to watch and follow. If you prefer more verbal cues, you’ll probably enjoy this workout. It uses interval training to raise and then lower the intensity level to maximize fat burning.

5. 10 Mins Easy Weight Loss Zumba Workout for Beginners

We all have days when finding time to exercise seems almost impossible. This ten-minute workout means that, even when you’re busy, you can still score your workout fix. The steps are basic, and the tempo is easy to follow; this is a great, short workout for beginners.

Bottom Line

Zumba has been around for almost 25 years. That means one thing: it really works! Zumba is NOT a workout fad. The choreography in Zumba is easy to learn, and that means, once you know the steps, you can put even more energy into each move, burning more calories in the process.

Exercising to music means you have to maintain a brisk pace for the entire workout, and the music is invariably high energy and motivating, too. Just follow the instructor and do your best to keep up. By the time you’ve done a class a couple of times, you’ll have mastered all the moves and will be dancing like a pro!

Because Zumba is mainly low-impact, it’s easy on your joints and ideal for overweight, older, and beginner exercisers. If you hate jogging, running, and jumping, you’ll probably enjoy Zumba. However, despite this, Zumba is a surprisingly good calorie burner, and you can expect to lose 500-600 calories per workout, providing you work hard. Combine with a sensible diet for best results.

If Zumba has a downside, it is that you usually need to go to a gym or join a class to do it. The good news is that there are online classes you can do at home, and many of them are free.

Lose weight and get fit with Zumba; it’s the ideal workout for anyone who wants to dance themselves fitter and slimmer.