Why you should Zumba!

     There are so many reasons to start Zumba, to get back to it or to just keep on doing it!  Five years ago, I had never even heard of Zumba!  After I went to my first class, for the first 20 minutes, I thought it was weird!  Why are people doing these simple salsa moves with tennis shoes on and without a partner at 9AM???  I used to go salsa dancing with my heels and spin all over the place with 30 different guys at midnight.
       But during the 60 minutes of following what I didn't know at the time was a rather monotonous Zumba class, I had some time to think.  Wow!  I could do this!  And I could make it so much more fun.  And it's relaxing to dance without those 3 inch heels!  And I don't have to dance at midnight!  I don't have to risk getting my toes stepped on an elbow in my head!  I don't even have to dance with the slimy guys who breathe in your ear and grab your you know whats.  And I don't have to look like a fool when a guy leads something I can't follow or have my wrist dislocated because he pulls too hard.  Besides, I'd been trained in all the Latin dances and competing in them, and I'd been studying and performing belly dance and hip hop, and I was already an aerobics instructor!  So I got certified and my new life began! 
     Practicality
     Many students have told me they would love to go out to the clubs and dance, but maybe their spouse isn't interested and doesn't want them dancing with strangers of the opposite sex,  or maybe the alcohol or sleezy environs turn them off.  Or they just don't know what to do when they get on the dance floor!  Or they know, but they're sick of doing the same steps they've been doing for years!  With Zumba, you can dance in a safe, healthy place, without getting picked up, at a time of day when you still have energy and you can pick up some new dance steps to pull out when you go to your next party.
     Body Exploration
     Plus,  you'll learn to move your body parts in ways you never did before.  I love freeing up student's hips and chest.  Once you attain that new movement, it's a whole new world that you never felt before.  And there's lots to learn but no rush to learn it all at once.  Learn as you go and enjoy yourself.
     Brain Exercise
     Zumba is good for your brain.  As we age and tend to relax in front of the tv or computer more and more, and become memory loss candidates, we're not using part of our brain,  the part that makes us follow cues and music and dance at the same time.  And Zumba is not so stressful like a hip hop class.  After I go to one of those, my brain hurts because there's a different move every beat, and they don't even do the same thing on both sides!  In Zumba we do the same move for a whole section of music, so it's not constant brain thinking trauma.  But just enough to keep you engaged and free of boredom.
     Musicality & Passion
     With Zumba I'm so much more involved in the music than I was when I taught or took aerobics!  The same aerobics routine can be done to any song that has about the same tempo.  It becomes robotic and certainly not passionate.  But with Zumba, each song has it's own choreography!  I love figuring out what each part of the song makes me "feel" like doing.  Students can feel the music with me-  really feel it and identify the pattern so they can follow along.
     Creativity
     And Zumba is not a show, or sport or competition where everyone has to look the same and wear an uncomfortable costume.  Students can bring their own creativity to each routine.  You can strike your own pose,  move your arms with your own flare, and just give the teacher some ideas!  I often see one of my students following me but giving it their own style, and I often absorb that and copy a part of my students.  I love it!
     Music Exposure
     Plus,  how else can you request your favorite song and have a professional teacher make a custom routine for your song and be able to dance to that song just a few days after you make the request!  That's incredible!  Music is so powerful.  It drives us to work harder!  At Zumba class, you'll discover so many poweful, intense, heavy beat, rhythmic songs,  you'll be writing down the titles and looking for them to listen to at home.
     No Plateau
     Zumba is always changing!  So they say you shouldn't do the treadmill or the stairmaster every day and nothing else.  Because your body gets used to the same exercise and it becomes less effective, too easy for you.  But I keep changing my songs from week to week.  And new songs sound- well- different- and that difference inspires me to come up with new moves- moves that your body hasn't got used to yet.  Zumba is packed with an infinite variety of moves.  It's not like running-  where you keep just running forward, or swimming or biking-  those sports don't have such a variety of possible movement,  but Zumba- where every song is from a different part of the world - inspires your body to take a tour through all possible movements. 
     Safe Workout
     Zumba is safer than a lot of sports or exercises.  We're not trying to make you follow a professional jazz routine with leaps and splits where you could twist an ankle.  Zumba is full of safe moves that ordinary people can do (or learn to do easily).  When I go jogging, I have to worry that jogging on pavement will be too much trauma for my joints but jogging on grass might wind me up in a hole with a broken ankle.  But the dance floor at my studio is spring loaded- great for your joints- and certainly contains no potholes.  When I go play tennis, the ball moves so fast that I don't have time to react and suddenly I've twisted my knee getting to the ball and it hurts for a couple weeks.  But in Zumba, everything is done to the music- everything is predictable- no sudden twists!  When I go skiing,  I have to worry that some crazy snowboarder is going to lose control right behind and plough me down.  We're not doing Zumba on ice!  And there are no rocks or trees to run into either!  On the bike trail, I even have to worry about pedestrians suddenly walking out in front of me.  But in Zumba, everyone is going in the same direction because they're all fascinated by the same music, taking them on the same journey.
     Total Body Workout Efficiency
     Zumba is cardiovascular exercise, muscle toning, and flexibility stretching all in one.  I can get a total workout in just 60 minutes- and it never feels like 60 minutes-  just 20 because it goes by so quickly when we're having so much fun.  While we are dancing we are squatting- but it's not boring squatting; it's squatting incorporated into the dance move, so you don't even know you're squatting.  We're doing ab work at the same time we're popping to the house beat.  We're kicking and getting our leg up high not just because we're standing and doing 50 kicks in place but because the jive rhythm is calling us to it's jackhammer beat!  Every step I take in the slow, sensual bachata, is stretching out my hip.  I could go on and on.  Your total body workout has been planned for you in a bundle of incredible music.
     Increased Energy
     After Zumba, I have so much energy, always more energy than when I came.  That's why you hear me scream at the end of some songs-  the song got me so pumped that I have to scream at the end to release that excess energy that just got created.  And students have told me they know it's ok to come to my class tired and not in the mood because they know they can count on me to wake them up within 1 minute.  So if you work hard 9-5 and think you don't have energy to Zumba, just come anyway.  Think you can't wake up early- come try it anyway- we'll wake you up.
     Social Health
    

Zumba can be a good excuse to get out of the house, away from your kids and meet other people who like to have a good time and take care of themselves just like you do.  Or it can be a way to do more with your family.  I have some students who bring their kids to class!  Kids love to dance too.  And when we've seen each other dance, a barrier goes down.  You can feel more comfortable around someone who has already seen your booty shake and your thighs wiggle- you've got over that hurdle!  Zumba also makes a great date with a friend.  "I'm busy this week, but let's meet at Zumba at 9AM tomorrow."  It could be cheaper than going out to lunch and certainly better for you!
     Reproductive Health
     One student told me she couldn't get pregnant.  Then she started Zumba, and started moving her pelvis around a whole lot more than a lady sitting at home and going to work would normally do, and she got pregnant!  The doctor said Zumba may have changed the position of her uterus to help her achieve conception.  Wow!
     Romantic Health    
     I don't want to make this blog inappropriate for young readers, but you can imagine what happens if you take Zumba hip and pelvis movements and apply them in a more private setting.  You and your partner's life will change!  just from a shimmy or a grind.
     Weight Loss
     That's a lot of reasons to start and keep up your Zumba, but did I mention it burns calories and burns fat??  Zumba advertises that individuals burn 500-1,000 calories/hour.  I had a student with a heartrate monitor who told me she burned 650 calories during my class.  And that's a 50 something year old woman, short in height, not in the best of shape and not the most energetic dancer.  She follows all my moves but may only move half as much as me.  Imagine how many calories you might be burning.  Because we are keeping the heart rate up for 60 minutes, that's a whole lot of fat burning.  And you can keep this up because Zumba is fun and always changing and convenient and happening everywhere everyday, so you won't get sick of it- just build it into your lifetime daily habits!

Did I miss any reasons?  Most importantly, it's just fun, and everyone deserves a fun 1 hr break!  I have had students tell me it's the highlight of their week, it's the best part of their weekend, it's what they look forward to all week, they're sad when they miss a day . . .And remember, don't be shy- no one is looking at you;  they're either looking at themselves in the mirror or at the teacher to follow those cues.  Post other reasons in the comments section please!  I'd love to know why you do Zumba!

How can I get a better arm workout during Zumba?

You can get an arm workout from Zumba, but most students tend to have mushy arms or not keep their arms high enough.  When my upper arms are parallel to the floor, I see many students with their upper arms angled 45 degrees downward.  Here, I'll just go over a handful of arm movements to get you thinking about how your can use your arms during Zumba.  Choreography will often involve switching off between mushy and sharp movements, so don't go just sharp or just mushy all the time.  The mushiness or sharpness can be felt in the music and your instructor should lead whatever is appropriate for each portion of music.  See the video for examples. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52DVo2kqpZM

Try this:

1)Freeze your arms.  Freezing them for a moment requires a sudden, sharp stop.  A sudden stop takes a lot of muscle control. So get an arm workout by having less mushy arms and more sudden freezes.  You'll look more dramatic too.
     Try the tricep freeze to the side.  First draw your right arm across your chest.  Keeping your forearm parallel to the floor, quickly draw it to the right till it comes to a sudden stop with your upper arm almost perperdicular to the floor. Hold there for a moment, or as music allows.  You will be holding it in a tense position.
     Try this bicep freeze. Use a sudden upward movement as you bend your elbow. It works well with a pelvic rock.
     Try an overhead arm sway. sharp arms to one direction.  This goes well with walking forward or backward or doing a hip bump or twist in a circle.
     How about forearms fan out to side?  Keep your elbows next to your waist and fan your hands out to the side. End with a sudden stop. This works well wth a jump to either side.
     Or try the sprinkler.  Hold your arm straight forward and move it sharply to one side on each beat.
     Try the arm push forward.  This goes well with a booty hop back or heel jacks.  Snap those arms forward and hold them in the tense position for a moment as the music allows.
     Don't forget arm circles.  Small arm circles are usually done during very fast music and accompanied by fast movements elsewhere in the body.  Hit each beat sharply during an arm circle, so people can see the music in your arms. no mushy, boring circles.  Even on a slow hip circle or corkscrew, you may do a slow arm circle overhead, like a lasso. Again, try to accent the beat.

    
2)Retraction: After you freeze your arms on some moves, like a punch, there is a small and sudden bounce back, where you arm muscles are still tense and working.  When you punch, if you move slow and mushy, your opponent will see your arm coming.  Imagine your arm movement is like a punch- you don't want anyone to know it's coming.  Rather, it's like a sudden surprise.  You also don't leave your fist, in your opponent's face;  you quickly draw it back.  Retraction could be done on many of the above moves, depending on the music.

3) Bend and Straight: Even when you're not freezing your arms on a sharp move, your arms may still be working back and forth.  For example, look at the basic merengue march.  Rather than just keeping your elbows bent as you swing your arms back and forth (not much arm work there), try straightening the elbow as the arm goes back and bending it as it comes forward.  On the straightening movement, you'll be using your tricep.  On the bending movement, you'll be using your bicep.  Try the same on a charleston step, but add a little more swing to the arms. Try the same while holding your arms up, parallel to the floor and bending them from right to left, during the merengue 3 step, for example.

4) Mushy, Snake arms:  At a softer point in the music, we often do this softer movement, which still keeps the arms engaged because you have to hold them up, parallel to the floor.
a) Ribcage slides right
b) Elbow leads to the right
c) Elbow straightens and wrist leads to the right.
d) Fingers stretch right
e) reverse process, but elbow draws in front of body, engaging bicep

5) Mushy, Thick swamp: This has to be a part of your imagination.  If you imagine that you are moving through molasses or a thick swamp, you will engage your arm muscles to get through.
     Move out of my way:  Start with your right arm extended straight out and to the left. Then draw your hand to the right, clearing a path in front of your body.  This works well with jazz walks to the left at the same time.  It also matches a side step, together.  And it's very common during the Flamenco Ole.

How to Jive or Swing dance for Zumba

Jive is a fast, heart-pumping rhythm.  I'm not going over every possible step here,  just the ones I commonly use that have a lot of technique built into them.  See videos, Footloose, Tu Vuo Foi L'Americano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwO0KRAHnbU&feature=plcp&context=C3c80d7fUDOEgsToPDskKEH68t58oxW-n_26So8WmK, Hey Mickey,  Hafanana for examples.  For a descriptive video of this post, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXxCxKhzCkw&feature=plcp&context=C3295737UDOEgsToPDskJUcscfXuQUxWoWWZagQIwt

Basic step
Timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4, 5 6  (This is a 6 count step done to 8 count music.  It's normal.)
footwork: R L R (to the right), L R L(to the left), R(backward) L(forward)
knees: They pop up high right before each whole number.
body weight:  forward, on the balls of the feet, just like any Latin dance, and on 5, step back on your whole foot, to sink your hip into your heel.  Keep your upper body weight forward on 5, so you can quickly come forward for count 6.  The music is fast!
hips:  The dance is called swing because your hips swing.  Do a hip bump at the same time the opposite knee pops up, on the "a" before each whole count.  Then on 5, step back on your right foot as you do a right hip bump toward the rear.  On 6, put your weight on your left foot and do a left hip bump.
Just Say: triple step, triple step, rock step

Jackhammer
timing: (straightforward), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat.  Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork:   At the same time, point your right foot, bend back your right knee and kick toward the floor (don't touch the floor), right next to your standing foot.  All your upper leg muscles should be engaged to make a sharp, stacatto kick.  After the kick, quickly retract your foot to repeat.
body weight:  Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.

Sailor's Shuffle (pas de bourree) - See in "Hey Mickey"
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R L R, L R L
foot direction: Right foot diagonally back, left foot to left, right foot diagonally forward.  Repeat other side.
body weight: (This step has the appearance of a drunk sailor, hence the name)As soon as your right foot goes back, begin tipping your whole body to the right. Second, your left foot should push off, causing your body to tip even more to the right.  Finally, your right foot coming diagonally forward, catches you and keeps your from toppling all the way over.  All of your body weight will be on that right foot. 
hips: When your left foot pushes off, your left hip bumps up.  Then your whole hip slides to the right till stopped by your right foot ending diagonally forward, at which point your right hip is up.
ribcage: Between the 2nd and 3rd, your ribcage slides right and up, so that on 2, your body weight is on your right foot, and the upward rib cage movement is causing you to start tilting toward the left.
arms: Lift your right arm up on 2, as an extension of you rib cage sliding right.  same on other side.  Let your arm float as hold the 2 and 4 as long as possible.

Tap, back, side, cross - see in "Footloose"
timing: (straightforward)  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat.  Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork: 1=tap right foot next to left foot, 2=right foot diagonally back toward left side***, 3= left foot to left, 4= right diagonally forward to left side / repeat other side   ***Try pushing off with your left standing foot on count 2, to add pep and momentum.
direction: Start count 1 by standing on a diagonal facing the front right corner of the room.  End on count 4 facing the left front corner.
body weight: Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.
arms: On right tap, left forearm comes down sharply, (contract bicep).  Then on 2, 3 4 left arm more gently goes down up down, while right arm goes up down up.  Note that as your forearm goes down or backward, you should be focusing on your tricep.  As your forearm comes up, you should be focusing on your bicep.

Kick Ball Change
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R RL, R RL
description: Snappy kick on 1 with right foot, quickly step on ball of right foot , keeping body weight in the middle,.  Keep right knee bent.  Then place ball of left foot right next to right foot. Keep left knee bent.  Left leg straightens during right kick. 
hips: On kick, left hip bumps up.  On 2, right hip bumps up.\
arms:  Here's a good chance to pump those arms.  On the kick on count 1, punch them sharply out to the side - don't straighten them, but them let bounce back in. The sharpness and sudden stop will cause you to contract your muscles.  On the even counts, cross your arms in front of you, with the same sudden stop and bounce return.