STRONG by Zumba

I hear people talk about "Zumba Strong" a lot but the proper name is STRONG by Zumba. Since June 2016 lead master trainer Ai Lee Syarief is developing this program for Zumba. Due to her martial arts background STRONG by Zumba contains fighting elements. Forget everything you know about Zumba when you think of STRONG by Zumba, literally!

This article about STRONG by Zumba is also available in German language.

Strong vs Zumba

You might have noticed the little by word missing in the headline which makes all the difference. STRONG is written in big bold beautiful letters and it's a new revolutionary fitness format created by Zumba.

STRONG by Zumba consists of 3 fundamental cornerstones:

Strength
Endurance
Speed / Plyometrics

STRONG by Zumba 30, 45 or 60?

STRONG by Zumba is a fitness class without the use of equipment (despite a mat) that can be taught as

STRONG 60 (the full 60 minute STRONG by Zumba class experience)
STRONG 45 (shortened to 45 minute format)
STRONG 30 (shortest but most intense 30 minute format)

STRONG 30 can most likely be compared to its fitness competitors offering a high intensity interval training in about 30 minutes tops! HIIT is exactly what STRONG by Zumba is! The probably biggest myth or even mistake about STRONG by Zumba is to believe "STRONG by Zumba is the new Zumba". Seriously no, it's not Zumba. It's just byZumba.

20 minute STRONG by Zumba - TRY IT for free

There is also a free 20 minute STRONG by Zumba demo available on YouTube. You can do this 20 minute workout at home and get a first impression about what STRONG by Zumba is like before you hit the gym for a live class:

If I teach STRONG by Zumba and have new students in class I always point out STRONG by Zumba is not, I repeat, NOT a dance class! Despite from that fact, it's a fierce format that can be just as much fun as a Zumba class, even if it's boot camp over booty shake.

Ready to challenge yourself in a STRONG by Zumba class? If you live in Berlin check out my class schedule. You can also contact me directly, I'm here to help! Also use the class or instructor search to find a STRONG by Zumba class near you.

What is STRONG by Zumba?

Now that we pointed out the main difference between STRONG by Zumba and a regular Zumba class which is not having anything to do with dance, let's find out what STRONG by Zumba really is about:

STRONG by Zumba is a bodyweight only high-intensity full-body workout with energizing music! The full 60 minute STRONG by Zumba class experience includes a warm-up and cool-down plus the following 4 quadrants as blocks of work:

IGNITE (strength exercises like squats, lunges, planks to prep the muscles)
FIRE UP (cardio focused intervals like jumping jacks and kicks to lift the heart rate up higher)
PUSH YOUR LIMITS (pushing past your limits with burpees, pushups and similar intense exercises)
FLOORPLAY (strengthening your core muscles on the floor respectively a mat)

The official definition of STRONG by Zumba is spot-on:

"STRONG by Zumba® combines body weight, muscle conditioning, cardio and plyometric training moves synced to original music that has been specifically designed to match every single move".

This brings us to the next big question: What's revolutionary about STRONG by Zumba compared to all the other HIIT classes out there? It's the music that creates STRONG by Zumba fitness magic!

What is revolutionary about STRONG by Zumba?

What makes STRONG by Zumba special in comparison to all the other high intensity interval trainings out there is the music! The music is created and adapted to the workout and not the other common way round. Once the workout routine is set the music will be exclusively produced to match every move.

Movement and music being in perfect sync is what makes STRONG by Zumba extraordinary! The music exclusively created for STRONG by Zumba is made by well-known artists and no one less than famous music producer Timbaland or Star-DJ Steve Aoki to create great energizing music that has the students of a STRONG by Zumba class move and push past their limits! The process is called reverse-engineering: First there was the workout routine, then they add music and sound effects for the final touch! Touché!

Beginners, Have you got what it takes for STRONG by Zumba?

Sure you do! After checking out the 20 minute STRONG by Zumba demo and breaking a sweat you might disagree but let me tell you this: It doesn't matter if you are a bloody beginner or a well-trained fitness professional. There are options for every fitness level you can adapt in every STRONG by Zumba class!

It's pretty much mix and match between three fitness levels that can be applied to every STRONG by Zumba song:

Low (Level 1 - low impact great for beginners)
Base (Level 2 - standard format mainly introduced in class)
Max (Level 3 - if you want to push even harder)

Ask the instructor for options if the levels shown in class are too challenging at first. Move forward at your own pace, keep coming back to class mastering the moves! Practice, practice, practice. If you stick to this program willing to give it everything you've got you will succeed and you will get the results you are looking for fast! Are you ready? See you in class!

STRONG by Zumba? Find a class closeby!

Here's a link to my STRONG by Zumba instructor page. If you liked this blog post about STRONG by Zumba I'd love for you to pay me a visit and leave a like. Thank you for reading all the way to the end.