Tone with a Tango, swing away stress

Gone are the days when exercising meant the lonely pursuit of fitness in a boring environment.

Today, it has taken on a more community-like, friendly and vibrant atmosphere which encourages one to not just start exercising but also to stay committed to it.

Nothing embodies this better than fitness through dance. Who does not like to dance? Even those amongst us who think they cannot dance love this art form which can also double as a fitness tool.

As far as dance fitness goes, having the right attitude is half the battle won.

The best part of aiming to achieve fitness through dance is the variety. You have a smorgasbord of hip-hop, foxtrot, belly dancing, SH’BAM and Bollywood dancing to pick from.

With your dance shoes on, a toned and healthy body is just a tango, tap, shake, hop and jive away. And did I mention the social benefits of dancing? There is something about moving to music along with others that breaks social barriers like nothing else!

Burn calories

Is it fun you ask? You bet! Dancing is fun. However, this is the kind of fun that benefits one’s fitness levels too. Dancing regularly can help one burn up to 500 calories per hour depending on the form of dance. It provides the dancer with a cardiovascular exercise that will have their heart rate up, all while enjoying the process.

What many forget due to the fun aspect of dancing is that it is a weight-bearing activity and therefore, builds bone strength and is great for upper and lower body toning and strength.

Core benefits

You will also end up exercising muscles that you would not have used normally due to the moves involved. While the legs and arms are visibly moving, another part of the body that is getting a thorough going over is the core area of the body. It will also provide you with all the benefits of interval training in the best possible manner, as you will not even feel that you are exercising.

Dancing is also great for improving flexibility, co-ordination and balance, no matter what your age. It also makes the mind sharper, reduces stress and helps one sleep better.

Experts feel the benefits of dance are due to the increased blood flow to the brain from the physical exercise, reduction of stress, depression, and loneliness as dancing is a social activity and from the mental challenges involved like memorising steps.