Janessa Tyler/ The Collegian

Students can forget about running on the treadmill and striding on the elliptical to get or stay in shape. One of the several group fitness classes being offered at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) has students raving and coming back for more than just a good workout.

The Zumba class gives students an opportunity to listen to Latin music while blasting away calories and getting toned from head to toe. Zumba is a blend of Latin and modern dance moves, as well as fitness exercises like squats and knee-lifts.

“It’s good cardiovascular exercise,” said Fresno State Zumba instructor Tiffany Ramirez.

Zumba incorporates international music styles such as merengue, salsa, reggaeton, cumbia, tango, samba, hip-hop, belly dancing and more.

“Basically it’s just doing different dances to music,” said Ramirez. “You do a lot of up and down.”

Ramirez said Zumba does something similar by playing a slow song followed by a fast song throughout class. Performing at a fast and slow pace helps burn more calories because you’re raising and lowering your heart rate.

Ramirez said students could torch up to 500 calories per class when they participate at a maximum level. Each of the Zumba classes is an hour long, which includes a warming up and cooling down period.

“I sweat more doing Zumba than I do running,” said Ramirez.

Customer Relations Coordinator Amy Allen has been working at the SRC since it opened in February 2006. Allen said the Zumba class is different from the other group fitness classes because it’s more dance-based. Zumba is placed into its own category when it comes to fitness.

“The other classes that we offer, like BODYPUMP, is cardio and weight lifting,” said Allen. “BODYFLOW is yoga, pilates and tai chi, so they’re all pretty specialized.”

The Zumba class offered at the SRC is suitable for beginners. Students can walk-in for the first time and learn how to do the zesty moves of Zumba.
“You don’t have to have any background in dance,” said Allen.

Allen said one of the good things about all of the group fitness classes offered at the SRC is that they make it easier for people who might be intimidated by working out.

No mats or special equipment is needed for Zumba classes. But all students are advised to bring a water bottle and towel to cool off when needed.

“The thing with Zumba is that you can always do different variations,” said Ramirez. “It’s always something new and exciting.”

One way instructors switch up the Zumba sessions is by adding more dances and playing new songs.

Ramirez said Latin music is predominately played during the Zumba classes, but 30 percent is open to music from other genres.

“My cool down song and one of my warm up songs typically aren’t Latin based,” said Ramirez.

The SRC started offering the Zumba classes three weeks ago after students started expressing a demand for it last semester.

“We’re always looking for student responses as to what they want to see in the SRC, and Zumba was one of the classes that came up multiple times,” said Allen. “When we noticed there was such a significant interest we kind of put our feelers out to try and recruit instructors.”

Allen said the response has been phenomenal thus far. The Zumba classes are continuing to grow so much that staff at the SRC had to expand the studio by taking down the removable wall that opens up to the second studio.

“We have full classes for Zumba in every time slot,” said Allen. “We’re looking at possibly adding other sections.”

The Zumba classes offered at the SRC are taught by Ramirez and April Chapple. Chapple teaches the Monday and Wednesday classes at 5:05 p.m., and Ramirez instructs the Tuesday and Thursday classes at 12:15 p.m.

All group fitness instructors at the SRC must be Fresno State students and certified to teach.

“I got certified last May to start teaching,” said Ramirez.

Chapple and Ramirez plan to keep teaching the Zumba classes at the SRC as long as it’s offered.

Students can attend any of the four Zumba classes at no charge. Every Fresno State student pays for using the SRC when they pay their tuition. So if you’re looking to laugh and have fun while working up a sweat, then Zumba is for you.

“The hardest thing about losing weight or staying in shape is being consistent,” said Ramirez. “When you’re doing something that’s fun then you forget you’re working out.”