HYDERABAD: Who says workouts are boring? Well, with the city treading on fitness route, it surely has given way for some interesting intensive workouts to fall for.
Zumba, a Latin American dance form, which braids together salsa, merengue, cumbia, soca, reggae influences, seems to have taken a whole new dimension in the fitness genre. With Aqua Zumba, Zumba Sentao (a chair-based workout) being the popular ones, there are certain fitness instructors who are training their hands in other forms of Zumba. Folk fitness is one of the latest forms where Indian folk music is being during an hour of fitness dance. Though folk fitness has been doing well in other cities, it is said to be introduced in Hyderabad in a couple of weeks.
Soaring demand
While Zumba has evolved over the recent years, the demand for this fitness style has been catching up in the city. The reason: the feel good experience that comes along with it. “Unlike other workouts which get mundane after a certain point of time, Zumba sessions are not restricted to any set plan. The movements keep on pacing up and down with the beats. Moreover, when people dance in a group on a fast-paced, popular music, they tend to have fun without even realising that they are burning out calories,” says Nidarshana Sharma, a Zumba instructor at Gold’s gym.
With registrations pouring thick and fast, Sri, a city-based choreographer is packed with morning and evening batches. “My classes are generally fun-filled. I experiment with various fitness styles to keep the flow going,” says Sri.
However, several instructors indulge their clients in outdoor training on weekends.
“We go out on boot camps occasionally in the morning as it helps in boosting metabolic rate. We perform a range of fitness activities by combining cardio and strength, jumping and pushups. Else, depending on the number of clients, we do Aqua Zumba,” says Bobby, who runs a fitness studio in Madhapur.
Meanwhile, youths are taking fitness dance to avoid sedentary lifestyle. “I have been working out for the past three and a half years. As I am passionate about dancing, I prefer grooving to the music beats to doing strenuous exercises done in the gym.
This form of fitness dance allows me to enjoy myself at the same time burning out my calories and energizing me,” says Hasita Thota, a PG student. However, for 21-year-old Pratibha, who did Aqua Zumba for the first time, shares a different experience. “We used a lot more energy in performing the steps against the force of the water unlike air Zumba. Aqua Zumba allows one to do more cardio-vascular workout in the water. Though I don’t know swimming, I enjoyed the session throughout,” opines Pratibha.
For older adults, Zumba has been a great stress buster while enhancing their flexibility. “Dance fitness like Zumba has worked out better for me when compared to traditional forms of workouts. The ease of dancing with the rhythm of songs makes fitness sessions less stressful,” says Sharda, a 56-year-old homemaker.
With people from different walks taking up intensive work out sessions, it looks like the city is embracing its way to fitness.
Is quality getting compromised?
While Zumba has been gaining its popularity with the current of time, what seems the biggest challenge is the cut throat competition among the seasoned and fairly experienced fitness instructors. The increase in the demand for dance workouts has also opened up ways for getting various fitness training certifications in the city. With no structured criteria to define the quality, many have been opting for fitness instructor courses for the sake of earning money.
“Nowadays, anyone can get fitness trainer certification within two days by paying a lump sum amount. Though they lack the common understanding of fitness dance, they have the authority to open a fitness studio. As they are aware of the fact that they are not as good as seasoned trainers, they tend to charge less to their clients. In the long run, the market value falls and the quality gets affected,” says Vijaya Tupurani, a freelance certified Zumba instructor, who works as fitness representative in corporate companies.
Meanwhile, finding a ground has been a bit challenging for the greenhorns. “Money making seems little difficult in this profession of late. With the growing competition, there is no stability of income. Moreover, people are not willing to pay much to the trainers as they hardly understand the effort that goes into putting up a fitness dance session,” says Nidarshana, who began taking up Zumba classes in 2014.
Need to educate clients
As there is a dearth of qualified fitness trainers, there are many instructors who tend to blur the lines between fitness and dance. They tend to focus on the choreography of the songs with fitness workout taking the back seat.
“Nowadays, trainers tend to miss out on scientific principles of fitness. As a result, the essence of Zumba is completely lost as it looks more like a pre-choreographed dance class rather than a fitness session,” says Bobby, who has been into fitness profession for the past eight years.
He emphasises on the need to educate clients while conducting a fitness session.
“A trainer needs to perform conditioning exercises so that clients are well informed about how the work out is helping in the functioning of their body. So, they don’t end up injuring themselves,” he points out.
With the growing demand for fitness dances like Zumba, the smart way to be fit is to ensure whether the fitness trainer is certified and offers dance fitness before one heads for such programme.