Zumba, a combination of dance and exercise, has taken the fitness world by storm. With followers in nearly 200 countries, Zumba has found fans even among those people who hate regular gym sessions. Since it was introduced in the 1990s by Colombian Alberto Beto Perez, Zumba has become one of the most popular forms of workouts because of the easy-to-follow choreography, fun and upbeat rhythms. Orissa POST spoke to a few fitness enthusiasts and trainers in the city to find out what makes them go the Zumba way.
Bharati Nayak, a gym trainer from Bhubaneswar, says, “Many fitness enthusiasts find routine cardiovascular exercises boring, so they look for new workout routines. As a trainer, I found that an hour-long session of Zumba involving movements in Latin American dance styles can make you sweat and help you burn fat. Zumba is a fad among the youth these days. The homemakers of the city also take keen interest in this form of exercise. If we compare aerobics and Zumba, the latter is sought after for its mixture of dance and exercise. Aerobics is all about jumping jacks, v step, skipping and other forms of exercise. It is carefully designed to work on every part of the body. Naturally, it puts a little extra strain on the body while the dance element in Zumba relaxes both the body and the mind. Zumba is also good for reducing body weight, so it is a hit with the younger generation.”
A beautician by profession, Rojalin always wants to maintain her figure. Earlier, she used to frequent a gym, but she is now in love with Zumba. “Since the last six months, I have been going for Zumba, and I think it is the best workout regimen to shed weight. You don’t have to strain your body too much. I love the dance steps taught in my Zumba classes. It is not just me, many young women prefer Zumba for its amalgamation of exercise, dance and music. Middle aged women have also been opting for this workout form as after doing routine household chores, everyone needs some sort of entertainment,” says Rojalin.
Zumba works on different muscle groups at a time and it tones the body, says Kajal from Cuttack. “It helps to boost your heart health. In this form of exercise, you not only get aerobic benefits but also anaerobic benefits which will help you to maintain a good cardiovascular and respiratory system. Zumba also helps to reduce stress. The dance moves have been designed to enhance flexibility of the body. The high and low intensity intervals make Zumba an excellent cardio workout. Zumba step workouts incorporate weights to build muscles in the arms and legs,” she adds.
Subhamjyoti Mahapatra, a student of engineering from Bhubaneswar, feels Zumba is the only exercise that works on your entire body at a time. “In a gym, you have to follow exercises for specific parts of the body. But Zumba is a lively holistic programme that focuses equally on every part of the body. It is a good way to get rid of belly fat which is the main factor behind many health problems. You can burn up almost 1,000 calories in a one-hour Zumba class. It’s like fitness fun. It targets all your muscles, providing them good strength, coordination, and mobility. You will love the graceful and unrestrained movements,” says Subhamjyoti.
BRATATI BARAL, OP
