If you’ve ever watched aZumbaclass, you’ve probably noticed its uncanny resemblance to the dance floor of a popular club on a Saturday night.

Instead of the grunts you’d hear at your typicalCrossFitor indoor cycling class, a Zumba class boasts catchy dance music, clapping hands, and even the occasional “Woo!” or gasp of excitement from an enthusiastic participant.

Zumba is a workout featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance, performed to music. It’s become a popular and trendy workout across the globe.

But is it effective in burning calories, toning your arms, and sculpting muscles? Read on to discover the surprising benefits of Zumba.

Designed as a combination of salsa and aerobics, there’s no right or wrong way to do Zumba. As long as you move to the beat of the music, you’re participating in the exercise.

And since Zumba involves movement of the entire body — from your arms to your shoulders and to your feet — you’ll get a full-body workout that doesn’t feel like work.

A small 2012 study found that a standard, 39-minute Zumba class burned an average of 9.5 calories per minute. This adds up to 369 calories in total throughout the class.The American Council on Exercise建议个人燃烧300卡路里workout in order to promote weight loss and maintain a healthy bodyweight. Zumba fits their criteria perfectly.

Evidence also shows that a 12-week Zumba program can provide significant improvements in aerobic fitness.

Since music played during a Zumba class is relatively fast-paced, moving to the beat can help build your endurance after just a few workouts.

One study found that after 12 weeks of a Zumba program, participants showed a decreased heart rate and systolic blood pressure with an increase of work. These trends coincide with an increase in endurance.

According to the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine , accepted fitness industry guidelines indicate that individuals who wish to improve their cardiovascular fitness should exercise between either:

  • 64 and 94 percent of their HRmax, a measure of an athlete’s maximum heart rate
  • 40 to 85 percent of VO2 max, a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen an athlete can use

According to the same study , all participants of a Zumba session fell within these HRmax and VO2 max guidelines. They were exercising at an average of 79 percent of HRmax and 66 percent of VO2 max. This makes Zumba an efficient workout in increasing aerobic capacity, a measure of cardiovascular fitness.

A 2016 study involving a group of overweight women found that after a 12-week Zumba fitness program, participants experienced a decrease in blood pressure and significant improvements in bodyweight.

Another 2015 study found a decrease in blood pressure in participants after a total of just 17 Zumba classes.

Since the intensity of Zumba is scalable — you’re moving on your own to the beat of the music — it’s a workout that everyone can do at their own intensity level!

Since Zumba is a group activity, you’ll essentially be welcomed into a social situation any time you step into a class.

According to theAmerican College of Sports Medicine, benefits of group workouts include:

  • exposure to a social and fun environment
  • an accountability factor
  • a safe and effectively designed workout that you can follow along with

This is all instead of a workout plan you must design and follow through with on your own.

Want to get tough? Try Zumba! The 2016 study found that after a 12-week Zumba program, participants were found to have a decrease in pain severity and pain interference.

一个有效的尊巴计划提供only health benefits, but also social benefits of a group workout, too. People can enjoy an improved quality of life with these combined perks.

So, who’s ready to dance? Try a Zumba class at your local gym today.

Erin Kelly is a writer, marathoner, and triathlete living in New York City. She can regularly be found running the Williamsburg Bridge with The Rise NYC, or cycling laps of Central Park with the NYC Trihards, New York City’s first free triathlon team. When she isn’t running, biking, or swimming, Erin enjoys writing and blogging, exploring new media trends, and drinking lots of coffee.