What are Latin Aerobics?

Latin aerobics is a trend in the field of weight loss and exercise that uses movements common in types of Latin dance such as tango and cha-cha to promote fitness. Although the movements in Latin aerobics are drawn from dance, the exercises associated with this aerobics trend do not always resemble an actual Latin dance. It is common for specific movements drawn from Latin dance to be repeated in circuits in order to target specific muscle groups. In dance, however, movements are linked together to create a series of movements that are pleasing to the eye.

There are a number of ways to practice Latin aerobics. A number of companies that sell fitness instruction materials have produced and now distribute videos and DVDs on Latin aerobics. These videos usually include an introduction to Latin aerobics as well as a few levels of aerobic routines that can be used according to one's fitness level. Latin aerobics has also become common as a course offering in gyms. Gyms will hire people trained in Latin dance, aerobics instruction, or both, to instruct gym members about how to use Latin dance movements to complete aerobic exercise routines.

One of the reasons that Latin aerobics has become popular is that it is practiced to the beat of Latin music, which many people enjoy. Much Latin music is intended to be danced to, so exercising along with it can be enjoyable as well. People are always looking for fun ways to stay in shape or lose weight and it seems that this trend in aerobics has fit that niche for people who like Latin music and Latin dance.

Some people choose to simply take dance classes in order to lose weight. In some kinds of dance, like jazz and hip hop, this can be very effective because the dance requires rapid, intense movements. Other kinds of dance like ballet and modern can help to tone the body and lose a bit of weight, but are often more focused on form and the perfection of movements. As such, taking a class that combines both dance and aerobics is a great way to learn some dance steps and also improve one's fitness at the same time. While dance classes may do the same things, it is likely that they will be more focused on learning specific steps and less on improving fitness, which is the ultimate purpose of an aerobics class.