Zumba Dancing For Seniors: Have Fun, Lose Weight, Stay Healthy!

Zumba is a workout featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance, performed to Latin American music. It’s become a popular and trendy workout across the globe.

It is very effective in burning calories and toning your body. Moreover, it is an excellent aerobic exercise for senior citizens, both for its health benefits and social interaction with peers.

 

 

 

Zumba: It’s A Full Body Workout

Designed as a combination of salsa and aerobics, there’s no right or wrong way to do Zumba. As long as you move to the beat of the music, you’re participating in the exercise. And since Zumba involves movement of the entire body,  from your arms to your shoulders and to your feet, you’ll get a full-body workout that doesn’t feel like work.

 

Zumba: You’ll burn calories and fat!

A  2012 study found that a standard, 39-minute Zumba class burned an average of 9.5 calories per minute. This adds up to 369 calories in total throughout the class. The American Council on Exercise recommends that individuals burn 300 calories per workout in order to promote weight loss and maintain a healthy body weight. Zumba fits this criteria perfectly.

Moreover, a 12-week Zumba program can provide significant improvements in aerobic fitness.

 

Zumba: Build endurance

Since music played during a Zumba class is relatively fast-paced, moving to the beat can help build your endurance after just a few workouts.

One study found that after 12 weeks of a Zumba program, participants showed a decreased heart rate and lower blood pressure.

 

Zumba: Improve cardiovascular fitness

According to the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, accepted fitness industry guidelines indicate that individuals who wish to improve their cardiovascular fitness should exercise between either:

• 64 and 94 percent of their HRmax, a measure of an athlete’s maximum heart rate
• 40 to 85 percent of VO2 max, a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen an athlete can use

According to the same study, all participants of a Zumba session fell within these HRmax and VO2 max guidelines. They were exercising at an average of 79 percent of HRmax and 66 percent of VO2 max. This makes Zumba an efficient workout in increasing aerobic capacity, a measure of cardiovascular fitness.

 

Zumba: Improved Blood Pressure

A 2016 study involving a group of overweight women found that after a 12-week Zumba fitness program, participants experienced a decrease in blood pressure and significant improvements in bodyweight.

Another 2015 study found a decrease in blood pressure in participants after a total of just 17 Zumba classes.

 

Zumba: Adaptable for any fitness level and age

Since Zumba is a group activity, you’ll essentially be welcomed into a social situation any time you step into a class.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, benefits of group workouts include:

• exposure to a social and fun environment
• an accountability factor
• a safe and effectively designed workout that you can follow along with

This is much better than trying a work out plan you must design and follow through on your own. There is no fun in doing that.

 

Zumba: Decrease Your Body Pain

Try Zumba for pain relief! The 2016 study found that after a 12-week Zumba program, participants were found to have a decrease in pain severity and pain interference.

 

Zumba: Exercise Plus Social Interaction

What could be better? An effective Zumba program provides not only health benefits, but also social benefits of a group workout, too. People can enjoy an improved quality of life with these combined perks.