Ho leading the dance at the party.
KUCHING: Zumba has now become the next hot workout craze in the city with its simple yet fun dance moves which include cumbia, salsa, meringue, mambo, flamenco, chacha, raggaeton, soca, samba, hip hop and tango in an hour long session.
Those who have tried Zumba would agree that it is a very enjoyable cardio workout which does not make you feel like you are exercising but more like dancing with friends.
It also acts as a great way to release stress as when dancers are having fun, it gets them into an erdorphin release zone which will improve one’s mood.
The crowd dancing to the Zumba beat.
Apart from it being an effective way to exercise consistently, Zumba incorporates traditional fitness moves like squats and lunges into the choreography which contributes to tightening and toning of body.
“Based on a survey, a person would burn an average of 817 calories in an hour session of Zumba,” said instructor Julia Ho when met at Phoenix Gym on Wednesday.
In conjunction of Mother’s Day month, Phoenix Gym has organised a 1.5 hour Hawaiian-themed Zumba party on Wednesday with a total of about 100 Zumba lovers.
“Founded by Beto Perez from Colombia, Zumba is a combination of fitness, workout and dancing. The good thing about Zumba is, it is not difficult and beginners with no dancing background can do it too,” said Ho.
She said besides burning calories and releasing stress, students got the chance to meet new friends and learn some basic dancing steps.
“Zumba has started to heat up here and gain popularity. All are welcome to join the class as I have students from eight-year-old to their 60s,”she said.