Whether it’s your resolution to be happier, healthier or both for 2013, Zumba is a fitness craze sweeping the nation that can help you reach workout goals and STAY in shape! To those of you who are not as familiar with Zumba or vaguely recall an infomercial at 3 a.m. mentioning it, you may be asking:” What is Zumba exactly?”
Zumba is described as a fusion of Latin dance, aerobics, fitness variations and a good time. Now wait! If you feel at all intimidated by hearing the word “dance”, don’t worry. Crystal Sandness, a Zumba instructor since August 2009 and a student here at the University of Utah, says:“ In Zumba the dances are composed of simple movements and easy to follow steps that include a great variety of songs so you don’t even feel like you’re working out. It feels more like a dance party.” Zumba is for all ages, shapes, and sizes. In addition, each Zumba exercise session burns up to 1000 calories per hour!
There are also different kinds of Zumba to fit your lifestyle; Gold Zumba is geared towards seniors, Zumba Toning with light weights, Aqua Zumba for the water lovers, and Zumba Tonic for kids. You might even remember that during finals week just last month that Zumba was an activity offered just before finals and if you tried Zumba and liked it you can even take a Zumba class at here at the university. For those of you who like music and dancing it is a fantastic way to maintain your weight and have fun!
If you find yourself really loving Zumba, you can even become certified as an instructor just like Crystal did 4 years ago. To become a Zumba instructor, it only takes a one-day certification and fee. Crystal did her Zumba certification through the Draper Tree House Athletic Club and has been teaching ever since but there are countless other places to get certified that can accommodate your location. So now that you’ve got the deets on Zumba, what are you waiting for? As Crystal would put it: “Just have a positive attitude and shake it!”