Strong dance moves on the vibrant Latin music background make Zumba a favourite fitness trend for many people. In addition to the joy of dancing, this is also a sport that helps women relieve anxiety and confidently get in shape.

Zumba has become a popular fitness trend among young people in Da Nang. Photo: T.Y

Zumba, a Latin-inspired workout, is a hot fitness trend currently. The unique dance appeared in 1990 in South America and quickly spread around the world because of its excitement, charm, and powerfulness. Along with simple, fast, strong and decisive movements, Zumba attracts everyone thanks to the smooth coordination of hip, waist, shoulder and hand-clapping movements that create a throbbing sound.

Fun and excitement in every dance step

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, 34, dwelling in Hai Chau 2 Ward, Hai Chau District shared, the reason she joined the Zumba dance course was to restart her body. During the 2 years of the COVID-19 surge, the time she spent at home caused her body to gain weight uncontrollably.

Instead of being moody and bored, she went online to look for a weight loss solution that was right for her. Phuong said, there are many exercises to meet the needs of weight loss such as gym, shuffle dance and swimming but she chose Zumba as she was convinced by the fun and excitement in each dance step.

The music and dance moves help Phuong become a better "version". After 9 months of practice, she lost 4kg and confidently wore tight clothes. Besides, Zumba class brings a fun and youthful atmosphere, helping her confidently express herself, love her body and reduce anxiety.

"It took me nearly 3 months for my body to get used to Zumba's fast, flexible and decisive movements and surely, I will definitely continue to stick with this type of sports in the coming time” said Phuong excitedly.

Not only bringing mental and physical benefits to learners, Zumba also helps them participate in a community of happy and optimistic people. Mr. Tran Hoang Phuc, a Zumba trainer at the Wonder Fitness Center Da Nang, said that the top criterion when practicing Zumba is fun, creating a sense of excitement and fun for everyone.

With the fun - healthy - simple nature, Zumba is registered by many women to practice with the goal of relaxing and staying in shape. Zumba has many different exercises, from basic to advanced, suitable for many ages. The subject requires learners to quickly and flexibly move, combine "adventure" with samba, hip hop, salsa, merengue or reggaeton dances.

Having suffered an injury while pursuing a traditional martial art, Phuc understands the impact of each step on his body. According to him, 1 hour of Zumba dance helps the body burn from 500 to 1,000 calories and has a strong impact on many parts of the body such as the head, shoulders, neck, arms, legs, waist, thighs and buttocks. According to the trainees’ needs and physical condition, the coach will arrange the most effective and scientific curriculum.

"In addition to the dance steps, the important thing that every Zumba coach needs to have is the basic knowledge of kinesthetics or the working principles of bones, joints, and muscle groups to give a reasonable curriculum," said Phuc.

Spread movement of exercise, improve health

Currently, Zumba is recognised worldwide as a form of exercise through music and dance. Each coach after being granted a class certificate is called Zin, a member of the Zumba coach network with headquarters in Miami, the U.S. After 1 year of working with Zumba, Tran Thi Ngoc, a resident in Thach Thang Ward, Hai Chau District said that she always finds something new in every dance step.

At the age of nearly 60, Ngoc used to think that she was not suitable for Zumba, but the more she practices, the more she likes it because she has more funny friends. Ngoc said that when she retired, she felt that she needed to follow a certain subject to help herself get rid of boredom. Zumba came by chance via a friend's recommendation and brought her much joy.

“Every time I go to class, I feel like I'm participating in a music party, experiencing exciting moments with all my heart without worrying about having to dance properly”, said Ngoc.

In addition to those who practice Zumba at clubs and gyms with a team of coaches closely monitoring them, a part of young people who love this subject actively participates in associations and groups to master skills and new dance moves.

As a member of the Facebook group ‘Learn to dance Zumba for beginners’ with nearly 5,000 people, Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, a student of Interior Design at the Da Nang University of Architecture, said that joining the group, Hanh approached many people and access free dance lessons.

“I’m a student, so I do not have many conditions to attend professional Zumba classes, instead I join groups and associations to learn dance methods and techniques. After 2 years of perseverance, I have maintained my weight and confidently participated in Zumba dance performances in the school's cultural programmes”, said Hong Hanh.

It can be said that, although it has only appeared in Da Nang for about 10 years, Zumba has quickly become a popular fitness trend. Mr. Tran Hoang Phuc said, currently, gyms in Da Nang open Zumba classes operated in many time frames during the week for trainees to easily access.

In addition to the dance steps performed in the glass room space, gyms regularly organise outdoor Zumba dance sessions to spread the exercise movement and improve the health of the people.

Reporting by TIEU YEN - Translating by A.THU