How Many Calories Does Zumba Burn?

According to Shape magazine, a 45 minute Zumba workout session can burn between 400 and 500 calories.  Continue reading to find out why this exercise program is so popular. 

Zumba is a Columbian slang word for move fast or buzz like a bee.  When you combine upbeat, Latin dance moves with resistance training, it is no wonder that a Zumba workout can burn 400 to 500 calories. 

However, the exact number of calories Zumba burns will depend on your fitness level and how energetically you dance.  No matter what your level is, though, and even if you have never danced, you will burn a lot of calories and have fun doing it.

Zumba Workout

According to the Zumba website, the exercise program was created by “Grammy Award-winning producers” and has people dancing their way to fitness in 90,000 locations all over the world in over 110 countries.  It boasts of an enrollment of 10 million people worldwide which makes it the world’s largest dance-fitness program.

One thing that Zumba does is target your core, because a lot of the Latin moves happen in the abdominal area.  There is a lot of twisting and pivoting, so the moves can be tricky if you have lower back or knee problems. The moves are simple and repetitive, so anyone can learn them quickly.      

History of Zumba

Alberto "Beto" Perez was the original creator of Zumba and he made it out of necessity. 

• Living in Cali, Colombia, he was a fitness instructor who forgot his music one day and improvised using tapes of salsa and merengue music he had in his backpack.  His students loved it and Zumba was born.
• In 2001, he brought his program to Miami and there met Alberto Perlman through his mom who was a student, and Alberto Aghion, and the three Albertos formed Zumba Fitness. 
• They put out DVDs and ran infomercials for the Zumba Fitness-Party. 

By 2005, they had an academy to teach instructors and had expanded to offer CDs, apparel, and accessories.

Zumba Classes

There are six different kinds of Zumba classes:

1. Zumba is the basic class using fast, lively Latin music and moves including: merengue, salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, belly dance, flamenco, tango, and samba.  
2. Zumba Gold targets the large group called baby boomers.  The basic moves of the program are modified for the older participants but it still has exhilarating music. 
3. Zumba Toning is made for sculpting the body with specific exercise and a cardio workout.  Toning Sticks are used to help target certain areas, like thighs, arms, and gluts.
4. Aqua Zumba is called a pool party and is a safe alternative for those with mobility or joint issues.  Classes are good for cardio-conditioning and toning.
5. Zumbatomic was designed just for kids between the ages of 4 and 12.  It includes various styles of music that kids love and will not only help them physically but help their focus, coordination, and self confidence.    
6. Zumba in the Circuit is 30 minutes of fast paced dance moves.  It combines circuit training with strength exercises.

Tributes for Zumba

Here are some of the things that people are saying about Zumba.  All of these are linked on the Zumba website.

• Jennifer Lopez, when asked by Redbook magazine for her advice when women have the doldrums said, “once a week you're going to go off without the kids or without anybody and just go shoe shopping... or get a facial even if your sister thinks that's selfish, or join a Zumba class, or take a painting class, or whatever...”
• The author of Happy for No Reason Marci Shimoff says Zumba, a dance-based aerobics class, keeps her happy and fit.
• From Cooking Light magazine “Zumba is perfect for beginners.  Once you forget to be self-conscious and start having fun, you barely realize you’re actually working out.”