5 Reasons Why Every Man Should Try Zumba

Sure, you may have heard someone say, “It’s the best. Workout. Ever!” before. But they were probably talking about a marathon… of Netflix and chili-cheese fries. Or an intense sweat-busting… Guitar Hero session. But when someone says, “Zumba is the best. Workout. Ever!” they probably mean it, in, you know, the workout sense of the word. Zumba Fitness is a global lifestyle brand that seamlessly combines fitness, entertainment, and culture into an uplifting and intense dance party meets workout.
Combine one part upbeat world rhythms with one part easy-to-follow choreography, and you get a calorie-torching total-body groove and cardio experience you can’t resist. And talk about impressive stats: Founded in 2001, the company is the largest branded fitness program in the world — reporting more than 15 million weekly participants, in over 200,000 locations across 180 countries. Still not convinced? Here’s why you should give it a try.

1. You’ll break a sweat

Source: Zumba

“Dancing with beautiful women while getting an amazing workout is just one of the many perks of Zumba,” says Zumba instructor Josette Tkacik. Sure, you could break a sweat on the treadmill, but doesn’t it get boring trying to figure out how to change the gym’s TV off CNN every night or staring at a white wall? Speaking of blah treadmill sessions, they recently launched “Less January More Zumba,” as a way of bidding adieu to January’s dull workouts and strict diets to reach resolution goals and embracing more fun and more dance in the new year. The campaign urges folks to let loose through a high-energy anthem video. And everyone can also #LetItMoveYou by creating a custom GIF and sharing their class experience with others.

2. The music will get you raring to go

zumba class

Source: Zumba

“Taking a Zumba class is great exposure to latin and hip-hop music,” says Tkacik. You might just leave class antsing to write down your favorite tunes so you can set up a new playlist for yourself. The upbeat tempos of the songs and powerful rhythms will also inspire you to work harder than you otherwise might in a regular boot camp class, since the music will motivate you to keep up with the beats (and your fellow classmates).

3. You’ll get stronger

And leaner. And more toned. Sounds pretty solid if you ask us. “In Zumba, you can expect improved flexibility and muscle symmetry,” says Tkacik. “You’ll also be working all muscle groups including your core strength.”

4. It’s a collaborative environment


Source: Zumba

Peace out to passive aggressive benching stares over who the stronger fella is. “Zumba is a supportive environment. You won’t get your typical trash talking as you might in competitive sports,” says Tkacik. Bonus: “You’ll meet people of all ages, cultures, lifestyles and ethnicities,” she adds. And you thought Tinder was your BFF when it came to meeting people?

5. You’ll improve your social life

“Zumba will give you a social workout in the companies of others nurtured by the non-judgmental philosophy of Zumba,” offers Tkacik. “You’ll also gain moves for the dance floor and increased MOJO!” If not looking like we’ve got two left feet at the next wedding or club we hit can be avoided, well, we’ll be running to the next class.
Follow Perri on Twitter on @66PerriStreet.

More from Health & Fitness Cheat Sheet: