There are plenty of exercises that can give you flat abs of your dreams. However, most can be very challenging especially if you are a beginner. The good news is that shaping and improving your midsection as well as your entire body through certain moves in a fun way is achievable. This is where Zumba comes in.
Zumba Origin
Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance which was discovered in the 1990s by accident by a fitness instructor who forgot to carry his regular exercise music to class. He obtained some Latin albums from his car and started dancing like he was in a club. His class joined him, sweating to rumba and salsa beats, and they really enjoyed it.
Since then, Zumba has increasingly become a smart way in the fitness course. The good thing about this workout is that it is a fun way that can make you a devout fanatic to attain a lean body and flatten your abs. In fact, some fitness gurus believe that Zumba is a great workout for people who hate workouts.
In reference to Zumba instructors Manny Vasquez and Tremain Linson, who are based in San Antonio, Zumba not only flattens but also expose your abs.
But shedding those extra pounds and burning calories isn’t just enough. According to Sarah Chadwell, NASM CPT, you can incorporate additional moves during Zumba dances either inside or outside of class to get speedy results.
Let’s take a look at some things you should know.
Mas Zumba Gives Flat Abs
You might be wondering how frequently or regularly someone needs to attend Zumba classes to get flat abs. According to fitness instructors, Zumba uses high-intensity training using fast songs combined with periods of slower songs. Interval training comes with many benefits. It improves insulin sensitivity, lowers cholesterol, and boosts cardiovascular fitness. All these are necessary to burn the layer of fat that covers your abs.
To unveil your abs and flatten your tummy, you should first burn the belly fat. Luckily, Zumba gives you the necessary cardio to whittle the belly fat. According to one study, a session of Zumba class can burn an average of 369 calories.
In reference to Manny, Zumba is among the best and fun ways to burn your belly fat as long as you do it regularly. You are supposed to get about 2 to 5 hours or more of the cardiovascular workout every week to reap the most health and fat-loss benefits. That means you should attend at least three Zumba classes on a weekly basis.
Personal Trainer Advice
Chadwell notes that Zumba is chock-full of twisting, gyrating, and other stronger movements that start from the hips. This ensures you are working the entire core every time you attend a session. By continuously embracing your abs when performing the dance, you will enhance the tightening of your core.
Rather than letting your stomach to jiggle around or hang out when dancing, you should draw your belly button toward your spine. Hold this position as long as you can before releasing and holding again throughout the dance class. This helps to tighten your stomach muscles as you burn fat.
Most Zumba Moves Stem from the Core
If you watch most of Zumba videos, you will realize that nearly all the movements start with the core. You will also notice belly rolling with hands in the air, oblique twists, and rotating of the hip. These movements not only flatten your midsection but also flatten and tone the entire area.
According to Chadwell, people who have difficulties bracing throughout the Zumba class session shape their muscles through bodyweight and resistant training. You are supposed to complete abdominal workout outside of class if you truly want to flatten your stomach.
You can try this abs workout from Chadwell:
Do 3 sets of planks ensuring to hold for at least 30 seconds, but aim to push for a minute.
Perform three sets of crunches of 15-20 reps per set.
Do 3 sets of Bird-Dog of 10 reps on either side.
Perform three sets of Leg-Raises of 10-15 reps.
One More Tip
Manny recommends that for additional belly tightening, you should work with your doctor or nutritionist. S/he will help to come up with a plan for burning the belly fat depending on the number of calories you want to burn each day. That information will help you decide how much Zumba you require in a week to shed your belly fat.
