Infographic: How many calories does Zumba burn?

Zumba sounds like fun: The Latin beats and playful tunes just make you want to move.

Zumba looks like fun: You can dance your way to fitness and make new friends.

But does all that fun really add up to a good workout? We calculated the calories burned by a 150-pound 70-year-old in a moderate 30-minute Zumba session, then compared it to four other activities done for the same amount of time. Here’s what we found:

Zumba vs. walking

A 30-minute Zumba class at moderate intensity (light enough that you could carry on a conversation but would have a hard time singing) burns about 270 calories. A half hour of walking burns about 200 calories.

A 70-calorie spread might not seem like a lot, but if you’re getting the recommended minimum of 150 minutes of exercise a week, that adds up to a 350-calorie difference each week!

Zumba vs. jogging

If walking burns nearly as many calories as Zumba, surely jogging burns far more calories than the Latin dance workout, right? Wrong.

Moderate jogging for a 150-pound person burns about 230 calories in 30 minutes. That’s still below Zumba’s 270 calories. So if you want a burn better than jogging and would rather exercise indoors with a soundtrack and some pals, Zumba sounds like a great fit.

Zumba vs. bicycling

Bicycling is a terrific activity for older adults. It pairs a good calorie burn with an exercise that puts less stress on the joints than jogging. Plus, riding a bike is just plain fun.

But even bicycling at a moderate pace falls short of the caloric burn of Zumba. A 150-pound person on a stationary cycle for 30 minutes burns about 260 calories. Cycling outdoors is about the same.

Zumba vs. swimming

Swimming is widely regarded as the most complete full-body workout you can get. Swimmers use their arms, legs, core muscles and more while improving balance, cardiovascular endurance and strength.

But when it comes to burning calories, swimming falls below Zumba. A 30-minute moderate swim by a 150-pound person burns about 220 calories.

Interested in getting the best of both worlds? Check out Aqua Zumba!

Aerobics class

Zumba is a mix of aerobics and Latin dance, so it only makes sense that the two would be similar in burning calories.

A specialized group fitness class for older adults, such as SilverSneakers Cardio Circuit, should burn about 200 calories per half hour. So Zumba is a little more intense than that. It’s all about finding the class and style that best works for you.

If you’re interested in looking for a Zumba class or similar class offered through SilverSneakers FLEX,  find a class near you now.