5 Reasons You Should… Try Zumba
Last week in our “5 Reasons You Should…” series, we looked at the culture surrounding football and talked about why you should give it a go, even if you’re not a die-hard Red, Blue or Green.
This week, we decided to look at something similar to yoga, since our first post was such a hit. This meant we had a great excuse to write about Zumba, and try and convince you to give this activity that’s taking the nation by storm a shot. But what is Zumba? According to the professionals, it’s…
“A dance-based fitness class, that combines Latin and worldwide rhythms and dance moves into a fitness routine.”
Interested? Good. Not interested? Read on.
1. Zumba is great for losing weight
In today’s society, a lot of people are concerned with losing weight. This is no bad thing, with obesity rates still high, despite the gym culture that seems to be at a similar high. If you’re interested in dropping a few pounds, though, we definitely think Zumba could be the exercise for you.
Your cardiovascular system is integral to losing weight, and Zumba routines are great for keeping that important system in check. The average person will also burn 600 to 1,000 calories per session, which is very impressive; even when compared to more well-known types of exercises like weightlifting.
2. It’s so fun, you won’t even realise you’re exercising
One of Zumba’s key selling points is how damn fun it is. Instead of standing there and doing repetitions of lifting and dropping, Zumba can have you dancing, jumping, and having an absolute blast; all while getting in better shape!
Zumba classes always have a great upbeat atmosphere too, so even if you’re in a bad mood, it can help lift your spirits. And, lets face it, who doesn’t love dancing? It just might take a few cocktails in us before we admit it.
3. It’s great for meeting people
Exercise can sometimes be a lonely endeavour. Whether it’s solo morning runs, your routine at home alone, or working out with headphones in at the gym; outside of sports, exercise isn’t always great for the outgoing.
At Zumba events, however, it’s not uncommon to make friends with people in your class. We here at Hoops really believe that workout and sport buddies can make exercise a lot more fun, and easier too! It’s much easier to break plans with a friend than just with yourself. If you need help finding people, too, we have the app just for you. More on that later…
If you need help finding people, too, we have the app just for you. More on that later…
4. You can tailor it to fit you perfectly
Sports can often come with a barrier of entry; if you’re terrible at tennis, you’re probably not going to have a great time. With Zumba though, you can customise your regime to suit your capabilities perfectly.
That means there’s no more hiding behind a few extra pounds as an excuse to not give it a go. You can be the slowest or the fastest, as flexible as a girder or as strong as one, and one chat with a Zumba instructor will help find you the perfect routine.
5. It’s easy to jump in
Badminton needs racquets. Golf needs clubs. Archery needs bows. Zumba needs you, and that’s pretty much it. The price of entry is the only barrier between you and Zumba, and that price is never too high.
The amount of time a class takes means that it is also easier to fit into your busy schedule, as classes generally last around 60 minutes. That’s a lunch break if you include the run back to work as part of the workout, or just a fraction of your weekend.
If all this has you in the mood to break a sweat, we think we can help. Our Hoops app can help connect people with yoga classes, Zumba partners, gym sessions, football matches, basketball players; you name it! We hated not being able to play our favourite sports because none of our friends played them, or not being able to find yoga classes easily. So, we started Hoops.
You can sign up for our private beta here, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, *breathe*, LinkedIn, Medium and even on Spotify. We’re everywhere, and hopefully we’ll be on your phone soon enough, too!
