Tips for you to practice zumba properly and familiarize yourself with basic dances

Zumba is a dance sport with many health benefits. There are many different dances in zumba and each requires a different dance technique. So what should be noted if you want to practice zumba properly?

Have you ever indulged in a fast, rhythmic salsa dance or a vibrant, glamorous Latin-style zumba dance or simply swayed to the traditional zumba dance but failed to distinguish the technique of each dance, Please refer to the following article to know how to practice Zumba properly .

What is Zumba and how does it work?

What is zumba dance?

Practicing zumba is a combination of gymnastics with vibrant Latin music

Zumba dance is a modern dance genre, consisting of dance steps combined with physical movements performed to vibrant Latin music. These dance moves incorporate tunes like salsa, samba, mambo, hip-hop, soca, merengue, lunges and squats. 

Zumba has a cheerful melody, easy-to-follow exercises and brings many health benefits, especially weight loss. Therefore, zumba has become a sport that is loved and pursued by many people. Currently, zumba has been present in more than 40 countries with 25,000 instructors and more than 4 million people practicing. 

What are the benefits of learning to dance zumba?

Helps to lose weight effectively

Zumba dance with fast, strong and continuously performed movements makes you work with the whole body, leading to all muscles being exercised, stimulating metabolism, burning calories and eliminating fat redundant. According to the results of many studies, a 60-minute session of zumba dance will burn 369 calories. Therefore, if you persist in practicing zumba for a while, your weight will decrease significantly and your physique will also become more balanced.

Reduce stress

Learning to dance zumba helps you relax your whole body. Each zumba dance is accompanied by upbeat, playful music. Movements that require rapid and continuous movement will stimulate the release of endorphins, which will completely eliminate fatigue , stress, and stress , bringing the spirit back to the most joyful and comfortable state.

Improve heart health

During zumba dance, your body has to move constantly to keep up with the music and follow the dance. The more you exercise, the faster your heart beats and stimulates blood circulation. Therefore, if you dance regularly, your heart will also gradually adapt to high-intensity exercise, thereby gradually improving cardiovascular health.

Helps rejuvenate the body

Learning to dance zumba is also a way to help you become more optimistic, happier and full of positive energy. In addition, zumba requires rhythmic coordination between the parts of the body, so it has the effect of promoting health and preventing aging. All of these benefits are a “medicine” to help you rejuvenate your body.

Techniques to practice zumba properly

Here are some techniques for basic zumba dances:

Basic salsa dance 

When learning basic zumba dance, you usually start with basic salsa dance. For salsa dance, you need to do the following steps:

• Count 1: Left foot step left 1 step.
• Count 2: Shift your body weight onto your right leg.
• Count 3: Left foot step back to center position.
• Count number 4: Pause.
• Count number 5: Right foot step to the right 1 step.
• Count number 6: Shift your weight onto your left leg.
• Count 7: Right foot step back to center.
• Count number 8: Pause. 

Basic Zumba usually starts with basic salsa dance

You can do these basic salsa dance moves forward and backward. To increase the difficulty of the exercise, you can jump in the same steps as above at a faster speed and do a total of 4 steps. Specifically, the foot takes the lead first, the back foot catches the rhythm of the front foot, you continue to add another jump with the front foot and the back foot catching up again. Then you repeat this sequence in the opposite direction. 

Dance zumba Latin style

This is an old dance song that is still loved by many people today. Dance song with strong movements but no less sexy on vibrant Latin music. Dance zumba in Latin style requires you to move continuously in a small space with dances like cha cha cha, salsa. You can combine arm and hip movements to expend more energy.

Traditional Zumba 

Besides powerful, vibrant zumba dances, there are traditional zumba exercises that are very gentle and flexible like squats or lunges. People with weak physical strength or the elderly should learn to dance traditional zumba will be very suitable. In particular, with traditional zumba, you don't need to focus on technique but just let your body move rhythmically to the music in the way you feel most comfortable.

Zumba cumbia dance

This is a classical Latin dance dance with quite complicated and sophisticated foot movements. To practice zumba properly, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Step forward with your left foot, and at the same time keep your body up but do not lean forward with your foot.
• Step 2: Keeping the front knee straight, then bring the left foot behind the right one.
• Step 3: Place the left foot behind the body, tiptoe so that the rest of the foot does not touch the ground.
• Step 4: Twist your hips and bring your left foot forward. 
• Step 5: Continue to perform the same movements as above with the right leg.

Zumba meringue dance

This is a series of jumps that use hip swings combined with fast-paced leg raises. This basic dance is performed as follows:

• Step 1: Stand straight with your feet close together.
• Step 2: Shake hips to the right while lifting left upper leg and stomping on the ground.
• Step 3: Shake your hips to the left while lifting your right foot and stomping on the ground.

You just need to follow the music and when you feel more familiar and comfortable, try to do it faster. While walking, you can also incorporate hand movements such as reaching your arms to the side or bringing them overhead as you step.

Notes when learning to dance zumba

Wear clothes with good stretch

When dancing zumba, you should choose cool, sweat-absorbing clothes

Zumba dance requires continuous movement of the whole body, the body will sweat a lot. Therefore, you should choose clothes made of cotton mixed with lycra or polyester fibers ... cool, sweat-absorbent, should not choose cotton because it has the disadvantage of keeping sweat, difficult to evaporate. Clothes also need good elasticity for the most comfortable movement of the body, should not wear jeans, khaki pants ... In addition, you should choose underwear that is not too tight, too wide or too thin, it will affect too much. exercise program.

Wear low heel sneakers 

A note when practicing zumba is that you should use soft sole sports shoes and not more than 3 inches low. This type of shoe will not hurt your feet when jumping and helps you practice effectively.

Practice 2-3 times/week

When you first learn to dance zumba, you should choose the basic exercises and build a suitable training schedule, usually 2-3 sessions/week. When the body is not used to high intensity of exercise, you should not exercise too hard to avoid causing pain, fatigue, affecting other personal activities. After each zumba session, you need to spend about 48 hours for your body to rest and recover.

Zumba has a lot of exercises from basic to advanced. You should choose the basic exercises when you first get acquainted with zumba and gradually increase the difficulty level. Although zumba is a dance that helps us relax, if you do not practice zumba properly, you will not receive health benefits.