09/11/2014

Should you Zumba everyday?


If you're the type who likes to move and shake your body to the rhythms of Latin, Caribbean, African and other world music, you may find yourself wanting to do Zumba every day. The dance and fitness routines are pretty infectious, not to mention being a beneficial workout that helps you burn plenty of calories. But like every type of exercise, how often you do it will depend on your lifestyle and personal preferences.

Exercise Recommendations

Part of knowing how much exercise you should be doing -- whether it's Zumba, jogging or anything else -- is knowing what the experts recommend. Because your heart is typically beating fast, you're sweating and it's difficult to talk without taking a breath, you can consider Zumba a vigorous-intensity workout. That means you'd really only need to attend one 60-minute class and another 30-minute class to be well within the guidelines. Naturally though, the more exercise you do, the more health benefits you'll receive.


Listen to Your Body

The bottom line: If you want to take a Zumba class or do a Zumba DVD every day of the week, go for it -- so long as you're taking care of your body. If you start to feel overly fatigued throughout the day, you're irritable or emotional or you have a lack of appetite, it could be an indicator that you're overtraining. Exercise is great, but your body also needs time to rest. If you're doing the type of Zumba that includes strength training, such as Zumba in the Circuit, your muscles will need at least 24 hours of rest in between sessions. That helps your muscles repair and regenerate. If you're feeling the effects of overtraining, take a few days off -- or even a week or two -- and then return to working out on a less-frequent schedule.

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