Zumba keeps your heart healthy and mind happy

Apart from yoga or hitting the gym, there are many other types of physical activities to keep the body healthy. Some of these activities provide the benefits of exercise while entertaining us, such as playing a sport or dancing. Zumba is one such dance workout which is very much in trend in the country and across the globe, especially among women.

Hyderabad: Zumba is a dance workout which is considered in the same category as aerobics and is believed to be very beneficial for overall health. Zumba is an ideal cardio exercise, as its regular practice is very helpful in maintaining heart health. Apart from this, regular practice increases stamina and also reduces weight. It also helps in keeping the muscles healthy and flexible.

Mahesh Rane, a Zumba trainer from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, explains that Zumba is a kind of interval training session, during which both, slow and fast-paced exercises are done i.e. the workout starts at a slow pace and its pace is increased later on. The interesting thing about Zumba is that it does not require any kind of equipment or probe and it can be easily done at home. He explains that while all dance forms can be included in Zumba, the trend of 'Bollywood Zumba' is extremely popular among people which also includes performing Bhangra to the fast beats of Bollywood songs.

He explains that the regular practice of Zumba benefits health in many ways. Zumba helps with relaxing the muscles, increasing flexibility, burning calories, increasing cardiovascular health, improving body balance, and improving mind-muscle coordination. It is also considered a very effective activity for weight loss. According to fitness and health experts, some of the benefits of Zumba are as follows:

• During a Zumba workout, dancing is practised continuously without stopping for a specific period at a very fast pace, which allows the heart to pump faster. This improves the level of oxygen in the blood and increases the flow of blood in the body. Due to this, the heart remains healthy, the arteries also remain healthy and the blood pressure also remains under control. Also, the rhythm of breathing improves.
• It is believed that doing Zumba for 30 minutes can burn 130 to 250 calories and 500 to 800 calories in an hour. Zumba is an activity which involves the entire body, therefore its regular practice reduces extra fat from different organs. Zumba helps with weight loss, and toning the body.
• Zumba includes dancing continuously for a specific period, due to this, the muscles of all parts of the body get stressed. This increases the flexibility of the muscles and strengthens them. Practising Zumba regularly increases stamina and reduces fatigue in the body.
• Zumba reduces stress or tension and keeps the mind happy and calm. Due to the impromptu nature of this activity, people barely get time to think while doing it. Post-dancing, our body releases happy hormones in the required amount, which makes people feel less stressed. For some people, this workout also provides benefits equal to meditation and improves the connection between the mind and the body.

Mahesh Rane explains that it is necessary to follow some precautions before or during Zumba. For example, if a person has suffered any kind of bone or muscle injury, or has undergone any kind of surgery, then they must consult a doctor before starting this workout. People with these conditions or suffering from a disease should also follow all the precautions prescribed by the doctor before and during practising this workout so that other problems can be avoided.