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!
What Are Zumba Shoes?
One of my Zumba participants walked into Lady Foot Locker and asked for Zumba shoes. The LFL sales team looked confused and responded, “What are Zumba shoes?”
How embarrassing! Someone is willing to walking into an athletic shoe store and drop $60 to $110 USD on a pair of dance shoes and the sales team at a store like Lady Foot Locker doesn’t even know what Zumba is?
In an athletics store, you are most likely looking for Nike Musique athletic dance shoes. Ryka also makes a couple of styles of athletic dance sneaker, Ryka Studio D and Ryka Sync, and from what I’ve seen, they are similar to the Nike Musique. This type of shoe is used by cheer and dance teams at the high school and college levels so they are somewhat easy to find. They are attractive athletic shoes, but obviously not built for most sports. You’ll find them on the edge of the athletic shoe section, not mixed in with the running shoes. Because they are not common, they are also easy to find on the clearance rack if you are a bargain hunter.
There is also currently a Nike shoe called Nike Huarache. It is more of a hip hop dance shoe so you might find it mixed in with the street wear.
If you have access to a dance studio or dance supply store, look for Capezio or Bloch athletic dance sneakers. These sneakers are also worn by dance teams and instructors so they are easy to find. Capezio and Bloch sneakers usually have a split sole which allows more foot flexibility during dance training and performances. To me, the split sole takes away some of the stability of these athletic dance shoes. The split sole is why I personally chose NOT to wear them for Zumba – I need stability and support. However, I do know plenty of people who DO wear them for Zumba.
In stores, you will pay about $30 USD for Zumba shoes on the clearance rack. Full price, Zumba shoes will cost $60-$110 USD. Online, you have more options and better prices. You will find Nike Musique and Huarache and Ryka Studio D and Sync online. Discount dance supply stores sell Capezio and Bloch athletic dance sneakers online.
I hate to order shoes online, but I like online shoe store prices so I use a little trick. I go find the shoes I want in a shoe store, try them on, and make note of the size, style, and color. Then I go home and order the same shoes online. It take a little more time, but I think it’s worth it.
If you have a favorite brand or style of shoe that you use for Zumba, I would love to hear it!
Filed under Zumba, exercise, group fitness | Tags: aerobic, aerobics, athletic shoes, bloch, capezio, Dance, dance shoes, Fitness, group, group fitness, group fitness instructor, huarache, instructor, musique, Nike, nike huarache, nike musique, Nike shoes, ryka, shoes, studio d, sync, what are zumba shoes, Zumba, zumba gold, zumba instructor, zumba music, Zumba shoes | Comment (0)Zumba With a Purpose – Chile Earthquake Relief
Attention Zumba lovers in Minnesota!
Zumba with a Purpose to benefit Chilean Earthquake Relief with a $10 donation on Sunday, May 2, 2010 from 1:30-3:15pm at Shoreview YMCA in Shoreview, Minnesota.
The 2010 Chilean earthquake happened on February 27, 2010. Approximately 500 people died and 500,000 homes were destroyed. Many Zumba instructors have family and friends in Chile. All money raised at the Zumba with a Purpose event will be given to the Chilean Club in Minnesota (Chilenos en Minnesota) to be delivered to Chilean institutions to benefit earthquake and tsunami victims.
Click here for more information and enjoy!
Filed under Zumba | Tags: chile, chileanos, Dance, donation, earthquake, Fitness, fundraiser, group, group fitness, group fitness instructor, Minnesota, music, relief, Zumba, zumba gold, zumba instructor, zumba music, zumba play list, zumba playlist, Zumba shoes, zumba songs, zumba with a purpose, zumbathon | Comment (1)Cool Zumba Shoes
I want these awesome athletic dance shoes for Zumba! They are only $62.00 on Nike.com, but they don’t have my size!
Does anyone know where I can buy Nike Huarache women’s dance shoes for Zumba other than directly from Nike? I want to find my size!
NEW Zumba Shoes from Zumba Fitness!
They’re finally here! The Z1 Zumba Dance Sneaker from Zumba Fitness!
As far as I can tell, only Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN) members can order these shoes from the Zumbawear shop as of February 20, 2010. Here is a screen shot with the description and details. If you’re not a ZIN member, talk to your favorite Zumba instructor about ordering you a pair of Z1 Zumba Sneakers!
My January Zumba Song List
Happy 2010!
Pa’mayte (Calypso)
ZIN MegaMix15
La Fiesta (Flamenco + Belly Dance / Warm Up)
Zumba Original Soundtrack
Baila Esta Cumbia (Cumbia)
Zumba Megamix 14
Hava Nagila (Traditional)
Zumba Gold
A La Nena Le Gusta (Merengue)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24
Solo Se Vive Una Vez (Rumba Flamenca)
Zumba ZIN Megamix 13
Ritmo Caliente (Quebradita)
Zumba ZIN 22
Kiss Kiss (Belly Dance)
ZIN Megamix 4
Krazy (Hip Hop)
(Pitbull Featuring LiL Jon)
La Morena (Merengue)
Zumba Megamix 14
African Beat (African)
Zumba ZIN 22
Fuego (Cumbia)
Zumba ZIN Megamix 4
Baila Pa Emociona (Calypso)
Zumba
Me Gusta, Me Gusta (Salsa)
Zumba Fitness ZIN 24
Tigy Tigy (Reggaeton/Arabic)
Zumba ZIN Mega Mix 15
Chaiyya Chaiyya (Bollywood)
Bombay Dreams
Drive (Reggae)
50 First Dates Soundtrack
Best Zumba Shoes for Men
Despite being created by a genius man, Beto Perez, Zumba classes are overwhelmingly women. The token males in my Zumba classes are absolutely adored.
That is all I thought about men regarding Zumba until this week when a reader, Dan, posted a comment on my post Where to Buy Dance Shoes. Dan asked:
can you recommend a zumba shoe for men?
What a great question and in fact, yes I can recommend some shoes for men for Zumba!
One of the most well-known brands of dance shoe is Capezio. My college dance team used Capezio dance sneakers as part of the team uniform and several of my Zumba regulars where Capezio dance sneakers to class.
Capezio offers several varieties of men’s and unisex athletic dance shoes for men that would no doubt work well for men doing Zumba. My personal favorites are the Capezio Rockit and the Capezio Toggle. The main difference is that Capezio Rockit has laces and the Capezio Toggle doesn’t. Reviews for both models are excellent and some reviews actually list Zumba as the main reason the person bought the shoe. Online shoe stores like Zappos and Discount Dance Supply carry Capezio dance sneakers in men’s sizes.
Knee Pain During Zumba
I heard one of my Zumba class regulars who disappeared recently has quit doing Zumba because of knee pain. This is not the first Zumba knee pain complaint I’ve heard. Why do people’s knees hurt from Zumba?
As I mentioned in my past Rencsi.com post Sticky Shoes During Zumba, most athletic shoes are designed for forward movement only. Running shoes and walking shoes have heavy traction and robust soles to resist sliding and turning and this is exactly what runners and walkers need. This is not what we want in Zumba class.
Zumba incorporates the twisting, turning, and sliding movements of Latin dance. While the body is moving, the heavy traction of popular athletic shoes causes the Zumba dancer to stick to the studio floor. The foot stays put and the leg, knee, and hip twist, turn, and slide.
Think of a basic Cuban salsa move – you step to the side, shift your weight to that foot, shift your weight to the other foot, and bring your feet together and repeat and repeat and repeat. The thick, wide soles of most athletic shoes are designed to prevent the lateral movement of salsa, one of the basic dances in a Zumba class.
It’s no wonder some exercisers experience knee pain from Zumba!
The good news is knee pain does not have to end your Zumba workout. There are many styles of athletic dance shoes available that will allow you to turn and slide freely. Here are some articles to help you find the best shoes to wear during Zumba. Enjoy!
Zumba FAQ – What are the best shoes to wear in a Zumba Class?
Filed under Zumba, exercise, group fitness, interests | Tags: aerobic, aerobics, athletic shoes, Dance, dance shoes, Fitness, group fitness, shoes, Zumba, zumba gold, zumba instructor, Zumba shoes | Comment (1)Zumba Faq – What are the best shoes to wear in a Zumba class?
Straight from the horse’s mouth: What does Zumba Fitness have to say about finding the best Zumba shoes?
What are the best shoes to wear in a Zumba class?
Zumba Fitness recommends that you wear “cross training” or “aerobic” style shoes. They provide the cushion and medial lateral support needed for side-to-side movements. They also have low traction rubber for easy sliding and turning. Please be careful with “running shoes” since they use a heavy tread on the bottom and are designed for forward movement.
Click here to read more Zumba Faq’s.
Filed under Zumba, exercise, group fitness | Tags: athletic shoes, Dance, dance shoes, group fitness, shoes, Zumba, zumba gold, zumba instructor, Zumba shoes | Comment (1)Do I Need Zumba Shoes?
Do you need athletic dance or Zumba shoes to participate Zumba?
Technically, no. Special shoes (other than athletic shoes of some sort) are not required to do Zumba. However, if you plan to attend Zumba classes regularly, you will be most comfortable in athletic shoes designed for dance.
I hear people in my Zumba class say that their shoes stick to the floor during Zumba class. The stickiness increases as the temperature, humidity, and Zumba class intensity (and sweaty bodies) increase. Pretty soon these people are forced to modify their Zumba style to accommodate for their sticky shoes during Zumba. The sticky shoes during Zumba can also cause knee pain from the foot staying planted to the floor while the body is twisting and turning.
I recently purchased a pair of Nike Musique IV athletic dance shoes from the clearance rack at Famous Footware and I am very happy with my selection. My shoes cost $30, but I have seen this model of dance shoe cost up to $65 at other shoe stores.
Other Rencsi.com articles about finding the best Zumba shoes for you:
Sticky Shoes During Zumba at Rencsi.com
Good Dance Shoes for Zumba at Rencsi.com
Best Zumba Shoes at Rencsi.com
Where to Buy Dance Shoes at Rencsi.com
Coming Soon: Z1 Zumba Shoes at Rencsi.com
Filed under Zumba, exercise, group fitness | Tags: aerobic dance shoes, athletic dance shoes, dance shoes, shoes, Zumba, Zumba shoes, zumbawear | Comment (1)