We've known for some time, but there has been very little scientific research done on why Zumba is so good for you. Finally a study has been done on Zumba, using real participants of all ages and sizes and the results were quite interesting. The American Council on Exercise found that the average person burned 9.5 calories per minute, therefore burning over 500 calories per class! The participants' average heart rate was 154 beats per minutes which is roughly 80% of their average predicted maximum heart rate. Fitness industry guidelines recommend exercising between 64% and 94% of your maximum heart rate to improve cardio fitness. Researchers also found that Zumba's main selling point - fun! - adds further benefits. People who hate their workout and regard it as work tend to snack after exercising to reward themselves. So, the more you can take the "work" out of your workout, the better! They also discovered that people who love the particular music used, exercised harder too. I'll look forward to seeing you at one of my classes for some fun fitness soon! Find my timetable here.