I have been wanting to write about this for a long time now and every day, I find it more and more important for me to share my thoughts on this Zumba craze because I am asked almost on a weekly (if not more) basis, about how I achieved my weightloss. My answer used to be a quick "ZUMBA" - since this was really the only activity I did to really get active. I'm still excited that the workouts have helped me tremendously, and still kicks my behind every single time I come to Eduardo's class. Here is the game changer for me though... In the last year that I have been physically active, I learned so much about Zumba, the workouts, the history, and even how to get certified to teach Zumba - I feel I have to share this with everyone.
When I first started exercising, I was fortunate enough to attend my very first exercise class - a Zumba class, taught by Eduardo Vargas. I lasted 20 minutes that day before I started almost throwing up ;). I weighed between 192-195 lbs at that time. That 1st day in class, I looked around me and there were clearly other people heavier than I was, but all were having a mighty great time, all smiles, with no signs of exhaustion except for their wet hair and clothes drenched in their sweat. I realized, I must have been in awful shape to not be able to keep up with these folks... so I decided I will go back to the next class to try again, at which time I lasted through the water break (approximately 30-35 mins into class). I kept coming back to Eduardo's class until one day, I felt I've mustered up enough endurance to try the class twice in one night - a back to back 2hr class. And success!!! It was tough, intensity x2, but I did it. 2 hours of crazy intense Eduardo Vargas style Zumba.
But these classes are in Oakland, and I work in Burlingame. So I tried looking for Zumba classes around the SF and Peninsula area. I attended a few, but each time, came home frustrated and quite dismayed. I thought Zumba, was Zumba - Same music, same styles, same intensity - or at least relatively close... but they were not. I remember sweating 7 minutes into the start of Eduardo's classes. These other classes I attended, I barely break out a sweat 45 minutes in. It was quite frustrating.
Needless to say, I stopped trying to find classes near my job, and kept going to Eduardo's classes. Then I tried the Zumba DVDs to see if I can try to do some of these at home. Not even close. I also went to a Zumbathon. Wow, that was an enlightening experience. When the instructor you are used to working with is on the same stage as 6 other instructors... Geez, I just remembered walking out of there saying "OMG, I'm so glad he was the first Zumba instructor I ever worked with!!!" Otherwise, I might have given up Zumba early and would probably have tried something else???
And then there were these flyers that we found with a beautiful dark skinned, super fit, Latina looking woman in front advertising a fun Zumba class with a live DJ. I almost went to that class until a friend said... "that ad is false advertisement!" Apparently, the woman on the cover is not the same woman teaching the class. The lady who actually taught the class is much older, Caucasian, much bigger in frame, quite overweight woman whose movements were very very slow. There were also only 2 students in the class, total of 4 people in the room counting the instructor and the DJ.
I've heard other horror stories about this same instructor... not going to go into too much detail because you might just figure out who the instructor is. I'll just say on another incident with the same instructor, a student was so upset that she went up to the instructor and told her that the class, even though a trial and was free, was a waste of her time and gas driving to that location. It's Zumba, so of course students will think, yes it will be fun, they will dance, and at least expect to break into a sweat while doing it. Not during this class.
I have to say, I've felt this before. I'm not a dancer, nor am I a fitness instructor... but as a student who wants to be healthier, I expect any of my instructors to be: (1) skilled at what he/she is teaching; (2) know the basic steps, has some type of rhythm, and at least know the difference between different styles of dances; (3) has better endurance than I do (seriously, if i can outdance you, then you need to be payin me for a class, not vise versa!);) (4) is motivating not just vocally but also visually. I know I've gotten in trouble for making this comment before, but I'm just going to put it out there. PERSONALLY, if I want to lose weight and feel better about myself, I want my instructor to look physically fit so I can set a goal to try to look like him/her - body wise. Getting yelled at by someone who weigh 50lbs more than myself, and can't keep up with my endurance and stamina will never motivate me. I think if you're teaching it, you need to be able to do it!!! Case closed.
Zumba Certification - is it just a money maker?
Here's a problem I found about the Zumba certification process. ANYONE CAN BE AN INSTRUCTOR. If you pay Zumba a certification fee of about $300, bam! - you're certified after attending a one day session - and you don't even have to dance. You can sit there, take notes and at the end of the day, you're apparently "qualified" and "certified" to teach the class.
There's a plus and minus to this. For instructors who already have a fitness and dance background, it's nice to know that they don't need to cross much red tape to teach the class. However, my issue here is with other folks who go through the certification process with no kind of dance, fitness, or even a teaching experience, and with just one day and $300, they are certified Zumba instructors.
As a 195lb woman who was on the verge of being medicated for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes... and all other diseases that are linked into obesity, when I first walked into a Zumba class over year ago, hoping to make myself better by getting a little exercise, I partly entrusted my health to that instructor. I hoped that this instructor knew what he was doing, knew when to give me an option when a movement seemed too hard, knew when to push when he can tell I still can push, and knew when to stop me when he thinks I am doing too much. Is this asking too much to ask an instructor to do their job properly?
Bottomline... I'm not putting all Zumba instructors down. God knows, there are tons of really talented instructors out there who really do an awesome job, help their students achieve their max potential, while keeping the "Ditch the workout, join the party" mentality. ZUMBA is a great workout - IF AND ONLY IF you find an instructor that will work you to your max.
I have friends that have taken Eduardo's class, and then started taking classes at other gyms thinking Zumba is Zumba everywhere... and they tell me later on that they finally understood what I meant when I said, "not all Zumba classes are the same."
I'll end with this... there are lots of instructors, with lots of different styles, who specialize in lots of different things, and work at different pace. Some students will be contented with losing between 300-600 calories a class, but if you push a little harder, you can make better use of your time and money working with someone who can make you burn over 1000 calories an hour, and is truly a professional fitness instructor. :) If you are happy with your instructor and contented with results, then that's all that matters.
Now when I am asked about how I lost my weight, I say "I work with an awesome instructor named Eduardo Vargas. He teaches in the East Bay, some classes in SF, teaches Zumba, but his Zumba it's not really like regular Zumba." - and I smile and tell them to just try it out, you'll know what I mean.
You've been warned. :) Good luck, and good health to all you Zumberos and Zumberas!
