Last Updated on February 14, 2024 by Lifevif Team and JC Franco
I am a firm believer that people need to keep moving as they age. If you slow down, you put yourself at a disadvantage. For seniors looking for fitness classes that do not follow the same dead-boring, docile, and ineffective form as some senior workout classes do, I often recommend Zumba. Why? I will give you 13 reasons why.
13 benefits of Zumba for seniors:
- Mood elevation.
- Low impact exercise.
- Excellent weight management.
- Provides social opportunity.
- Great cardiovascular workout.
- Improves balance and stability.
- Increases mobility.
- Feels like fun, not a workout.
- Effective for all skills/fitness levels.
- Enjoyed, come rain or shine.
- Judgment free.
- Improves coordination.
- Keeps the mind/brain active.
You might be surprised to learn that Zumba has such great benefits for people who are aging. The abovementioned benefits are what truly make Zumba the exercise of choice for both young and old. They are the very reason why millions of people across the globe love to Zumba. Whether you are 17 or 77, Zumba can add a bit of excitement and much-needed fitness training to your life – and we can all agree that both of those things are essential to a fulfilling life.
If you would like a bit more detail on how Zumba is beneficial to seniors, let us break down each of the points above. Read on.
13 Simple Reasons Why Zumba is Good for Seniors
Do not let age slow you down. Keep healthy, active, and full of vitality. But how, you ask? It is simple; just Zumba your way through aging. Below is a breakdown of the 13 benefits of Zumba for seniors.
1. Mood elevation.
Feeling down is not foreign to seniors. Often this new phase of life is a big change from the norm. Instead of heading to work every day and being part of an upbeat community, you are plunged into a lifestyle of slow-paced living. It is natural to feel down when things change, but there is no need to get stuck in the doldrums.
By doing a high-energy form of exercise, seniors can boost the production of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. Both of these are happy hormones that elevate mood and promote feelings of contentment and happiness. Of course, Zumba is the type of high-energy exercise that gets those happy vibes flowing.
2. Low impact exercise.
What type of exercise do seniors like to do? It’s hard to tell. Some seniors have managed to remain more active than others. That being said, many seniors do not want to head to the gym to push heavy weights or do a bit of boxing. Most look for a more low-impact type of exercise to get involved in.
Zumba (especially Zumba Gold) is the perfect form of low-impact exercise as there is really no weightlifting or equipment used. You will not be doing pushups, or mountain climbers, or jumping jacks. Instead, you will be dancing.
3. Excellent weight management.
Keeping the weight off is something that many seniors struggle with (and complain about) as they age. When toning down your activities, there is probably going to be an increase in your waistline. Of course, you need to adjust your diet to ensure that your calorie intake does not exceed your exertion levels. This can be tricky to do. We have all been there – when there’s nothing to do; we eat!
To keep slim and trim, you need to do cardiovascular or aerobic exercise – and that is exactly what Zumba is. Doing Zumba classes just once or twice a week can make a difference in weight management.
4. Provides social opportunity.
Just how social is your life as a senior? It’s probably not as socially active as you thought it would be. Seniors often find themselves struggling with a change in their social lives as they age. Weekly nights out with friends, or regular dinner parties, can start to peter out as one gets older! Seniors struggling to find suitable social activities (that they actually enjoy) often end up finding value in Zumba.
Seniors who do Zumba can meet people of a similar age, going through similar life changes, and ready for fun. That is the type of social opportunity all ages can benefit from.
5. Great cardiovascular workout.
Heart health is vitally important as you get older. In fact, the WHO (World Health Organization) states that more than 30% of all deaths globally are a result of cardiovascular disease. And it’s not only seniors who are falling victim to the threat of heart disease. While a healthy diet can go a long way towards reducing your risk of heart disease, exercise is required to give your efforts that extra boost.
In order to promote better heart health, you need to increase your heart rate for a few minutes at a time, every day. Zumba will definitely get your heart pumping, and your chances of cardiovascular disease plummeting. Avoid possible heart disease with Zumba!
6. Improves balance and stability.
One of the biggest causes of concern for seniors is that of slip and fall incidents. Just the fear of slipping and falling can actually lead to a slip and fall incident. A slip or fall incident can result in serious injuries that are not only expensive but also take a long time to recover from.
As one age, balance is negatively impacted. Seniors can mitigate the changes of balance in their body by participating in exercises that focus on agility, balance, and stability. While you might not have the best balance when you start Zumba, the more you move and practice, the better your balance and stability will become.
7. Increases mobility.
Poor mobility can lead to all sorts of aches, pains, and discomforts (arthritis included). It is normal to lose some mobility as you age, and that is why an exercise like Zumba can be quite useful. Zumba classes can enhance balance, coordination, and posture. As a result of these changes, seniors can also experience an increase in range of motion, flexibility, energy, and agility.
8. Feels like fun, not a workout.
Seniors often do not want to “look forward to” exercise routines that are painful, uncomfortable, and chore-like. Zumba is a completely different take on exercise for seniors. It is a lot of fun and requires a lot of movement. This makes it a great work out that actually just feels like having fun.
9. Effective for all skills/fitness levels.
There is absolutely no need to worry about whether your fitness skills and abilities are up to scratch for a Zumba class. Zumba classes for seniors are designed to be low-impact, as well as suited to the movement and mobility skills of seniors. If you feel that you cannot keep up, modifications of movements and steps will be provided. It really does not matter how fit or unfit you are – Zumba for seniors is for all seniors!
10. Enjoyed, come rain or shine.
If you take up soccer, outdoor Tai Chi, or something similar, you might find that the weather affects your workouts. No one wants to stand in the cold, risk slipping in the wet, or brave the scorching hot sun for a workout in their senior years. The good news is that Zumba is, mostly, done indoors, in a studio or hall. This means that regardless of whether it rains or shines, you can enjoy your weekly dose of Zumba.
11. Judgment free.
One thing that all senior Zumba enthusiasts agree on is that the Zumba environment is a judgment-free zone. Everyone is “in it together”, having fun, laughing, and trying to get the move sequences right. There is no time to look around and judge other people because you are too busy trying to get it right yourself.
12. Improves coordination.
As we get older, our mobility and coordination skills seem to go on holiday. If you pay no attention to the change, chances are that your coordination issues will become worse. By practicing Zumba, seniors can benefit from becoming more coordinated. This is because they have to learn how to move their arms and legs in different directions. It requires concentration and a lot of practice.
13. Keeps the mind/brain active.
Many seniors try to keep their brains/minds active by doing crosswords, playing board games, such as Chess, or keeping up an active social life. These efforts can be boosted by adding Zumba to the mix. Zumba keeps the brain active because there are different steps and sequences to remember. The more these sequences are thought of and practiced, the more actively the brain and mind will be.
Do Not Let Your Senior Years Pass You By
There is every reason to believe that your senior years can be just as entertaining and fulfilling as the years that preceded them. The trick is to keep active and not allow yourself to take on the role of being “old”. Keep fit, keep active, and stay younger for longer. If you do not want to let your senior years pass you by, sign up for a Zumba class for seniors today.
This article was co-authored by our team of in-house and freelance writers, and reviewed by our editors, who share their experiences and knowledge about the "Seven F's of Life".
JC Franco
JC Franco is a New York-based editor for Lifevif. He mainly focuses on content about faith, spirituality, personal growth, finance, and sports. He graduated from Mercyhurst University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business, majoring in Marketing. He is a certified tennis instructor who teaches in the New York City Metropolitan area. In terms of finance, he has passed the Level I exam of the CFA program.