Posted on April 10, 2013 by

Which is better Zumba or Yoga first lets explain what is zumba and what is yoga.

 What is Zumba ?

 

 

Zumba is an aerobic dance that combines Latin rhythms with cardio interval and resistance training. Zumba is not intricately woven like other aerobic programs. It works well for beginners and the directions are quite easy to follow. Beto Perez started Zumba in 1999. It has grown in stature since then and has evolved to be known as Zumba Fitness.

 

Zumba Fitness is a special workout that comprises a wide array of dance moves and non-traditional exercises set to Latin music for a 45-60 minute intensive fat loss workout. This latest phase in Zumba has grown popular over the years with many people using it as their number one fitness and staying in shape routine. Zumba Fitness has 1000’s of instructors scattered all over the world and  is available on workout DVD’s for people who want to learn within the comfort of their homes.

 

What Makes it Special?

 

Zumba Fitness is different from the usual dance workouts. It is full of life, contagious, and adaptable. It is no surprise that Zumba is still gaining popularity and proving all doubters wrong about not being an overnight dancing trend. Zumba Fitness may be a lot of fun. But the health benefits are also important as well.

 

What are the Benefits Of Zumba?

 

The workouts help boost the overall conditioning of the human body. If you are a party animal, it also helps to drastically improve your dancing and take everyone else to the cleaners. In addition, Zumba improves hand and leg coordination, cuts back excess weight and helps produce endorphins.

 

Endorphins are mainly generated in the brain and spinal cord before being released into the brain as neurotransmitters.  Endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body. This sensation is similar to morphine. However, unlike morphine, endorphins are non-addictive because they are produced naturally.

 

Zumba Fitness training generates endorphins in large amounts. This helps to reduce stress, boost self esteem, improve sleep and fight depression. In addition, Zumba Fitness helps to strengthen the heart, lower blood pressure, improve muscle tone and increase energy levels.

 

Zumba fitness training classes do not welcome lazy people. Some people who attend their first class usually disappear into thin air because of the intensity of these classes. They find it very hard to cope. The rapid dance movements of Zumba might seem to be loads of fun. But you require plenty of endurance and stamina, if you want to get it right.

 

What is Yoga?

 

Yoga is a practice that has been with us for more than 5,ooo years. Over 20 million people in America alone are associated with one form of Yoga or the other. Yoga is much more than bending limbs into uncompromising positions or showing off the elasticity of the human body. It is also about caring for the human mind and body through postures, (asanas) breathing techniques, (pranayamas) and meditation. Yoga is all about making the mind, body and soul function together in synergy.

What are the Benefits of Yoga?

 

The benefits of Yoga are limitless. Yoga relaxes the mind and body providing you with the required skills to handle situations that might normally take an emotional toll on you. It also helps to get rid of muscular spasms and other forms of bodily discomfort, including back pain.

Furthermore, Yoga helps fight weight gain and allows you exercise without restraint because it makes exercising safe for you, without overstretching your muscles. Yoga also impedes the development of lactic acid which causes fatigue, stiffness and muscle pain.

Yoga students are much calmer than average people. This is because an aspect of Yoga helps improve the capacity of the lungs by special breathing techniques. This allows the brain to quiet down instead of overacting. In addition, Yoga releases some biochemical components that battle stress and anxiety.

Yoga is highly spiritual and affords you the ability to let go of your never ending troubles and live a happy life. It improves your relationship with the Creator, other people and even yourself. Yoga does not differentiate between religions. Many religious followers assert that Yoga has strengthened their focus and made them attain higher levels of faith in their spiritual journeys.

Zumba Vs Yoga

 

Zumba and Yoga both play dominant roles towards health and wellness. These 2 forms of endeavor are great when it comes to boosting energy levels and losing weight. They also go a long way in conditioning the body and ensuring that the human organs and the entire body system remain in great shape.

Zumba Fitness is an intense workout routine. It is not for the faint-hearted and definitely not for everyone to enjoy. Children and senior citizens may find it hard to keep up because of high-octane exercises and the complexities of coordinating the hands with feet movement.

On the other hand, Yoga is more encompassing. If you are young, middle-aged or old school, you would have no problems aligning yourself with this ancient practice. However, there are reservations that Yoga is a satanic practice and should be avoided at all costs.

But some people argue that nothing could be farther away from the truth. They argue that Yoga has always being part of the human species and has nothing to do with ancient practices or dark arts.

Zumba and Yoga have millions of followers spread across the world. So to say one is better than the other is really a matter of choice. However, for the neutral looking for many benefits all at once, Yoga comes top. Yoga is an all-round activity and touches on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Zumba scores high marks only for physical and mental benefits.

As far as Yoga goes, these immense benefits are not only made available to a particular group of people. Anyone who is interested in Yoga can be part of it, male or female, young or old and believer and atheist. Zumba Fitness is more choosy in this regard and popular mainly among the young and middle-aged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on March 21, 2013 by

Zumba is an exciting dance that enables people to get fit, feel healthier all while have the time of their life. It involves different dance moves such as merengue, reggaeton, salsa and more. It is considered the best alternative to a regular fitness routine because it keeps people motivated, inspired and focused on reaching their fitness goals. Many people who have been involved with this dance become interested in teaching it. This is not uncommon and all it takes is to acquire a zumba training certification. Below are the steps to do this.

 

Zumba Certification

 

The first thing you need to do is take some zumba classes. You cannot expect to teach it if you do not experience it first. Learn the basics and get familiar with different routines and different teachers styles. This will allow you to experience this dance in depth and formulate your own routine.

 

Once you have a basic idea of this dance there will be some requirements to follow before you can obtain a zumba certification. The requirements are that you need to be physically able to do the routines and you need to be at least 18 or over.

 

If you meet requirements, you can sign up for the Zumba Academy and get your zumba instructor certification with workshops either through the Basic or Gold. The Basic gives you an education of the foundation of zumba and its basic rhythms which include salsa, cumbia, merengue and reggaton. The Gold workshop educates people who are looking to work with beginners or adults.

 

The cost for the

Zumba instructor training ranges from $225 to $285 per workshop and includes the materials, the workshop and the certification. Early registration can buy you a cheaper cost. Once you register and complete the day long workshop you will be awarded your certification and will be able to teach zumba. You can then choose your fitness facility that you would like to teach at, set your rates, your schedules and your open for business. Passing your workshop buys you a year as a teacher. It is your responsibility to keep your zumba certification current and you will be required to take additional classes to maintain it.

 

 

 

Posted on February 28, 2013 by

Do you always feel tired and sluggish? Have you been been gaining weight lately? If you are looking for the best way to shed unwanted pounds in an enjoyable way, you can try Zumba. Zumba is an exercise that involves body movements to the beat of rumba, salsa, hip hop and mambo. There are a lot of exercises out there but nothing can compare to Zumba dancing because this type of exercise allows you to feel good about yourself while you lose weight. It’s a dance craze that you’ll definitely look forward to.

Boosts Self Confidence!

Having achieved something is good, but when you enjoy while achieving something is better. Doing the latter makes you feel good about yourself in a fun way. Having fun is a good factor in boosting one’s self confidence. So how Zumba does empowers you to have positive outlook about your mind and body? When you join the class, you don’t feel that you will be performing before a group of judges. You can just simply be you and meet new friends, have a good time and ultimately become healthy in the long run. It’s shedding pounds without you noticing! During every session, you can move and dance freely.

You’ll Surely Love The Music!

Zumba offers music that can always give you that “I can do anything!” mood. This dance craze lets you have fun while dancing without any hesitation while feeling sexy. This is a Latin-inspired dance where you can’t stop yourself from dancing and swaying your hips to the beat of the sultry music. Moreover, it also helps shy people cope with their shyness by being comfortable with the different types of music. The typical music in a class has 1-3 warm-up songs with 2 cold down music. Seventy percent of the songs are Latin music and the others are songs chosen personally by the instructor.

Health Benefits of Zumba

While Zumba is fun and party, you need to see to it that you are also doing something about your extra pounds. What happens when you enroll in a Zumba class? Zumba not only burns your extra calories, it also improves you cardiovascular system, psychological health and your blood pressure. The good thing about this dance craze is that you don’t get bored with thinking that you are solely doing exercise or any work because you are you feel that you are having fun with friends.

Is Everyone Qualified For This Exercise?

Zumba dancing is totally safe, but you need to consult your physician first before indulging in any form of exercise. Pregnant women who do not have a regular exercise routine must secure a health clearance. There are two factors that you need to consider if you are qualified to do exercises when you are pregnant. If the doctor declares that there are some contraindications related to your conditions it means that there is a possibility that you can have the exercise depending on its intensity. Second is when your doctor says that you should not have any form of exercise.

The process of performing the Zumba exercise has intervals. Before you get to the intense part, you get to perform the steady and slow movements for a few minutes. The intense part involves quick movements that boost your heart beat. When you are bored of your conventional type of exercise, then Zumba can give you a breakthrough. Indulging to this will create lifestyle changes. It’s a great stress reliever aside from its fun! You can also include other means of burning calories like swimming, yoga and aerobics.