Exercising doesn’t have to be boring or even done in the gym. You can get exercise doing things you love. Whether you play basketball, do nature walks, or dance, if you love it and it gets you moving, do it. It can be an option for those days away from the gym or another way to increase your activity level. Dancing is perfect for improving flexibility, balance, and strength. Most people don’t realize how long they’ve danced once they get into the music, so it’s exceptional for boosting your endurance.
Check out the cardio workout you’ll get.
Like any exercise, the more intense the dancing, the more benefits you’ll reap. Fast dancing will provide more cardio benefits than slow dancing. Dance gets your heart pumping and works many muscles on various planes. That workout includes large muscle groups, which maximizes the nitric oxide that relaxes the arteries and lowers blood pressure. The nitric oxide also smooths the interior artery walls to reduce the potential for plaque build-up and blood clots. It helps send oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body.
You’ll get a full-body workout that includes strength building.
The style of dancing you do determines how much strength-building occurs. All types of dance provide some. If you’re doing social dance, it includes some strength-building, while pose-and-hold dance styles, like ballet or the slow, deliberate movements of a waltz, can provide more. Small studies have shown most dance builds leg muscles, while some also build upper body strength. Dance works your core muscles and upper and lower body. It works muscles on various planes.
Flexibility can prevent injury.
Dancing increases flexibility and balance. The more you do it, the more graceful and flexible you become. It also improves balance, which is particularly important the older you are. It helps reduce the potential for life-altering falls. It boosts functional fitness as well as some traditional workouts. Best of all, when you dance, especially freeform dancing, you automatically modify it to your fitness level and needs.
- If you’re taking a dance class or learning a new move, it builds new neural pathways. Dancing improves mental abilities and memory. It helps slow mental ageing.
- You won’t notice how long you’ve been working out if you’re having fun. If you dance because you enjoy it, like any pastime, time seems to fly by while you’re doing it. You may even exercise longer than you would otherwise.
- Dancing can be a social activity or one done in private. You can join dance groups and add to your social life, which is also good for your health, or turn up the volume when you’re alone and boogie down.
- You don’t need special equipment to dance. If you have a computer, cell phone, or TV that links to the internet, you can play your favorite songs or go old school with a tape, record player, or radio.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness