This is the first of a new biweekly column that explores the latest fitness trends.
Aerobics never really disappeared. It simply took a long vacation, picked up some sexy Latin dance moves and returned as Zumba.
Hot and sweaty, it's got yummy mummies talking, which is how I heard about it. Turns out, Zumba is one of the most popular exercises in the United States. Canadian gyms are just now catching up.
And I certainly had a lot of catching up to do when the up-tempo music started for my first class at Flirty Girl Fitness, a women's-only club in downtown Toronto.
Suddenly, I was surrounded by barely clad babes swiveling their hips, shimmying, jumping and throwing their arms into the air. Was this a gym class or an audition for So You Think You Can Dance ?
The moves – a mix of styles that references merengue, cha cha, hip hop, belly dancing and rock 'n' roll – proved easy enough to learn. They were just switched, combined and recombined with head-scratching speed.
And don't expect a break. The whole point is to keep heart rates elevated through crazy moves and thumping beats. Instructors are encouraged to play 80-per-cent official Zumba songs, which represent a global mash-up of genres and often have a common refrain of, what else, “Zumba!”
“The reason I get people to scream is to make sure they're still breathing,” says Kaitlyn Regehr, a Flirty Girl instructor.
According to the Zumba website, the workout was born in the mid-1990s when Colombian fitness trainer Beto Perez forgot his tapes for an aerobics class and was forced to improvise with his own Latin music. Only when he partnered up with two American entrepreneurs to produce a home-video version, sold through infomercials, did the demand arise for standardized instructor training programs. Today, more than 30,000 certified instructors shake it in 35 countries.
Each one brings a distinct flavour to the class. Chris Ongcangco, also at Flirty Girl, incorporates pop music such as Beyoncé's Single Ladies or the Black Eyed Peas' Boom Boom Pow ; Ms. Regehr divides the room into two groups for “dance offs” and ends with a series of planks (a core stability exercise) set to Shakira. Meanwhile, Edgar Uribe at Toronto's Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre offers a consistent sweat session. And at Stretch, a boutique gym near Bloor Street West in Toronto, instructor Isalba Inzunza adds weight training and abdominal work between songs, calling the class Zumba Bootcamp. The result: more muscle fatigue but less of an adrenaline rush.
Zumba positions itself as an inclusive exercise, designed for people of all ages and fitness levels. People with two left feet, however, may initially feel left out.
“It can get a bit intimidating for people,” Ms. Ongcangco says. “You can get frustrated if you don't pick up the choreography fast. But that's why it's important to make it more like a social event.” Of course, most social events don't turn into sweat fests.
Which brings up one last interesting point: Even when the classes were open to men, only women showed up.
So guys, Zumba may not be as manly as pumping iron, but this is a great opportunity to get some aerobic action.
The Zumba basics
What is it?
A high-intensity cardio class that combines dance moves from around the world into an hour-long series of rowdy routines.
How hard is it?
The first class may feel like a catch-up; by the third class, you’ll be getting jiggy. It’s possible to burn between 700 and 900 calories, although this seems high.
What does it work?
Your heart, although some instructors add strengthening exercises.
What are the classes like? A party at an all-inclusive resort.
Who is taking it?
In Toronto, women in their 30s.
Sign me up!
Drop-in classes range between $15 and $20; To find a class, visit www.zumba.com.
