Fitness Face-off: Zumba® vs. Kickboxing

A high-intensity Zumba® workout will increase your endurance, strength, and flexibility, while you burn fat. One such exercise is the Cardio Kickboxing, which is a high-energy, motivating workout that blends together elements of boxing, martial arts, plyometrics, balance and strength aimed at burning maximum calories (between 500 - 700). Definitely not a class to be skipped!

Zumba® does not officially offer a class titled Zumba® Boxing, but instructors and enthusiasts, nonetheless, enjoy this choreography hybrid.

Why Kickboxing?

The sort of kickboxing discussed here is simply a form of martial arts tailored to suit the requirements of an effective workout. A typical kickboxing workout provides the following benefits:

• An aerobic as well as an anaerobic conditioning component
• Strength training
• Fu and variety
• It’s easy to learn
• Carries a low risk of injury (because the focus lies on technique, not actual violence)
• Helps burn calories and reduce fat
• Addresses the most common problem areas people have (abdomin, butt, hips and thighs)
• Gets proven results and increases self-esteem

Participants rave about Kickboxing Fitness, because these workouts are always different, fun and achieve quick results. Plus, it lets people learn how to “fight without the actual fight”.

Why Zumba®?

While our articles have discussed the numerous advantages of Zumba®, some people deem Zumba® the best fitness program due to more obvious reasons such as:

• Being able to shed calories a lot quicker
• It’s undoubtedly a fun workout
• It puts you in a happier frame of mind
• The steps are easy to follow
• It provides a full-body workout
• Improves cardiovascular health
• Allows you to lose weight while having fun
• Improves coordination
• Suitable for all ages (Zumbatomic for kids, Zumba Gold for veterans)
• Great for releasing stress
• Easily adaptable to any fitness level
• A great way to stay social!

Thematic Choreography

The four vital rhythms of Zumba® include salsa, merengue, reggaeton and cumbia. Kickboxing is just something which incorporates all of boxing’s basic moves with punches, jabs and uppercuts, along with martial arts kicks such as the roundhouse or side kick. You can also add moves that boxers normally use such as jumping rope, jogging in place and speed-bag punches. A simple combination would be to march to a count of eight, then jab two times and add one jumping jack. Replicate the combination with a march then jab with the alternate arm followed by a jumping jack, to return to your starting position.

Precautions

• The American Council on Exercise admonishes that performing boxing moves with weights can be dangerous for your joints
• Zumba® Toning classes are practiced with weights as well; however, a licensed instructor can help you use them more safely
• The council also advises you to be careful not to lock your joints or overstrain your kicks

Zumba® Copyrights

Zumba® currently offers six official class titles: Zumba®, Zumba Gold®, Aqua-Zumba®, Zumbatomic®, Zumba Toning® and Zumba® in Circuit.
Zumba® does not allow the listing of classes other than its official programs; hence, any class titled Zumba® Boxing, would be in direct violation of Zumba’s® legal requirements in terms of trademarks.
If you are looking for a Zumba® class that includes boxing in the choreography, discuss it with your instructor. However, if the class you’re attending lists Zumba Boxing as its official title, that should be a clear indication that your instructor is not a legally licensed Zumba® instructor.
Zumba®, Zumba Fitness® and Zumba Fitness logos are all registered trademarks of Zumba Fitness, LLC, which has the copyright ownership for all Zumba®-related material and the use of its name and logo.

Anyone who conducts Zumba® classes without a valid Certificate of Completion, is in complete violation of the trademark and copyright laws.
Warning: Any class/program titled Zumba Boxing, or Zumba Cardio-Boxing is in direct violation of Zumba’s® legal requirements in terms of trademarks.