
Thus, regular participation in Zumba should positively affect body composition. Longer classes would obviously result in greater energy expenditure. It should be pointed out that average class length in the current study was approximately 39 minutes in length. min -1, or 369 Kcal for an average length class.This study found that participating in a Zumba dance class used an average of 9.5 Kcal min -1), all of the subjects met ACSM's criteria for recommended exercise intensity.ĪCSM further recommends that individuals expend 300 Kcals/workout in order to promote weight loss and maintain a healthy body weight (ACSM, 2010).

Even though there was a wide range of fitness level amongst the subjects in the current study (VO 2max = 38.8-60.0 ml During the study, subjects were exercising at an average of 79% of HRmax and 66% of VO 2max, which should be sufficient to increase aerobic capacity.

All of the subjects who participated in the Zumba sessions fell within these guidelines.

This study was designed to determine the average exercise intensity and energy expenditure during a Zumba fitness class. Despite the widespread popularity of Zumba, there is very little research documenting the potential fitness benefits of this dance form. Recently, Zumba was ranked 9 th in terms of worldwide fitness trends for the year 2012 (Thompson, 2011). Zumba is currently performed by over 12 million people, at 110,000 sites, in 125 countries around the world (Zumba Fitness, 2012).

It is more of a dance party and the popular catchphrase: “Ditch the workout - join the party!” has become associated with Zumba. One of the reasons that Zumba is so popular is that its creator claims that “there is no right or wrong way to do it ” participants are encouraged to move to the beat of the music and the choreography is less formal than in many other group exercise classes. His participants loved it and Zumba was born. In his class, he let the music motivate him, just as if he were in a club, and began dancing to Salsa, Rumba, and Merengue. The only music he had was a few Latin music tapes in his car. Zumba was actually developed by “accident,” when Beto forgot to bring his traditional aerobics music to class one day. Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance workout first developed in Columbia in the mid- '90s by celebrity fitness trainer Alberto “Beto” Perez. Currently, one of the most popular group fitness classes in clubs is Zumba ®.
