Month: July 2024

Zumba Kids is a popular class that combines elements of dance and aerobics. With their favorite music accompaniment, kids learn to move, listen to the rhythm, exercise their bodies, and improve their health.

In Zumba Kids we adjust the class to make it suitable for children. There are two classes; Zumba Kids Jr. (age 4-7) and Zumba Kids (age 8-12).

Most importantly, ensure that your ZUMBA KIDS’ INSTRUCTOR is licensed and certified to teach and conduct the class!

The main differences are:-

– teaching style.  There’s more spoken instruction and moves are broken down in a way that’s appropriate for the developmental age of the child

– warm up and cool down.  Children warm up and cool down faster than adults so we take this into consideration

– movements.  We use movements that are appropriate for children’s bodies and that they love – like jumping and turning (exactly the kind of thing we take out of Zumba Gold!)

– song lyrics and style.  I am more careful when choosing music for these classes that it’s age appropriate (although I rarely use anything other than PG music even in my regular classes!)

There are lots of benefits of Zumba for children, few of them are mentioned below:

• Easy to follow moves
• Calorie and fat burning in an easy and fun way
• Full body workout
• Excellent cardio-workout
• Increases flexibility
• Improves neuromuscular co-ordination
• Boosts self-confidence and self-esteem
• Perfect stress reliever
• Boost your mood
• Encourages teamwork
• Improves memory
• Develops imagination and creativity
• Its social and fun activity
• Helps you make new buddies

Zumba Kids classes are great for all children, especially those who don’t enjoy competitive sports and help integrate children who want to be in the spotlight with those who are a little bit quieter, so they all have a wonderful time in class.

Zumba is a great fun activity as it allows your child to jump, dance, shake and swing their hips. It also breaks down steps, adds games, activities, and cultural elements, and helps develop a healthy lifestyle for children. The prominent one is that Zumba is a great stress buster. It can help your child burn calories, tone up, sweat, and give out a flawless glow.

Zumba helps build endurance, and cardiovascular fitness improves blood pressure and quality of life. Zumba is a dance workout that your child will enjoy. Happy hormones are released in the body by doing Zumba. The level of serotonin, which makes you feel better, increases. This keeps the mood good and also reduces stress.

Learning and remembering dance moves works on strengthening the memory and creativity of your child. Are you a parent looking forward to your child joining a physical activity? Then, Zumba will be a good choice. It will help your child maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle.

Zumba Gold is a lower-intensity version of the typical Zumba class and was designed to meet the anatomical, physiological and psychological needs of seniors. It incorporates low-impact movements that are gentle on the joints, making it ideal for seniors with joint issues or limited mobility. The rhythmic dance movements in Zumba Gold provide a cardiovascular workout, improving heart health and circulation.

Who is Zumba Gold participants?

Many Zumba Gold participants are active older adults, beginner participants and anyone else that for whatever reason doesn’t feel up to participating in a regular Zumba class but still loves to dance.  I have participants in Zumba Gold that also attend regular Zumba classes but like to supplement regular Zumba with the low impact Zumba Gold once a week.  They find in Zumba Gold they have more time to work on perfecting their footwork, and more time to enjoy the music.

WHAT MAKES ZUMBA GOLD DIFFERENT? ISN’T IT JUST A SLOWED-DOWN VERSION OF ZUMBA?

No. And yes…

Many of the songs I use in regular Zumba classes I will also use in my Zumba Gold class, but the choreography is usually a little bit different.  I will swap out any high impact moves with low impact alternatives, I leave out a lot of the hip movements, swivelling and pivoting and any jerky or uncontrolled movements. There are some moves that are always performed at half tempo in Zumba Gold, but many of the moves you know and love from regular Zumba classes are the same in Zumba Gold.  

A salsa that I would teach in my regular class would be taught the same in Zumba Gold except I would “tame it down” so to speak no order to make it appropriate for the participants.  

That’s not to say that I don’t break out into full-on Zumba craziness now and again – because I do – but I do that to entertain the class (and only for a few seconds at a time), I don’t intend for them to follow my lead on those occasions {and they rarely do, generally, they break out into fits of laughter and giggles}.

How long is a Zumba Gold Class?

The class I teach is normally 50-55 minutes in length, but this can vary from instructor to instructor and class to class.  Most Zumba Gold classes are 45, 50 or 60 minutes in length.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?  DO I NEED TO BRING ANYTHING WITH ME?

Wear whatever you can move comfortably in – a T-shirt or sleeveless shirt, pants or shorts and a pair of sneakers.  Bring a bottle of water, and if you are someone who tends to sweat when you exercise, a small towel wouldn’t be a bad idea either!

In conclusion, fitness classes for seniors, such as Zumba Gold, offer a dynamic and enjoyable way to enhance physical health, social connections, and overall well-being. Zumba Gold provides a holistic fitness experience catered to the unique needs of seniors, with its gentle movements, cardiovascular benefits, and cognitive stimulation. Seniors can embark on a joyful fitness journey, rediscover their vitality, and embrace an active lifestyle with Zumba Gold. So lace up your dancing shoes, join a Zumba Gold class, and unlock a new level of wellness, energy, and excitement in your senior years.

Most importantly, ensure that your ZUMBA GOLD INSTRUCTOR is licensed and certified to teach and conduct the class!