Meet the Man Behind Zumba:
Beto Perez

Beto Perez came to America with an idea to start a dance program. Years later, millions worldwide know him as the creator of the incredibly successful global fitness lifestyle brand, Zumba, featuring workout programs, apparel, products and thousands of instructors in 186 countries.

24Life recently asked Perez about his training regimen, what he is passionate about, his love for music and more.

24Life: What is your top training tip for the summer? Does your workout routine change with the season?

Beto Perez (BP): I am always changing up my routine so I don’t get bored doing the same thing, but I always incorporate cardio – which is why I teach Zumba® classes every week.

It’s nice to work out outdoors, because I live in Miami, and we have great weather. I started adding in new techniques along with my cardio – calisthenics and plyometrics – which are basically explosive body-weight training moves, and I’m loving them.

24Life: What are the three most beneficial exercises that people should include in their workout routine?

BP: Cardio is the most important in every exercise routine and you can get a great and fun cardio workout by taking a Zumba class.

Body-weight training is a great workout to rip your muscles and give them definition. We’ll be launching a brand new bootcamp-style program this summer that incorporates the science behind syncing moves to music in order to motivate you to get through an intense workout.

And, yoga or stretching, is very important to make sure you take care of your muscles and body and avoid injuries. I love combining a good Zumba class with yoga.

24Life: How do you regenerate or revitalize?

BP: Luckily, dancing is a great way to let loose and regenerate. But with my very hectic schedule between my travels, music development and trainings, the best way for me to recharge is to disconnect completely from the office and just lay on the beach and stay home.

24Life: What book is on your night-stand?

BP: “Sin Miedo” by Jorge Ramos.

24Life: What is your go-to pre-workout or post-workout snack for nourishment?

BP: We actually just launched a great pre- and post-workout drink that is plant-based called Zumba Shake Shake Shake™. I love the vanilla flavor.

24Life: Do you have any rituals around sleep? How much do you sleep each night?

BP: I usually go to sleep watching TV and sleep about six hours each night.

24Life: What are you most passionate about, outside of fitness?

BP: I’m very passionate about music. Although I’m not a musician, I can sit down for hours with music producers and make music with international mixed rhythms. I’ve spent many years developing the core music for our Zumba instructor platform, working with artists from all over the world to bring the global rhythms to Zumba classes.

24Life: How do you make sure you’re being your best self every day?

BP: Everything I do, I do it with passion, I love what I do and that helps me be happy.

24Life: What biggest lesson did you learn while developing Zumba?

He said …

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Perseverance pays off. I had to knock on a lot of doors to be given an opportunity to show my idea and develop this program in a foreign country.
Author

So my lesson is to persevere and follow your passion always.

24Life: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given, in less than 24 words?

BP: My mom gave me this advice: “Never forget where you came from and keep your feet on the ground”. I always keep that in my mind, and it keeps me grounded.

Check out more from Beto Perez on 24Life here.