PEACE, LOVE ZUMBA®
Speaking of fitness trends; this one is here to stay and growing by the day.
The National Fitness Trends Examiner is pleased to have a guest of honor: Zumba instructor Rhonda L. Carlisle. Right off of the bat, would you tell us: what is Zumba?
What is this fitness craze that you keep hearing about and that is inundating your TV with infomercials? It's Zumba®, the fitness program taking over the world. And I do mean the world.
So what is Zumba? It's an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that's moving millions of people toward joy and health. Since it began in 2001, Zumba Fitness has grown to be the world's largest and most successful dance fitness program. It has reached over 10 million people of all shapes, sizes, and ages in over 90,000 locations in more than 110 countries.
How did Zumba come about?
The idea of Zumba happened by accident. Its founder, Beto Perez, is originally from Columbia where he was teaching fitness classes. He went off to his aerobics class one day and forgot his aerobics music. He only had his own mix of salsa and merengue music that he grew up with.
This sort of fitness lets the music move you and people could not stop smiling. The class loved it and Zumba was born. In 2001, Beto brought this new phenomenon to Miami, Florida, and it has spread all over the United States and worldwide.
Beto's philosophy is simple: fill the world's empty rooms with Zumba classes, dispelling the idea of sacrifice, and loving everything you do, even your workout. During each workout, some participants have the potential to burn 1000 calories or more.
So is the idea to just bounce around to fun music? What, specifically, does Zumba offer?
Currently, Zumba Fitness offers 6 different types of classes:
Zumba®: Features exotic rhythms set to high-energy Latin and international beats.
Zumba Gold®: Targets the largest growing segment of the population: baby boomers. It takes the Zumba formula and modifies the moves and pacing to suit the needs of the active older participant, as well as those just starting their journey to a fit and healthy lifestyle.
Zumba Toning®: Combines targeted body-sculpting exercises and high-energy cardio work with Latin-infused Zumba moves to create a calorie-torching, strength-training dance fitness-party.
Aqua Zumba®: Integrates the Zumba formula and philosophy with traditional aqua fitness disciplines, Aqua Zumba blends it all together into a safe, challenging, water-based workout that's cardio-conditioning, body-toning, and most of all, exhilarating beyond belief.
Zumbatomic®: Designed exclusively for kids (ages 4-12), Zumbatomic classes are rockin', high-energy fitness-parties packed with specially choreographed, kid-friendly routines and all the music kids love, like hip-hop, reggaeton, cumbia and more.
Zumba in the Circuit®: A 30 minutes of high-octane, Latin-inspired dance-fitness moves combined with circuit training, a series of strength exercises at timed intervals.
What about you; how did you come to learn about Zumba?
Zumba has completely changed my life. Before I found the world of Zumba, I was in a weight loss and work out slump. A friend suggested I try Zumba. I read about it and laughed hysterically since I have no rhythm at all, but I went to a class and tried it for the first time. I stood in the back and just tried my best to follow along. I loved the music and the energy in the class was awesome. I left the class drenched in sweat and energized. I went back the next week and I went to every Zumba class they offered.
I found myself wanting to do more and more. It was incredibly fun, the people in the class were so positive and best of all; I was dropping weight.
So you got some personal benefit from Zumba but you did not stop here; how did you become an instructor?
In April 2010, I signed up to become a Zumba Gold Instructor. I took a rigorous one day class that gave me the basics and fundamentals I needed to instruct a class. I started teaching during the Summer and in the Fall, became a regular Zumba instructor.
I now teach 4-6 classes a week and have a blast doing it. I have always been a shy person, afraid to get up in front of people, but Zumba has me out of my shell and shaking my booty with the best of them. I invite you to come join the party and checkout Zumba.
You teach Zumba in Albuquerque, New Mexico; how can people reach you with questions and how can they reach a Zumba instructor in their area?
You can email Rhonda Carlisle at roxielu0422 @ aol.com
She leads the Zumba classes at the following locations and times:
Horn YMCA
Monday and Wednesday
6:30-7:30 pm
Friday
5:30-6:30 pm
4901 Indian School Rd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110-3924
(505) 265-6971
Rhythmic Arts Center
Saturday
9:00 am
4821 Central Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
(505) 235-1171
You can also go to zumba.com for more information.
And as always, peace, love, ZUMBA!!!
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for while bodily training is of some value,
godliness is of value in every way,
as it holds promise for the present
life and also for the life to come
—1 Timothy 4:8
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