Balanceophile

It’s been more than a year since I cribbed about the traffic. Struggling to wake up early, enjoying coffee breaks to chat with our colleague, etc. Basically, I miss that fast-paced life!

Many suggested that I use this time to learn new things or improve existing skills. Maybe pick up that long-lost hobby, and basically become a better person. So, here I am, with a new skill that re-kindled my long-lost hobby- dance!

Now I really do not want to tell you the boring tale of my association with dance. So, straight to the point, I started learning Zumba!!

After 2 years of procrastination, I finally enrolled myself in a virtual Zumba class and it has almost been 6 months since then. This blog is about my personal experience and what I felt through Zumba.

*Disclaimer: This is not a researched blog so you would not find facts, it’s all my experience and it might vary from person to person.

• A bit about the workout routine

The session is for an hour and is divided into three stages: Warm up, High intense workout, and Cool-down. This routine is mostly common in Zumba sessions, irrespective of trainers, and all three stages are equally important.

Coming to the songs, it includes Bollywood, English, Spanish, and Punjabi. The steps are quite easy to follow and the songs are repeated until you get a good grip on the steps. You can get to decide the number of workouts in a week and I chose to attend the class thrice a week.

• Has it improved my physical health?

Well, first thing anybody would ask is about the weight loss. But there’s more to it. I have always been this kid with high stamina, but my work lifestyle had compromised it to a great extent. Zumba helped me gain back that stamina, including body flexibility as well.

Also, I had an issue with my spine and was struggling to sit for hours, but thanks to Zumba, the pain has subsided to a great extent and my body feels light. So, yeah! It improves physical health.

• Does it help in improving mental health?

Surprisingly, I have observed myself being happy and relaxed after I joined Zumba. Now, this is my experience and I can’t be sure to generalize it. But, for anyone who loves dancing, Zumba can be your jam!

I feel more cheerful, live in the present, and at the end of the day, sleep well. For me, Zumba helps a great deal in keeping a check of my mental health.

• Does it help with quick weight loss?

The most important question, it obviously is one of the fastest ways to lose weight. If you ask me the reason, it is mainly because; anyone who does Zumba workout feels happy, excited, and energetic more than tired, dull, etc. This positive approach pushes the body to burn the fat faster and hence, lose body fat rather than just muscle/bone mass.

But few pointers here: Don’t quit at any point. I took the class for 6 months and didn’t lose weight number wise. But I didn’t quit and now I find the difference in my body. For every person, the timeline of the weight loss journey differs and you just have to respect that.

I strongly do not recommend any diet except a balanced one. Conscious eating is the best way to keep your body healthy. You do not want to feel tired by doing the workout and reducing your food portions.

• Conclusion: Do I recommended to anyone?

I think you would know my answer by now. If you love dancing, you’ll definitely love Zumba! Coming to the steps, they are really easy, you might not get it in the first attempt, but surely you’ll catch it gradually. Just don’t stop!

Lastly, for those who do/thinking to do Zumba, I’d like to say enjoy the workout and have fun! That is the main reason people choose Zumba over any other workout.