MayoClinic.com recommends at least 2.5 hours per week of aerobic exercise. The site encourages people to assess their likes and dislikes and to participate in sports that interest them. With the advent of Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance,more people are looking to ballroom dancing for weight loss and fitness.
Dancing has been a form of socializing for centuries. At one time, ballroom dancing was for the elite only. The masses developed their own dances and this was termed folk dancing. Today dancing continues to be a great way to meet people, have fun and get exercise at the same time. Salsa clubs are popping up all over and dance lessons in Salsa, Merengue, Mambo and other Latin dances are being offered in many fitness clubs and gyms. Zumba® is the latest craze with its combination of rumba dance and aerobic activity.
Dance to Improve Posture and Core Strength
Even the more classical ballroom style of waltz, foxtrot and tango offer many physical benefits. To do these properly, posture must be maintained. Working over a computer, women in particular have slouched shoulders. Ballroom dancing improves back posture by strengthening the trapizeus muscles of the back which are responsible for squeezing the shoulder blades together and pulling them down away from the ears. The latissumus dorsi muscles stabilize the trunk. Smooth ballroom dancing demands a workout of these muscles.
Not only do the shoulders and posture get a workout, but the legs, hips, pelvic bones and joints improve. The side to side motion of many of the Latin dances contribute to pelvic stability which enhances coordination and balance. Dancing also works the core abdominal muscles strengthening the back which reduces lower back strain. Many people with low back pain will take up dancing as a enjoyable way to improve their symptoms. Learning how to waltz can increase the stretch of the inner thigh muscles and tone the thighs.
Burning Calories Equals Weight Loss
Because dancing requires the swiveling of hips, and the rotating of feet and the flexing of the abdominals a participant in regular dancing will see the physical fitness improvements quickly. Dancing for 30 minutes can use up to 200-400 calories at a time. Combined with a healthy diet, dancing can be a fun way towards weight loss. Many middle age adults who start dancing consistently are surprised by the amount of weight they lose over a short period of time.
Weight loss occurs because of the regular aerobic activity that dancing provides. Regular aerobic activity increases body metabolism which increases the number of calories the body burns in a day. A woman who weighs around 125 pounds who is sedentary will burn about 1148 calories a day. A woman who is aerobically active can burn almost 2700 calories per day. In order to lose one pound it is necessary to burn off 3500 calories. Of course the trick is to burn more energy than you take in as food. So a 125 pound woman who burns 2700 calories per day but eats 3000 calories a day will have a positive balance of 300 extra calories per day and will gain weight. The same woman who eats 2200 calories per day and burns 2700 calories a day will have a calorie deficit of 500 calories. In seven days one pound could be lost. Weight bearing exercises help to build muscles which will burn even more calories. Dancing is a weight bearing exercise as it uses the body's weight and gravity for resistance.
Beginning dance is easy. Find some dance lessons and go take a few classes. Salsa classes are everywhere. The YMCA typically offers dance classes for adults. Dancing can provide a joyful, social way to physical fitness that is accessible to everyone.
Catherine Schaffer - I have been in the medical field for almost 20 years as a physician assistant in surgery. I have an extensive list of medical publications ...
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