The history of the creation of “Zumba” - the forgetfulness and resourcefulness of Beto Perez
Alberto Perez
Fitness program created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto Perez in the 1990s. There is a legend that Beto once forgot to take the disc to class, which he usually used for fitness training. There was nothing to do, I had to train to Latin American music. Disappointment instantly gave way to delight and inspiration - the training turned out to be incredibly fun and exciting. This is how a new direction was born - “Zumba”, which soon conquered the entire globe.
Nowadays, Zumba is a brand and a way of life. Youthful and bright clothes are sewn with Zumba logos. Festivals, open-air, marathons and competitions for professionals and amateurs are held under the Zumba brand. The concepts of many hotels and fitness clubs include Zumba.
The creation of the Zumba direction is an example of a joyful and easy attitude to life and training.
What is Zumba dance: the history of its appearance
Zumba is a dance fitness training in which Latin American dance movements are combined into a full-fledged dance during the class, movements are learned from simple to more complex.
Thus, in its scheme, Zumba classes are reminiscent of learning joints in aerobics, so everyone can master this program. Zumba lessons include movements from dances such as merengue, salsa, samba, flamenco, mambo, and even elements of hip-hop, belly dance and reggaeton.
The idea of directional consciousness arose by accident in the late nineties, when fitness trainer and dancer Alberto Perez conducted an aerobics training session accompanied by a merengue and salsa cassette, having forgotten the necessary musical accompaniment at home. After conducting such a training, the idea arose to create a new dance style, Zumba.
The training lasts no more than one hour, during which time about 10 Zumba tracks are played, including styles of different dances, for which certain movements are selected.
Today, Zumba has acquired many varieties, among the most popular:
- Aqua Zumba (classes in water);
- Zumba in the circuit (aimed specifically at weight loss);
- Zumba Toning (dance workout with dumbbells).
Choose Zumba for a good figure and a good mood
Many of us lead a rather monotonous and monotonous life: home, work, rare meetings with friends. Over time, we feel that everything ceases to please us. In this case, psychologists recommend doing something new, positive and energizing. Zumba is a great way to relieve tension, stress and even fatigue! They will tone the whole body, preparing it for more serious physical activity.
Zumba for beginners video lessons
Zumba is a great way to relieve tension, stress and even fatigue!
If you haven’t exercised for a long time and are used to spending most of the day sitting on a chair, armchair or sofa, then Zumba lessons for beginners are exactly what you need! Before you start working out your muscles and creating a beautiful figure, you just need to cheer up and recharge your batteries. The exciting Latin American rhythms of Zumba will help you with this.
Zumba will help you cheer up and recharge your batteries.
Several options for Zumba movements
There are many basic movements. Here are some of them:
- The mambo step is a simple step forward and slightly inward toward the midline of the body. The weight is transferred to the front leg, the hip “twists” towards the center of the body.
- Rond is a mambo step track, but only with rotation around the supporting leg. You can also bend the supporting knee to increase the load.
- Kickback - swing your leg back, tighten your glutes. And for a greater dancing effect, you can raise your hands up.
- Pendulum - jumping from the right foot to the left.
- Cha-cha-cha - step-jump with hips swinging to the side.
For a more complete understanding, look at examples of basic steps for beginners:
Zumba is unlike other group lessons; here the instructor does not command the steps, but simply shows.
Zumba at home or in a fitness club
The advantage of video lessons is that they provide an excellent opportunity to prepare for a workout in the fitness room and gain some self-confidence. Often, it's not wanting to appear awkward or clumsy that keeps you from going to the gym. But if you first practice within your own walls, in a familiar environment, then you can safely go even to a fairly well-prepared and close-knit group.
Zumba group
The advantage of video lessons is that they provide an excellent opportunity to prepare for a workout in the fitness room and gain some self-confidence.
Contraindications for Zumba classes
Doing Zumba is contraindicated if:
- Pregnancy.
- Lumbar protrusions, hernias, displacements in the lumbar region.
- Varicose veins.
- High blood pressure.
- Diseases of the nervous system.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Various injuries.
- ARZ, ARVI.
- Elevated body temperature.
- Chronic diseases.
- Neuropsychiatric diseases.
- Various diseases of internal organs.
- Various eye diseases.
- Sexual diseases.
If you have all of the above diseases, you cannot do Zumba. If you suddenly feel unwell and feel uncomfortable, you should immediately stop exercising and, if necessary, visit a doctor.
Zumba for beginners - how to master the program? (tips for beginners)
When mastering the movements from the video, you can turn on the repeat as many times as necessary in order to understand the dynamics of each movement. The main thing is not to focus on the movements of the arms until the movements of the legs are perfectly mastered. Only after learning to move your legs correctly can you add movements of the shoulder girdle.
First we learn to move our legs correctly
Only after learning to move your legs correctly can you add movements of the shoulder girdle.
For those who have not set themselves the global goal of becoming a real Zumba dancer, entry-level classes will be quite enough. You can simply repeat the workout every day to keep yourself in good physical shape.
And for those who have seriously decided to take up Zumba fitness, video lessons for beginners will also be useful because with their help you can master the correct technique for performing each movement and practice it, bringing it to the point of automatism. This will allow you to move forward without focusing on the basic steps, and constantly improving your movements.
Over time, Zumba classes will become more like a dance than a workout, but at the same time, the benefits from them will be no less than from grueling workouts in the gym!
Zumba - dance and full workout
Over time, Zumba classes will feel more like dancing than a workout!
How should you do dance training?
So, you decided to put aside boring, monotonous physical exercises and take up Zumba fitness. What is needed for this, what conditions should you pay attention to?
- Any sports activity, including Zumba, requires regularity, then you will soon get good results. Training from time to time is aimed at increasing flexibility and plasticity, but consistency is what is needed to lose weight.
- First, start with short sessions of no more than fifteen minutes, then gradually increase the duration of the workouts. Bring them up to a duration of sixty minutes, but we assure you, thanks to the varied rhythmic music, you will not notice how the time flies.
- As we have already said, training can be done with an individual trainer, in a group, or at home. When performing Zumba fitness lessons for weight loss at home, place a large mirror in front of you; it will be useful to you in the initial stages in order to monitor the correctness of the exercises.
- Any Zumba workout for weight loss should include time to warm up to avoid all kinds of injuries and sprains. Then start mastering and practicing new dance elements and exercises, and only after that build your workout from new and old elements, and distribute the load evenly for different muscle groups.
- For training, wear the most comfortable clothes and shoes. Neoprene shorts or wraps with fat-burning masks or creams under cling film will help you lose weight faster and lose weight in problem areas.
- It’s a good idea to maintain a balanced diet while using Zumba fitness and eat at least six times a day. Also, for a greater weight loss effect, try to eat protein foods and a variety of green vegetables rich in coarse dietary fiber.
- The best time for training is early in the morning, half an hour before breakfast or sixty minutes after it. If, due to your busy schedule, it is not possible to train at such a time, move your training time to the early evening, before dinner.
- After training, you should not immediately pounce on food, no matter how hungry you are. Zumba fitness is very energy-intensive; in one hour of exercise you can burn more than 600 kilocalories. Therefore, after completing Zumba fitness, wait half an hour and then start eating; you can first drink a glass of clean still water.
- Don't forget to stay hydrated; intense workouts produce a lot of sweat, so you should drink a little more water than normal, about three liters a day. If you bring your body to the point of dehydration, this can lead to dangerous metabolic problems.
Merengue steps in Zumba:
Merengue is very popular in Latin America, its homeland is the Dominican Republic. Merengue is loved by thousands of people all over the world for its simplicity and fiery flavor. Merengue allows you not only to lose extra pounds, but also to relieve excess tension, relax your body and mind. Two fiery trainers will show you how to learn simple movements step by step.
Merengue is a dance loved by thousands of people in Latin America, simple but extremely energetic. You can feel like you're part of a Latin party.
Pros of the programs
- Zumba is a cardio workout that will help you burn calories and fat. You will lose weight and work on improving your shape.
- Choose the workout that suits you best or do all the workouts from the proposed complexes.
- These are dance videos, which means you'll have fun doing them and not just doing routine cardio exercises.
- In addition to body perfection, you will be able to develop flexibility and improve your dancing skills.
- The trainers offer a very simple choreography of movements that absolutely anyone can handle.
- Zumba classes are accompanied by energetic dance music, which will definitely lift your spirits.
- The program mixes various dance styles: belly dancing, merengue, hip-hop, tango, reggaeton, salsa. It will not be boring!
One of the disadvantages is the low level of difficulty of the classes. The program offers simple choreography and a light load, which is more suitable for beginners and intermediate levels of training. For those who regularly engage in HIIT training, the complex is suitable only as a release and stress reliever.
Zumba Fitness is a good option to burn calories, learn simple dance skills and tighten up problem areas. With positive Zumba classes, you will enjoy fitness and always have fun doing it.
Advantages and disadvantages of Zumba
Like any physical training, active movements with Latin American motifs have their pros and cons.
Pros:
- Zumba is a good type of cardio exercise that effectively burns fat and gives your body definition;
- Regular exercise will not only get rid of extra pounds, but will also give you flexibility;
- It is also good for beginners who have poor physical fitness;
- a great way to get in shape after childbirth;
- classes are held in a positive atmosphere, a person’s mood improves and stress goes away;
- Zumba fitness is easy and simple; no special skills are required from a person. In addition, this load is suitable for everyday use;
- during this “dance” all areas of the body are worked out: buttocks, stomach, thighs, arms, etc.;
- Due to its popularity, classes are held in almost all cities.
The disadvantages of this load are due to the presence of the following contraindications:
- pregnancy;
- joint problems;
- various problems with the heart and skeletal system;
- blood pressure disorders;
- malfunctions in the central nervous system;
- varicose veins;
- during a cold or other viral infection.
If you do not have any of the above problems, then you can safely sign up for zumba fitness classes.
Recommendations for beginners
Zumba is a completely simple fitness workout that is suitable for most people. If you are taking your first steps in this direction, then be sure to consider the following recommendations:
- Initially, you should pay close attention to your instructor's feet. It is the lower part of the body that performs various exercises. Hand movements are incremental and do not have a high degree of complexity;
- be sure to repeat everything together with the “count”, this will set you up for the right rhythm;
- try to be close to the trainer so that you can see the exercises better. There is no need to be embarrassed here, because you must learn to do everything correctly, the effectiveness of the load will depend on this;
- Do not under any circumstances quit Zumba fitness if something doesn’t work out for you. All beginners encounter this; after just five lessons you will notice progress. And at the tenth workout, you will feel lightness and enthusiasm;
- The main secret of successful training is regularity. Try to visit the gym at least three times a week. Better and faster results can be achieved with five trips;
- If you want to lose weight, then physical activity alone will not be enough for you. Also watch your diet. We are not telling you to go on a strict diet, the presence of sports brightens up this moment, however, try to exclude fatty, fried and sweet foods from your diet. Stick to small meals and consume enough liquid per day.
Sports dance ZUMBA®
From the moment Alberto Perez named a dance fitness program aimed at losing weight and increasing vitality with a Spanish word meaning “bell,” the world has been talking about Zumba. Today, the ZUMBA® Fitness brand has gained millions of fans, classes are held in countries all over the planet, more and more licensed instructors are striving to teach Zumba, and more and more fans of the program are coming together to once again feel this amazing atmosphere. What is the secret of such popularity? In a unique concept that combines dance moves to the most fashionable hits of modern music, mad drive, like at a real party, genuine emotions and a powerful healing effect - burning fat, maintaining muscle tone, developing coordination, excellent mood and positive emotions.
Is it possible to lose weight by doing Zumba?
As you know, any physical activity to one degree or another helps burn extra calories. Is it possible to lose weight by doing Zumba? Of course you can!
During Latin American fitness dancing classes, all muscle groups are involved, resulting in active fat burning in the most “problem” areas. The training program is structured in such a way that there is no time for rest at all - all 45-60 minutes there is continuous movement, due to which fat begins to “melt”, muscles become toned, blood circulation and oxygen supply to all organs increases. And oxygen, as you know, helps remove waste, toxins, and with them extra pounds from the body.
How many calories are burned during training?
If you believe the reviews, it is quite possible to lose up to 900 calories in 1 hour of Zumba classes. In fact, no one has done research in this area, so it is impossible to say whether this statement is true.
It is known that during an aerobic exercise, on average, 500 calories are burned. Considering that fiery dance fitness classes are in no way inferior in intensity to aerobics, we can say that Zumba really helps you get rid of 500-800 calories in one workout.
If your goal is to lose weight, do not forget that Zumba is not a magic cure for losing extra pounds.
Do you want a beautiful figure? Review your diet, add activity to your daily life, try to lead a healthy lifestyle. And fitness dance will help you achieve your goal as quickly as possible.
