How to Choreograph a Zumba Workout

Zumba is a popular, hour-long workout featuring a variety of dance moves representing various regions of Latin America. It includes moves like salsa, merengue and samba as well as hip hop, belly dance and reggaeton. It is a great cardiovascular workout burning up to 454 calories per hour. It can be a real challenge to choreograph a Zumba workout.

Instructions

1. Warm up with a few stretches and toning exercises for up to 15 minutes. You should aim to use all of the major muscle groups during your warm up.

2. Begin to choreograph a Zumba workout with about 5 minutes of basic samba moves. Perform the basic forward and back motions to get the heart rate elevated.

3. Switch from the samba moves to 5 minutes of merengue dance movements. The merengue is made up of three basic moves: side basics, forward basic moves and back basic moves that can be combined in any order with variations in posture while you dance.

4. Move on to salsa dance moves for the next 5-minute increment as you choreograph a Zumba workout. Start with a tap on the first beat and step forward with the same foot, then back on that same foot, continuing to dance to variations of this movement.

5. Include hip hop, reggae, reggaeton and even some belly dance moves as you choreograph a Zumba workout. Mix these moves in with the Latin dance moves to keep things interesting.

Tips & Warnings

• There are Zumba workshops available in some cities to help you choreograph a Zumba workout.

• Always consult with your doctor before starting any workout routine.