Monday, June 8, 2015

Dance based fitness routines are in, workouts aren't out but!

KOCHI: Are you bored of workouts, jogging early in the morning or found the morning walk uninspiring? Then Perhaps, dance based fitness routines may be just right for you. Beats 'n' Steps, a dance-fitness studio was launched in early May in the heart of Kochi to provide the fitness enthusiasts with an alternative choice of dance-based fitness routines, according to promoters S Prasanth and Aswathy Visweswaran, both qualifed ZINs (Zumba Instructor Network).

Many people find walking, jogging difficult to continue after a few days, according to Prasanth. On the other hand he has seen treadmills and excercise cycles being used as cloth hangers in many houses while Gym activities are not group based and hence difficult to sustain interest.

With Zumba one can see the results in terms of weight loss, fat loss and toning of the body in a few months time and the music and dance lifts the spirits making it easier for participants to continue with the programme, according to Aswathy Visweswaran, a pharmacist turned Zumba fitness trainer. Zumba Fitness was started by Colombian fitness trainer Beto Perez - it's a dance based fitnesss routine inspired by world rhythms of salsa, cumbia, merengue, hip hop, belle and reggaeton. No other workout is capable of burning upto 800 calories in an hour.





Zumba-magic! Zumba sessions can bring out the best in you in terms of looks and outlook towards life, says Aswathy Visweswaran, ZIN (Pix Courtesy: Beats 'n' Steps)

Many people are hesitant to take up Zumba because they are shy of dancing or that it is difficult to learn the steps. However, in a group based activity no one bothers to find the mistakes of the other and gradually beginners learn to copy the steps of their masters, Aswathy Visweswaran said. Moreover, performing in front of a mirror also allows them to see their mistakes and correct them, she added.

Zumba has now many specialities including Aqua Zumba (swimming pool based), Kids Zumba for children and special routines for toning. Only licensed Zumba instructors certified by Zumba.com are expected to take classes.

Zumba classes are held in 180 countries, 15 million people are attending a Zumba class around the world and tried out in 2 lakh centres. "The Zumba fever is really catching up in the country with international master trainer Beto Perez's performance in Mumbai in February 2015" according to Arunima Gupta, co-founder of The Floor, a contemporary dance and fitness school in Kochi. "Happiness is the second name of Zumba Fitness. It's a great therapy in these times of stressful living. So now, what are u waiting for? asks Arunima, who has trained over a dozen ZINs in Kochi and helpe them start their own venture including Aswathy-Prasanth's Beats 'n' Steps.(www.facebook.com/beatsnsteps, http://www.aswathyvisweswaran.zumba,com).

Who can join Zumba & Aerobics
Any reasonably healthy person can do Zumba, aerobics and other dance based fitness routines, But Seema Subodh, a qualified aerobics trainer at Beats 'n' Steps has a word of caution for people with heart ailments. Get the advice from your physician before starting the programme. And those wondering what's happened to multi-gyms- there are still there - you may need it for toning and muscle building though!

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