Fitness has been a part of life and these days people are inclining more towards it for very right reasons. And Zumba has become of the favorites of many, that is evident from the Zumba craze worldwide and is still on and on. And why it shouldn’t be, such an amazing way to reduce those stubborn fats but do you know everything about this fitness dance? How one should move and what it is best for? If not, no worries, I have broken down the categories and it’s benefits for you, so that it becomes easier for you concentrate on the right move as per the body requirement.

1.Merengue March
Best for: Warm up
How: March with your knees bending and straightening alternatively and at the same time isolating your hips from side to side. Let your arms move naturally as you march, pumping the fists straight out right and left to the side or above your shoulders. This slowly increases your heart rate, improving blood circulation while warming up your major muscle groups.

2. Beto Shuffle
Best for: Biceps, triceps, shoulders
How: Come into a wide squat and raise one arm breaking it at the elbow. With your arm at shoulder lever, open the palm and point the fingers to the roof. Imagine a water bubble above your head and now pop it with your fingers. The other arm is bent at the elbows and the palm pointing downwards. Now imagine that there is water below and you are pushing it away. Engage the biceps and triceps as both the arms move in unison with the deltoids (shoulders) becoming the stabilizers.

3. Belly Dance – Jellyfish Arms
Best for: Shoulders (Deltoids)
How: Start with core engaged and chest lifted, move your arms in a wave or a jelly fish like movement on either side swiftly. The source of the movement is the shoulder. As your body sways side to side make sure you add a side lunge every time.

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4. Flamenco
Best for: Chest (Pectorals) and Posture correction
How: Have your feet together, engaging your core, chest lifted and pull back your shoulders with arms placed on the sides of your body. As you step out to the side with one foot, expand the chest keeping your arms and shoulders pulled back and palms fisted and placed on the hip bones, contract the chest you bring your foot in but your core still engaged. Repeat the same on the other side. Add flavor by adding grape arms. Imagine grabbing some grapes from a tree as you step out pulling it across your face and bringing it back to your hips as you step in. Repeat on the other side.

5. Cumbia – Sleepy Leg
Best for: Obliques
How: Start off with your feet together. Step out with your heel, at the same time; isolate the opposite hip out, squeezing the obliques upwards as you do so. Then drag the other foot to the foot that stepped out. Add some flavor by extending one arm out as you travel.

6. Reggaeton – Knee up
Best for: Abs
How: Start with your feet together .Raise one knee up to the hip level and pump your arms below the legs. Bring your feet down and raise your arms to the shoulder level into a lateral raise. Repeat the other side. The higher you raise your knee more work on that abs.

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7. Salsa – Forward and Back with a Lunge
Best for: Hamstrings
How: Start with your feet together. Step forward with your right leg and add a hip roll. Repeat the same with the left. Once you’re comfortable with this movement, as you step back add a lunge back.

8. Cumbia – Machete
Best for: Legs
How: Start with one foot grounded to the floor. Move the other foot in a 180 degree movement by stepping it forward bringing it center and then back. Add your arms as if you are cutting sugarcane with a machete (big knife). As you step forward with one leg, swing the machete arm and cut the sugarcane, bring the arm center and as you step back throw the arm behind. To now add work for your quadriceps as you step forward, get into a squat as deep as you can go. Repeat on either side.

9. Quebradita – Ándale
Best for: Abs and glutes
How: Start with feet together. Raise one leg up behind at the knee and add a hook movement engaging those abs. Bring the leg down and simultaneously the other leg swings straight behind into a kick back pressing the glutes as you do so. Repeat it faster and then on the other side.

10. Samba Lunge
Best for: Total Body
How: Start with your feet together and then step side to side adding a lunge to it. Push your hips out and press your feet into the floor as you do so. The arms swing side to side following the hips.

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