Dancing For Fitness: Using Dance as a Health and Fitness Routine
Exercises such as squats, push-ups, etc. prove to be useful when one is looking at ways to achieve their ideal body. With the help of equipment like treadmills, kettle-balls, etc., can help you build muscle and maintain your desired body weight. You’ll get better results when you train regularly. Faster results can be achieved by increasing your pace and lengthening your sessions. You can tone up your lower body muscles, such as your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quadriceps, by working out on a treadmill (and if you happen to live in a city in Scotland, you can even hire a treadmill in Glasgow, Edinburgh and different other cities in the country). Toning and strengthening muscles while making them lean is possible with treadmill workouts. Using a treadmill helps keep the heart in good condition by exercising the cardiac muscles.
Over the last year, I have taken to doing dance routines as part of my health and fitness program. I can report that it is so much fun. I have discovered that dancing is very good for my heart and helps with my balance, coordination, and overall mental health.
I target to burn at least 200 to 250 calories in a 30-minute dancing class. This is the same as a 30-minute cardio workout so why not dance, have fun and stay fit at the same time. However, this estimate has been given to me by someone in my dance class, and while I trust their judgment, I have my eye on a fitness tracker like the new FitBit Charge 4, which would be able to help me monitor my daily calorie burn better. Of course, before making such a purchase, I should do the necessary research, and learn about the different features and benefits of ordering said product on websites of companies like Mobile Mob or similar others. But after I have bought the activity tracker, I would be more aware of the accurate number of calories I am burning in one dance class. This article will outline the benefits and types of dance workouts that can help anyone achieve their healthy body versions.
Benefits of Using Dance As a Health and Fitness Routine
As a distinct form of cardio, I have been able to attain numerous benefits on my overall health. These include:
-Maintaining my desired body weight
-Better heart health
-Stronger and lean muscles
-Increased strength on bones
-Improved self-esteem
-Better balance and coordination
-Relieve stress and anxiety
-I get to sleep better.
-Improved endurance, balance, and coordination.
Types of Dance Workout
Over the years, I have learned several ways to use dance as a form of exercise. I mostly dance to my favorite songs. However, there are several choreographed routines and styles to work out. Below are a few of them.
Barre
This is a fitness program inspired by ballet. The dance involves high repetitions of workouts which is aimed at increasing endurance. Barre moves are adopted from yoga, pilates, and ballet. These exercises mainly make use of the body weight when they are done at a ballet barre. They are aimed at toning the muscles and, simultaneously, improving the overall strength of the body. Barre technique includes:
-Plie
Plie is a basic move that engages the upper leg muscles like the quads and the glutes.
-Arabesque Leg Lift
This exercise is inspired by a classic ballet move, which is known as arabesque. It works the same way as the arabesque by toning the glutes and the thigh muscles.
-Pole Dancing
Pole dancing provides a way to lose weight both from a cardio and strength standpoint. The high-intensity sessions help you burn calories and while all the holding, climbing, and lifting might help you build muscles. To start off with this type of dance fitness, you can install a pole in your home and begin practicing a variety of creative moves.
-Pilates
This routine is slightly lower in impact. It improves the stability, flexibility, and endurance of the body. Those who are interested can look into private pilates classes within their area, especially if they have been looking for something that can help improve their core strength. The dance focuses on muscle strength, the core, and postural alignment. The dance is great for toning the muscles. Many moves that are dance inspired by Pilates include:
-Plies Slide
They work on the thigh muscles, which include the quads and glutes. It is a combination of basic ballet positions with an extra leg movement.
-Pilates Roll-Up
A standard pilates roll up move works on the back and the abs. The workout is very great for building upper body strength and stability.
Zumba
For a high-energy workout, I use Zumba. It includes aerobics and some dance moves of Latin American descent. Zumba involves a whole body workout which is really fulfilling. The dance has helped me in toning my muscles and improving my overall body endurance and strength. Some of the most effective Zumba dance moves include:
-Bicep Bounce
This technique increases the heart rate while working the biceps and hamstrings. It is done with or without weights.
-Slides
Slides help to work the legs and arms. They also help raise heart rate, which is great for the heart and the lungs.
Step Aerobics
Step aerobics combines upbeat music with choreographed moves, usually on a slightly raised platform. The dance engages the muscles and keeps the heart pumping. The workout helps to strengthen stability and coordination and in the toning of leg, thigh, and glute muscles. Basic moves for this workout include:
-Basic Right
This involves stepping up the raised platform repeatedly. To do a basic right, one must lead with the right foot and vice versa for the left foot.
Dancing for fitness serves two purposes and the same time- fun and exercise. It breaks the monotony of gym workouts. Moreover, the fact that it is enjoyable means you don’t even realize when you have done what would ordinarily be a heavy workout. To make it even more enjoyable, I recommend bringing together a few enthusiasts and doing it as a group.