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Zumba Review: Tone Up and Incredible Slimdown Bring the Funk

zumba-review

Just in time to reignite your flagging fitness resolutions, the hip-shaking folks at Zumba Fitness have released new DVD sets that feature strength training, interval training and, of course, dancing.

And unlike a lot of DVD sets sold on TV that hover around $100, these are super affordable, available at big-box retailers and offer plenty of workout options.

Here’s a look at two of the new sets.

Zumba Incredible Slimdown

zumba incredible slimdown

This set, which retails for $20, packs a lot of variety into its hot pink package. The first disc teaches the basics of salsa, merengue, cumbia, samba and reggaeton, and follows up with a quick 20-minute workout. Disc 2 is a 55-minute Super Cardio Dance party, which turbocharges the moves with burst intervals. Disc 3, Zumba Mix, is led by Zumba creator Beto Perez, and features a global smorgasbord of dance moves and music, including Marioneta, which is sung by Beto (yep, he sings, too!). Discs 4 and 5 are Latin Burst (35 minutes) and Global Burst (40 minutes) and features Steve Boedt, a Belgian Zumba superstar who is loads of fun and amazingly light on his feet.

In addition to the DVDs, the set includes a 39-page program guide, which has workout calendars, pointers and post-workout stretches. In the 49-page nutrition guide, you’ll find 7-day and 10-day eating plans, loads of recipes with regular and vegan options, and snack ideas, including something called Funkadelic Squash Fries. The bonus in the box is a pair of Zumba Sole Control Wraps, spandex bands that slide onto the soles of your sneakers to make them easier to slide and glide across carpet.

Zumba Tone Up

zumba tone up plus

Perhaps you’ve owned a previous Zumba DVD set that came with lime green 1-pound maraca-like toning sticks. This $45 kit pumps up the weight in a purple set of 2.5-pound toning sticks, which you’ll use throughout this five-DVD set. There’s a little repurposing of a couple of workouts in this set — Amazing Abs and 30-Minute Burn were also in the Amazing Results set from a couple years ago. The first disc explains all the toning moves and follows with a 15-minute ab workout with Beto and the seated Sentao technique.

Lest you think doing a seated Zumba workout is easy, guess again, my sweaty friend. You are up, down and all around that chair. The second disc hits the upper body with two 35-minute workouts that focus on shoulders/back and biceps/triceps. Disc 3 is a 35-minute Sentao seated workout that combines dance and strength training. Disc 4 is 30-Minute Burn, led by Zumba instructor favorite Gina Grant.

And if you’ve ever wondered what goes on at the yearly Zumba Convention in Orlando, Fla., disc 5 gives you a taste in an hour-long Fitness Concert. There’s not a whole lot of cuing in this one, as Beto and a bevy of instructors and musicians perform on a circular stage surrounded by thousands of dancing fellow instructors. And, yes, Beto takes his shirt off on this one — I mean, you knew he would at one point, right?

As with the other set, Tone Up comes with a program guide and a nutrition guide that features a 7-day eating plan, plus snack and smoothie ideas.

In these sets, as in most Zumba DVDs, you need to pay attention to the “sign language” of Zumba. The cuing is done with pointing, head gestures and hand movements, and there is some voice-over instruction, which can be turned off after you get proficient at the workout.

Both are available at Target, Walmart, Amazon.com, and Bed, Bath and Beyond.

New to Zumba?

In addition, if you’re super new to Zumba, Beto stars in a two-DVD set called Zumba 101: Can’t Dance? On the first disc, Beto breaks down the basic four moves of most of the workouts and offers plenty of tips and practice. The second disc puts those moves to work in an easy-to-follow 30-minute workout. He swears you’ll be able to party with the best of them.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★1/2
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★★
Music: ★★★★1/2
Fun Factor: ★★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★1/2
Overall: ★★★★1/2

What’s your favorite Zumba move? Have you mastered the samba? (I haven’t!) —Gail

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