What is ‘Zumba Total Body Transformation’?

What good is a workout if you can’t have fun with it? Zumba® Total Body Transformation System is a dance workout designed to do exactly that while helping you cut calories in the quickest and easiest ways possible. The complete DVD set kills the monotony of having to drag yourself out to the gym, allowing you to dance away those extra pounds in the comfort of your own living room.

Total Body Transformation System

With upbeat dance moves originating from Latin America tailored to form a unique cardio workout, the Zumba® Total Body Transformation System is taking the world by storm.
Zumba® is for everyone – from beginners to pros. The Zumba® Total Body Transformation DVD set includes six different workouts concentrating on various areas. The workouts include:

• Zumba basics
• 20-minute Express Routine
• Cardio Party
• Sculpt and Tone
• Flat Abs
• Zumba Live, a total party with upbeat music to get you in the groove
• Six exhilarating workouts on four DVDs, Total Body Transformation Guide & Bonus toning sticks

The collection, available at zumba.com, was initially released in 2009 and retails for $59.95 as of January 2011.

Function

Elderly or overweight, the complete Zumba Total Body Transformation System available on DVD will get everyone in the mood to move to some of the grooviest tracks within the very comfort of their homes. The extremely invigorating workout may even motivate some to go out and sign up for an actual Zumba® class.

Zumba Basics and 20-Minute Express

There are two parts to this DVD:

Part One: Basics

The approximate running time for the Basics is 60 minutes.

• The first step is to simply teach you where to position your feet and which direction to move in
• The second step heightens the beat, allowing you to perform the dance step a little faster
• The last step is where it all comes together and you execute the entire dance move competently

Part Two: 20-Minute Express

This is a lot more fun than learning the Basics. Like the name suggests, the approximate running time for the 20-Minute Express is 20 minutes.

• Because this part of the workout is fast-paced, it lets you burn calories a lot quicker
• In this part, you are introduced to the Zumba® mastermind Beto Perez. Perez takes charge as your instructor for the next 20 minutes. His directions are extremely easy to follow

Cardio Party

This 45-minute Cardio Party DVD shows Zumba founder Beto Perez and Tanya Beardsley on a large performance stage. Songs included in this section are:

• Warming up with “Que Te Meuve”
• Salsa track “Zumbano por un Sueno”
• And to cool off with, you have “Zumba Lluvia”

Newly registered Zumba® instructors are given Cardio Party as part of their welcome package, allowing them to draw out their own routines from it.

Sculpt & Tone

For an upper body workout, grab your toning sticks and pop in the third DVD, which is approximately 30 minutes long.

• Hip-hop track “This is Tha Song” kicks off as Beto and the gang demonstrate arm motions
• The DVD offers a dubbed Spanish version as well as one in English
• “Cumbia Jam” helps work the biceps and triceps with curls
• This is followed by a Salsa number “Zumbando el Son” and its three-step with hip-to-hip action
• The belly dancing number “Sahara Oasis” includes presses above the head

Fitness Live! And Flat Abs

Fitness Live, lasting approximately 55 minutes, is where a different group of dancers and a drummer join Perez on a more informal stage in front of a live audience. They begin dancing to the same tracks as those in Cardio Party.

• The 18-minute Flat Abs workout has five dancers emphasizing on the side steps to Zumba’s® “Urban Core Mix” track
• Trailed by side crunches
• Leg lifts
• And finally squeezes to work the midsection

Do the Zumba® Total Body Transformation DVDs really work?

This depends entirely on you.
It’s definitely a good program – as long as you follow the instructions and put in your best each time. Cheating (i.e. going through the motions without much effort) is typically the downfall of most home DVD programs.

The dance workout is certainly fun — it’s next to impossible to keep still with all the tempting beats. Your heart rate will consistently remain elevated in the fat-burning zone. If you're interested in Zumba® and can’t find classes near you, these DVDs are a great way to experience the fun at home.