The word "Zumba" is a neologism that was expressly created as a brand name. The original name was "Rumbacize", a combination of rumba (a Spanish word "party" and various dances) and Jazzercize.
Zumba choreography is composed using all or some of the sixteen core steps. There are four basic rhythms: salsa, reggaeton, merengue and cumbia. Each basic rhythm has four core steps.
Zumba classes are typically about an hour long and are taught by instructors licensed by Zumba Fitness, LLC. In one Zumba class, a person can burn up to 600 kcal, depending on the energy put forth.
The music comes from the following dance styles: cumbia, salsa, merengue, mambo, flamenco, chachacha, reggaeton, soca, samba, hip hop music, axé music and tango. Zumba is one of the most versatile fitness workouts, as classes can be geared for any fitness level. There are ten types of classes, for different levels of age and exertion.
Zumba is a total-body cardio and aerobic workout, which provides a large calorie consumption.[30] A study shows that a person burns 300 to 900kcal with an hour-long Zumba exercise. Because Zumba offers different options, proponents of the Zumba program claim that it is safe for all ages/
Besides its high calorie burning benefit, Zumba can help lower the risk of heart disease, reduce the blood pressure and bad cholesterol, and increase your good cholesterol.