December 14, 2007
Dancing as Exercise
There are so many types of dancing, so many rhythms and movements, that dancing is in many forms an excellent approach to healthy exercise. Dancing for exercise can take place in many environments. Many take dance lessons of one kind or another, and then practice movements at home. When done for an allotted period of time, dancing can be more enjoyable as a form of exercise than some other methods.
Many forms of dance are designed around perhaps one lesson a week, and then daily practice. These include ballet, modern dance, and ballroom dancing. The dancing classes themselves are usually fairly rigorous and constitute good exercise. When the dance movements taught in class are practiced at home on a regular basis, good muscular and aerobic exercise results.
You might try some form of dancing rather than the boring process of using a treadmill for simple walking exercise. Dance movements involve much more than leg motion…they involve the entire torso and arms. Dancing induces increased breathing and circulation in the same way many exercises do.
In ballroom dancing there are many forms of dance, some of which are quite demanding and therefore good exercise. Of course merely going dancing once weekly would not suffice as an exercise program. If one adds practicing dancing at home it can become a good regimen for healthy exercise. In addition, dancing is fun, and to practice it is to improve a social activity. As an exercise activity, dancing is doubly enjoyable as it is done to music and, in a social setting, is in a stimulating environment, which increases the healthy consequences of this type of exercise.
The tremendous variety of dancing in which one can engage adds to the interest of this type of exercise. From the elegant waltz (which is quite strenuous when properly executed) to the Latin and disco dances, all types of dancing involve total body movement and encourage good posture as well as muscular exercise.
If you recognize the need for exercise to maintain good health, and are bored with the daily exercises you may now be doing, investigate the possibilities of dancing for exercise. Perhaps you have a partner who also likes to dance, and you can together practice for a sufficient amount of time each week to maintain a good dancing exercise program. Whether practiced alone, or in a class, or in a social setting, almost any type of dancing can be incorporated in a regular routine to provide healthy and enjoyable exercise. Try dancing your way to better health through this activity..










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