Minnesota Zumba Party Hearty – Saturday, March 26, 2011

The Zumba Party Hearty Minnesota is coming to the VIP Olmeca nightclub in Burnsville, Minnesota on Saturday, March 26, 2011.

Registration starts at 12:00pm. The cost is $10 and parking is free. Zumba begins at 1:00pm. This event will feature:

• Live drums with Lidia Berman “Conga Queen”
• Demonstration of Zumba for kids by the ZumbAtomic Team
• Live music by Principes Negros
• Performances by Latin Flavor on stage
• Live DJ by Deejay Nuyo mixing your favorites Zumba Hits

Dress to impress in your favorite workout wear, but remember: You will be exercising and sweating! You may also want to wear red – 75% of the ticket fee supports the American Heart Association. Party Hearty Zumba events across the country have raised nearly $400,000 USD as of the date and time this article was originally posted. That is amazing!

For more information, visit the Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140044762726919

Zumba and Shape-ups

With Zumba in the Circuit classes at Curves becoming popular, I am seeing more and more Skechers Shape-ups, Curves Toning trainers, or other rocker-bottom athletic shoes in my Zumba classes. As participants quickly discover, rocker-bottom tennis shoes like Shape-ups or other “toning” athletic shoes are not designed for dancing and do not belong in Zumba classes.

Shape Ups and other rocker-bottom tennis shoes claim to be “Designed to help burn calories and turn everyday activities into a workout.”

Curves for Women Toning Trainers claim its “Unique rounded sole encourages a natural rocking motion with every step to challenge muscles and improve circulation and posture as you walk. Promotes better balance and posture. Natural shock absorbers encourage muscles to work harder while protecting your back, knee and hip joints.”

In Zumba, you are constantly changing position and direction with a wide variety of dance moves. You need a good, stable foundation, agility, and the ability to slide and turn. The variety of motion in Zumba is unlike most daily activities and challenges many people’s sense of balance. Add a pair of shoes that force you to “rock” across the bottom of your foot and it could be a recipe for disaster.

Do I recommend Skechers Shape Ups or other rocker-bottom athletic shoe for Zumba, or any other group fitness class for that matter? NO! Save rocker bottom athletic shoes for walking forward on a smooth, flat surface only.

Better yet, skip them altogether.

Vibram FiveFingers Shoes and Zumba

It was bound to happen: I finally saw a pair of Vibram FiveFingers shoes in one of my Zumba classes.

I do have people who occasionally go barefoot in my Zumba classes. Usually, it is because: A) They are professional or modern dancers and they choose to dance barefoot (like Shakira) or B) they forgot their athletic shoes and whatever shoes they were wearing were not appropriate for Zumba. Depending on the instructor, there can be a fair amount of pounding, jumping, twisting, and turning in Zumba. It is widely known that trained and untrained barefoot dance can cause a host of foot problems including blisters, calluses, bruises, pes planus (fallen arches or flatfeet), stress fractures, tendinitis, capsulitis, metatarsalgia, and more.

I am not a doctor, but in my opinion, using Vibram FiveFingers shoes for Zumba would only add insult to injury. Vibram FiveFingers shoes give users the feeling of being barefoot with the security of a performance rubber sole for sure grip and slip resistance.

Slip resistance and a sure grip is not what you want or need for Zumba. The increased grip of the sole will force the foot to stay in place and will lead to unnatural twisting of the ankle, knee, and hip during many dance moves in a typical Zumba class.

Do I recommend Vibram FiveFingers shoes for Zumba? No. If you truly want a natural experience, dance barefoot – and do so at your own risk. Proper footwear, like athletic dance shoes, absorb shock and protect the feet and legs from injury during high impact activity.

Save the Vibram FiveFingers shoes for barefoot running, strength training, yoga or Pilates, or after sport.

Foot Pain and Zumba

One night after a long day of teaching Zumba classes, I had an ache in the forefoot of one of my feet. It felt like there was a round, hard stone right behind my second and third toes.

I thought the pain was unusual so I took some ibuprofen, did some extra calf stretches, and ran my foot over a wooden foot massager. Nothing seemed to help my foot pain, but I thought I must have stepped on it wrong and that the pain would go away soon enough.

About two weeks later, my foot felt significantly worse and when I woke up one morning, the top of my forefoot was red, hot, and swollen. According to the the Mayo Clinic website, I had symptoms of metatarsalgia :

Symptoms of metatarsalgia may include:

• Sharp, aching or burning pain in the ball of your foot — the part of the sole just behind your toes
• Pain in the area around your second, third or fourth toes — or, only near your big toe
• Pain that gets worse when you stand, walk or run and improves when you rest
• Sharp or shooting pain in your toes
• Numbness or tingling in your toes
• Pain that worsens when you flex your feet
• A feeling in your feet as if you’re walking with a pebble in your shoe
• Increased pain when you’re walking barefoot, especially on a hard surface

Sometimes these symptoms develop suddenly — especially if you’ve recently increased your usual amount of running, jumping or other high-impact exercise — but problems usually develop over time.

When to see a doctor
Not all foot problems need medical care. Sometimes your feet simply ache after a long day of standing or a punishing workout. But it’s best not to ignore any foot pain that lasts more than a few days. Talk to your doctor if you experience a burning pain in the ball of your foot that doesn’t improve after changing your shoes and modifying your activities.

I was pleased to see that Mayo Clinic did not recommend seeing a doctor based on my symptoms, because as a self-employed individual / part-time employee of many companies, I cannot afford medical insurance at this time. I found subs for my Zumba classes and practiced the R.I.C.E. acute injury treatment method for the weekend. My foot felt a little better by Monday.

After a couple of days of high-impact Zumba classes, my foot was swollen again. Luckily, a holiday was coming up and I got the stomach flu so I was able (and forced) to clear my schedule and take nearly a whole week off from exercise. During that time, I continued to use the R.I.C.E. method daily to treat my foot pain. Upon returning to exercise, I wrapped my sore foot and wore supportive, shock-absorbing Nike cross trainers for Zumba instead of my usual Nike Musique athletic dance shoes for Zumba. After 8 weeks of foot wrap and cross trainers, my foot pain is gone.

My experience with foot pain is one of many reasons why I believe proper footwear is important for Zumba. I have changed my Zumba footwear from Nike Musique IV athletic dance shoes to Nike Huarache athletic dance shoes. While I feel the Nike Musique IV shoes have more support and cushion in the heel of the shoe, Nike Huarache shoes have more support and cushion in the ball of the foot, which is where I need it most.

Best Ryka Zumba Shoes

I have not tried Ryka studio shoes for Zumba yet, but many of my Zumba class participants are currently sporting Ryka. And I love Kelly Ripa, spokesperson for Ryka, among other things. Here are a couple of the more popular models I’ve seen in class lately.

Ryka Transition
I think the best things about Ryka Transition studio shoes are the flexible meshy upper and the fun, colorful sole.

Ryka Studio D
I think Ryka Studio D shoes look a little 80’s… or should I say retro?

Best Nike Zumba Shoes

I have been doing Zumba for 2 years and I have been a Zumba instructor for 1.5 years. I have gone through several pairs of athletic dance shoes for Zumba, and I am partial to Nike.

Nike Musique
I have seen Nike Musique III, IV, VI, VII available, but my first four pairs of Zumba shoes were Nike Musique IV. I really liked the Nike Musique IV because the shoe was leather and mesh. Athletic dance shoes fit very tight. For me, the tightness was uncomfortable at first, but I found the mesh in Nike Musique IV shoes molded to my foot, and eventually the shoes fit like a glove.

I bought my first pair of Nike Musique IV on clearance at a Famous Footwear. I bought all my other pairs of Nike Musique IV from Zappos. Nike Musique can cost anywhere from $30 to $65.

The heel of Nike Musique is very well-cushioned. The ball and forefoot of the Nike Musique is not very well-cushioned. I am not a doctor, but if you are going to do a lot of Zumba or a lot of high impact Zumba, I recommend metatarsal pads for your Nike Musique.

Nike Hurache
Lately, all models of Nike Musique athletic dance shoes are getting harder to find. I have been unable to find the model with leather and mesh so this time, I bought Nike Huarache dance shoes.

Nike Huarache shoes are very different than Nike Musique shoes. Online, I thought these shoes looked bulky like a street/skater shoe, but Nike Huarache are not at all bulky. The sole is narrow, like Nike Musique, and has the tell-tale circle for easier turns. The shoe upper is mostly a sleek fabric, like a water shoe. The laces are almost unnecessary because these shoes fit like a sock. They are tight and I find them very supportive.

I bought my Nike Huarache from Zappos for $65.

Unlike Nike Musique, the ball and forefoot are well-cushion in the Nike Huarache, but the heel is not well-cushioned. I find the heel very narrow and the soft upper allows a lot of movement during Zumba moves like a heel tap. Only time will tell if the Nike Huarache will be as successful as the Nike Musique for Zumba.

Zumba Playlists October 2010

Papa Americano (We No Speak Americano) (Italian Pop / Warm Up)
DJ Kiky
Choreography by Rencsi

Club Can’t Handle Me (Pop / Warm Up)
Flo Rida
Choreography by Rencsi

Pam Pam (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Wisin Y Yandal
Choreography by Rencsi

Mundian Du Bach Ke (Bhangra)
Panjabi MC
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba Fitness with Bradley

Mil Horas (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Waka Waka (Latin Pop)
Shakira
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Shakira

Danca Da Maozinha (Axe)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

El Baile Del Pescao (Reggaeton)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Kalinka (Russian Folk / Pop)
Yamboo
Choreography by Rencsi

Lean Like a Cholo (Zumba Toning / Latin Hip Hop)
Down AKA Kilo
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by this YouTube video

Te Extrano (Bachata)
X-Treme
Choreography by Rencsi

Calabria (Latin Hip Hop)
Enur Featuring Natashja
Choreography by Rencsi

Dance the Night Away (Salsa)
The Mavericks
Choreography by Rencsi

Vida Loca (Pop Ballad / Cool Down)
Zumba Fitness ZIN Mega Mix 19
Choreography by Rencsi

Zumba Playlists September 2010

It’s my one year anniversary of posting my Zumba playlists monthly! \*0*/

As I’ve mentioned before, I try to add one or two new songs each week. That doesn’t always happen, but if I can’t add a new song, I bring back songs we haven’t done in awhile to keep things fresh. I try to have two playlists going at any given time so if participants can make it to class multiple times per week, I can mix it up for them.

Enjoy!

La Bamba (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Wyclef Jean
Choreography by Rencsi

Disturbia (Pop / Warm Up)
Rihanna
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba with Renee

Pam Pam (Latin Hip Hop / Warm Up)
Wisin Y Yandal
Choreography by Rencsi

Mundian Du Bach Ke (Bhangra)
Panjabi MC
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Zumba Fitness with Bradley

Hot Hot Hot (Merengue)
Buster Poindexter
Choreography by Rencsi

Mil Horas (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Waka Waka (Latin Pop)
Shakira
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by Shakira

Danca Da Maozinha (Axe)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

El Baile Del Pescao (Reggaeton)
Zumba ZIN 27
Choreography by Zumba Fitness

Kalinka (Russian Folk / Pop)
Yamboo
Choreography by Rencsi

Papa Loves Mambo (Mambo)
Bing Crosby
Choreography by Rencsi

Lean Like a Cholo (Zumba Toning / Latin Hip Hop)
Down AKA Kilo
Choreography by Rencsi, Inspired by this YouTube video

Te Extrano (Bachata)
X-Treme
Choreography by Rencsi

Rain Dance (African Rhythms / Hip Hop)
The Very Best Featuring M.I.A
Choreography by Rencsi

Body Language (Pop / Cool Down)
Jesse McCartney
Choreography by Rencsi

Make Your Gym Shoes Zumba-Ready

I’ve written many Rencsi posts about a wide variety of Zumba shoes-related posts: Why do my gym shoes stick to the floor during Zumba? Why do my knees ache after Zumba? What are Zumba shoes? What shoes are best for Zumba? Where can I buy Zumba shoes?

This month’s edition of the Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN) Z Life magazine features an ad from Slip-On Dancers. Slip-Ons appear to be a narrow band of fabric that wraps around the toe of your gym shoes. This band of fabric allows you to twist and turn, yet still grip the floor, without buying new shoes for Zumba. There is also a wider band for those people who must to do Zumba on carpet. (How unfortunate!)

I have not seen or tried this product, but they are about 1/4 of the price of Nike Musique athletic dance shoes. It might be worth a try before you invest in the real thing.

If anyone has tried Slip-On Dancers, please let us know what you think!

Want Z1 Zumba Shoes from Zumba Fitness? Get Them While You Can!

I’m a Zumba and Zumba Gold instructor and I had the same pair of Zumba shoes for a year. At first, I was only wearing my Zumba shoes for about one hour per day, two or three times a week, and they were holding up just fine. As luck would have it, I started getting more and more classes at more and more facilities and soon I was teaching two or three times per day, four days a week! As awesome as it was, my Zumba shoes broke down quickly. I was having foot, ankle, and shin pain during and after Zumba class. It was obvious I needed a new pair of Zumba shoes and I needed them fast.

I had been wanting the new Z1 Zumba sneakers from Zumba Fitness so I went to the Zumba shop to order a pair. I searched and searched, but they were not there – the Z1 Zumba sneakers were temporarily unavailable! I needed new shoes badly, but I decided to wait a week.

A week later, I checked the Zumba shop again. No Z1 Zumba sneakers! I couldn’t wait any longer and I decided to replace my Nike Musique IV with the exact same pair.

I just checkd back and the Z1 Zumba sneaker is now available at Zumba.com.

The moral of the story: If you are thinking about trying out the Z1 Zumba sneakers from Zumba.com, do it while you can! They are insanely popular. If they are temporarily unavailable, check back regularly because they might come and go from the Zumba shop as they are in stock. Hopefully, this means new styles and colors will be available soon.

Good luck!