With many of us starting the new year determined to exercise our way back into our best jeans by spring, Talent Management thought it would be a good time to explore some of the most fun ways to stay fit and motivated.

This week we have been looking at ‘Zumba’, a latin-inspired dance based fitness program that continues to gain popularity due to it’s reputation for making fitness fun. There are lots of ‘Zumba’ workout DVDs available to buy and use at home, or you can look for a local class.

Read on forTalent Management’s top five reasons to try ‘Zumba’.

Party atmosphere. There is no denying that ‘Zumba’ offers something a bit different from the average workout. It’s probably most fun to do as a class with other people rather than at home, as this way you can enjoy it with others and really get the most from the experience. If you love to dance and enjoy Latin music then you’ll enjoy the party atmosphere created at a ‘Zumba’ class.

10 million participants can’t be wrong! ‘Zumba’ is reportedly taught to approximately 10 million participants, in 110 countries, at 90,000 locations! When this many people love something it may be worth giving it a go!

Summer all year round. The Latin style music and dance movements employed in this activity are a great distraction from dull days and will put you into that summer frame of mind, if only for an hour.

Feel the burn. One hour of Zumba will burn between 500-800 calories in the average participant.

Cardiovascular and toning exercise. ‘Zumba’ provides a cardio workout and also tones with resistance training. If you attend regularly you will not only notice these benefits but should find that you soon become more flexible too.

Always consult a medical professional before embarking on a new fitness activity.