How many calories do you burn in your Zumba class?

[scrap4girls]

I just purchased a heart rate monitor and tried it at my Zumba class. I was a bit disappointed with calories burned for a 50 minute class. Only 220 and my average heart rate was at 117. What has your experience been?

[Chigirlcruzin]

I know so many people love Zumba, but I don't find it's that great of a workout (for me at least). I had similar numbers when I did Zumba. On the other hand, I hit 160 and 650 calories in a spin class. A half hour on the stairmaster or elliptical is around 140 and 250 calories. The great thing about using a HRM is that you do see how hard you're actually working.

[scrap4girls]

I don't get it... I went on line also to read what other people are saying. most are saying 400 to 600 calories... I want to be in that group. I did low my % burn rate to be 50% to 85%. maybe at 65% to 85% was to high.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Are you overweight? People that are overweight will burn more calories. Are you in shape to start? I think Zumba is a good "beginner" workout. I've done triathlons, work out 13 hours a week, so I'm in really good shape. I asked my trainer about it, and he said I'm way past Zumba. This is not a slam on Zumba at all...you just may be beyond Zumba and may need something more challenging.

[scrap4girls]

I think you are right. Im at at average weight I walk at least 10 miles a week and work out three times a week doing Zumba and Turbo kickboxing. Thats not including riding my bike to walk the dog. Ill keep it in mind that Zumba will probably be my fun exercise not my weight burning exercise.

 

I just purchased my heart rate monitor and ran/walk up a route we call summit and was able to burn 320 calories in 40min. so its not the the monitor.

Thank you

[Member123]

I wear a heart rate monitor to all of my Zumba classes.

 

First of all, if you'll indulge me for a little conversation, let me tell you that there are two basic forms of heart rate monitor technology. One... very popular... like the Polar heart rate monitors are strictly based upon your birthdate and they use the popular algorithm math which translates to 220 minus your age and then apply a certain percentage to get your target heart rate zone.

 

When I first started doing Zumba, I was wearing a Polar heart rate monitor... and it basically calculated almost nothing for the class. Why? Because I am 60 years old! And that meant that the math equation looked something like this: 220 - 60 x 85% = 136. What that meant for me was that the heart rate monitor WOULD NOT calculate any minutes that I spent going over 136bpm.

 

Let me tell you. I am a fit person. My body fat percentage is about 22%. I am 139 lbs at 5' 7-1/2". My waist measures about 28" and my hips measure about 36". I wear a size 6 pant. My resting heart rate is about 65bpm.

 

I did some research on target heart rates and the "220 minus age" formula. I'm not a medical practitioner, so I don't feel comfortable telling you what I discovered. FOR ME, I felt like the Polar heart rate monitor was NOT giving me good information. So, I purchased a Timex Ironman Triathlon. This type of heart rate monitor has an algorithmic calculation that is based upon a personalized maximum heart rate. You need to perform a series of personalized fitness tests to determine your max heart rate number. Based upon those tests, MY maximum heart rate is 180bpm.

 

So.... you can see how different the two heart rate monitors would register for ME.

 

Yesterday's Zumba class gave me the following stats: 1 hr class, 154bpm average, 174bpm peak (highest registered heart rate), 82bpm start (lowest heart rate registered... this is where I hit the Start Button for the class), 866 total calories burned.

 

You get OUT of a Zumba class what you put INTO a Zumba class. For me, I have to modify the instructors' choreo to take out high-impact moves, as I am really careful for my knees and hips. I, however, put as much energy expenditure into the class as I am capable of performing. BTW, I am also dealing with an under-active thyroid!

 

So, I'm quite the Zumba cheerleader. I have found something that is FUN for me to do and something that I can stick with... so, for me, the Zumba classes are simply awesome.

 

I just thought I would share my heart rate monitor experiences with you, to give you another perspective. :D

[Chigirlcruzin]

Trust me, I've tried multiple instructors, modify, etc...just not a good workout for me. Nothing anybody says will convince me otherwise. It's not fun for me to have to constantly modify and think about how to get a good workout.

 

I don't understand what you mean...the Polar wouldn't calculate your minutes over 136 beats because of your age? To me, I can go well beyond 85% according to the 220-age calculation. I never have an issue going above a 35 year old's 85% on my Polar HRM. I, too, am in very good shape...5'4", 135 lb, 18% body fat, 23" waist, 33" hip. Resting heart rate is in the low 40s. Zumba just doesn't work for me, and that's ok. We all need to find what works for us.

[Member123]

I don't understand what you mean...the Polar wouldn't calculate your minutes over 136 beats because of your age? To me, I can go well beyond 85% according to the 220-age calculation. I never have an issue going above a 35 year old's 85% on my Polar HRM.

 

(220-60) *.85 = 136

 

(220-35) * .85 = 157+

 

for the 85% target zone. However,

 

(220-60) = 160 MAX heart rate for Polar; so anything above that won't register... for me... from experience.

 

(220-35) = 185 MAX heart rate for Polar... for you. With your fit resting heart rate, you probably won't even come close to exceeding the Polar limitations. IMHO.

 

But, for me... as you can tell from my earlier posting stats, to arrive at an average of 154bpm means that I have to spend at least 50% of my time over 154, which means that any amount of time that I spent over my 160 MAX, for Polar, just didn't get registered. It's just the way that Polar does things.

 

I just wanted to speak with the OP about her heart rate monitor and her comments about why Zumba wasn't providing her with a better calorie burn expenditure to provide information; just factual information that she can use to form an educated opinion.

 

Personally, I hate the following: jogging, elliptical, spinning, treadmill. What's the BEST FORM of exercise? IMO: easy answer. The one that you will DO.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Interesting info. Thanks. And I completely agree with your last statement! I have a friend that likes to pole dance for exercise. Whatever floats your boat :)

[Anita Latte]

Trust me, I've tried multiple instructors, modify, etc...just not a good workout for me. Nothing anybody says will convince me otherwise. It's not fun for me to have to constantly modify and think about how to get a good workout.

 

I'm not posting to try to convince you that Zumba would be a good workout for you, because I don't know what qualifies as a "good workout" for you. It would be an interesting discussion to explore what constitutes a "good workout" for different people...especially if weight loss is not your goal for working out.

 

Zumba's claims for calorie burns during Zumba is based on actual oxygen consumption as measured in laboratory tests in participants of varying age, gender, fitness levels, weights, etc., not through measuring heart rate. That is how Zumba derived its stat of up to 1000 calories per hour...because 1000 calories per hour was the AVERAGE of the participants. Obviously, some were higher and some were lower.

 

For myself, I am 40, 25% body fat, resting heart rate under 60 bpm...I teach 7 hours of Zumba a week...I consistently measure 700-800 calories burned in my Zumba classes based on a heart rate monitor. I usually measure 300-400 calories burned on a cardio machine for a similar length workout.

[fergusonvt]

I also have the Timex Ironman monitor and have been averaging around 700 per class. If you add several classes of Zumba each week and add some other types of exercise with a healthy diet you cannot help but lose weight. I have been on many diets and done all types of exercise over my lifetime but until I discovered Zumba I was never successful at losing the weight. I will drive miles for a Zumba class!

[dlabout]

My personal experience from doing Zumba has been losing 40 pound since November. I am approaching my Marine corps weight from 20 years ago. My typical Zumba class is between 1000 and 1200 calories. I Zumba 7 to 10 hours a week, but I also am very high impact. What can I say, the music moves me! I am a Zumba-holic.

-Doug

[hazeleyez3]

I have also seen a difference with the instructors and routines. I tend to go twice a week, and although I have never reached a 400 calorie burn, there is certainly a difference in the two nights.

 

After the Thursday night class is over, you can easily tell that the class had a high-impact cardio workout.

 

The Thursday night teacher has much slower paced routines