Having a perfect body is the dream of many people. However, the truth is that there are few who manage to feel happy and satisfied with their physical appearance.
Everyday worries, a full-time work day, secular studies, family obligations, previous commitments and other occupations prevent going to the gym or sticking to an exercise routine in order to look better and maintain good health.
This has caused many to fall into the vice of a sedentary lifestyle and their physical condition deteriorates little by little. At that point, it is much more difficult to go back to change the course of the situation.
There are also those who do not like to exercise. They start, but soon they throw in the towel, because they find it to be a strenuous and exhausting physical activity or because they do not see the results as quickly as they would like. If that is your case, don’t let the parrot go away!
Just because you don’t like working out doesn’t mean you should resign yourself to never having the look you want. Actually, there are other ways to exercise, which are much more attractive. For example, playing a sport, such as swimming, soccer, karate, tennis, etc.
But, if you still don’t feel attracted to those options, there is always the possibility of dancing. Yes, as you have read. You should not leave dancing just for parties, it can also be a very valuable resource when it comes to exercising.
You know how to dance? Would you like to use dance as physical exercise? If the answers to these questions have been yes, then you are in the right place. In this article you will find everything you need to know about dancing as an alternative to exercise, while having fun. Let’s see how.
Instructions
In the most technical sense, dancing is moving the body to the rhythm of the music. However, others have considered it as an art, as a way to communicate with others, as a therapy against stress and, in this particular case, dancing is also similar to an exercise.
Experts in the field affirm that dance is a very complete discipline. It is an ideal exercise to lose weight and, if you are happy with your weight, it is also useful to keep fit.
Among the great advantages of this way of exercising, we find that people of all ages can practice it, including children and the elderly. Plus, you can do it for as long as you like and vary the intensity by experimenting with different musical rhythms.
On the other hand, if you like to dance, you will not do it by forcing yourself, as it may happen with going to the gym. It will be a real pleasure and, at the end, you will feel tired, but with a pleasant feeling of well-being.
But, how to exercise dancing? To do so successfully, follow each of the following steps:
- Just as you would before be doing any exercise routine, you should always start by doing a short warm-up routine that goes from head to toe, in descending order. This will help you avoid injury and activate the body.
- Then choose a style of music of your choice. However, try to make it energetic enough to motivate you to move your whole body with ease, such as salsa, Dominican merengue, reggae ton, bachata, among others.
- When dancing, you must exaggerate the movements, looking for greater intensity so that you can begin to perspire and sweat and thus begin to burn calories.
- Dance two upbeat songs in a row with enough energy and intensity that you feel tension in the muscles of your legs and abdomen.
- Then relax your muscles by dancing to a soft song. This will allow you to calm down your body and get some breath to continue with the exercise routine. Take these breaks every so often, maybe after two or three songs if you prefer.
- Dance for one or two hours a day, depending on your time availability. You can also go from less to more, starting with an hour of dancing a day and then increasing the time as your body adapts to the exercise.
- Finally, finish with about 3 minutes of low-impact exercises to relax your muscles before returning to your daily routine.
- It is important that, while you are in your dance routine, you stay well hydrated to replenish the electrolytes that your body has released as a result of physical activity.
Do you like the idea of exercising while you dance? Actually, it is very attractive. Best of all, you can do it from home and without having to pay for professional advice. In fact, if you want to vary a little, you just have to search the Internet for some videos of dance therapy classes and that’s it! Fixed problem at the speed of a click.
Now, do you want to start today? What do you need to be able to do it? We will be talking about that next.
What do you need
Among the things you need to exercise while dancing, are the following:
- A wide space where you can move around and move your whole body freely, without the danger of falling or tripping over an object.
- Comfortable clothes that allow you to extend your arms and legs as much as you want. Leggings and tights are usually the most appropriate for most physical activities, as they allow for greater flexibility and mobility. You can wear a loose, lightweight t-shirt or a form-fitting t-shirt.
- In relation to footwear, it is important that it is in accordance with the activity that you are going to carry out. But, in general terms, look for sports shoes that have grip, adherence, with good cushioning, that give you stability, that are light and that are resistant.
- An active and dynamic style of music that motivates you to move until you drop and leaves you wanting to continue.
- Water to keep you well hydrated and in good condition.
- A healthy and balanced diet that serves as a complement to the dance routine that you are implementing.
If you still don’t feel motivated to dance for exercise, it may be very useful to know what the benefits of dancing are.
Tips
Depending on the style of music you choose, dancing can be a very intense exercise. For this reason, it is important that, at least for the first few days, you take it easy and learn to know what your limits are and not exceed them.
If you feel very tired, it is best to take a break to catch your breath. Over time, your lung capacity, as well as your physical resistance, will increase and you will be able to dance for longer.
Avoid doing movements that could injure you, such as twisting and push-ups, especially if you’re overweight. Remember that safety must come first.
Dancing is a social activity, which is best enjoyed in the company of other people. Therefore, what do you think of the idea of dancing together with some friends? This way you will have a very fun time, while you exercise, and it will be much more motivating for you.
If, in view of the current pandemic, you prefer not to invite anyone to your home, remember that there is always the option of making a video conference using the ideal applications for that. With the help of technology, the limits are shortened and it is possible to interact with family and friends without having to be physically together.
What do you think of the idea of exercising dancing? Why don’t you try doing it today? For sure, the physical and emotional results you get will be worth it and you will want to dance not only at parties, but at any time you see fit.
Its benefits
- Dancing helps reduce the risk of heart disease and improve lung capacity.
- It is an ideal exercise for the well-being of the brain and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
- Helps reverse volume loss in the hippocampus. This is the part of the brain that is responsible for keeping memory controlled, which prevents senile dementia from developing in the long term, since learning dance routines improves memory.
- Facilitates weight loss. In fact, it is estimated that with half an hour of dancing you can burn between 200 and 400 calories.
- Since it is an aerobic exercise, it reduces blood cholesterol levels, especially the bad one, while helping to increase the good one.
- As it is an exercise where strength is involved, it helps prevent bone loss. In addition, it is the most recommended to tone the bones without the joints suffering damage.
- It also helps improve skills and abilities, such as flexibility, strength, and endurance.
- It is very beneficial for people suffering from depression, since it stimulates the production of endorphins, which also favors the release of accumulated stress.
- It improves physical performance while increasing energy levels.
- Increase muscle strength by using steps and movements that work different muscle groups.
As you have been able to realize, since dancing is a very complete exercise, it is in charge of benefiting your health from different angles, since it helps to prevent diseases, but also to combat many of those that you may be currently suffering from, such as cholesterol in the blood.
In view of its great benefits for the body, what recommendations should you take into account when dancing as an exercise?