Zumba found its way even during the pandemic | Health

Over the last decade or so, Zumba has earned the reputation of being one of the most popular workouts in India. Senior Zumba practitioners feel that it has created a community of sorts, especially for women. While the recent pandemic was no exception to the fitness industry, the Zumba community stepped up to get used to the new normal.

Zumba educator and specialist Sucheta Pal says, “When the pandemic first hit, Zumba fitness completely transferred online. It was a struggle at first, but there was a need for exercise, especially at that point, so we pushed ourselves. Online training and conventions were held so that instructors could improve their experience and skill.”

But, some forms of Zumba still haven’t resumed ever since they got restricted due to the pandemic, “Formats like Aqua Zumba have still not been made available. It mainly focuses on the resistance of water and is a lot of fun. It can be strenuous, but is a great workout. We are waiting for pools to open up,” says Pal.

Tanuja R, a Zumba student for over five years, says, “I love attending Zumba classes. As a student, the changes I’ve seen before and after the pandemic are vast. Online classes and training was different, but it was something that truly kept me occupied throughout. Classes are now restarting with the opening up of gyms, studios, etc. It’ll be good to go back to the live sessions.”

Stressing on the pros of Zumba, Dhwani Vira, certified Zumba Instructor, says, “Zumba has no age bar and that’s the best thing about it. There are modifications available for every age. You have the classic Zumba fitness, there’s Aqua Zumba, which is done in the swimming pool, Strong Nation, which is high intensity training without dance. During the pandemic, there were toddlers to middle aged women attending the online sessions. Not just that, Zumba also caters to people with special needs.”