Dancing the night away can burn more calories per hour than riding a bike or swimming. Whether you like to kick up your heals to hip hop, classical or country, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) says that dancing can lower your risk of coronary heart disease, decrease blood pressure, help you manage your weight, strengthen the bones of your legs and hips. Dancing is a unique form of exercise because it provides the heart-healthy benefits of an aerobic exercise while also allowing you to engage in a social activity. This is especially stimulating to the mind, and one 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine even found dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in the elderly.
Fitness Benefits: Get In Shape!
PARTNER DANCING IS GOOD FOR YOU ON AND OFF THE DANCE FLOOR
The return of TV's popular Dancing With the Stars series is a timely reminder of just how good for you a turn on the dance floor can be. Regardless of your gender, generation or fitness level, learning partner dancing is a great way to get moving and improve your health. Just 20 minutes of nonstop dancing, for example, increases your heart rate and produces benefits equal to low-impact aerobics. And you get to wear sequins eventually if you so desire!
There are actually two types of ballroom dancing: standard (the quickstep, swing and the waltz, for example) and Latin (think salsa, cha-cha and merengue). Whichever you opt for, you're likely to burn between 200 and 400 calories an hour. One of the stars of the last series of "Dancing", 43-year-old retired NFL wide-receiver Jerry Rice, sings the praises of ballroom dancing when it comes to weight loss. Rice said: "I lost 14 pounds during those eight weeks of dancing and, at 213 pounds, I was in good shape to begin with. But I liked the way my body changed. I stayed strong yet became leaner and more flexible and fluid." The three-time Super Bowl champ now wishes he had taken up ballroom dancing while playing for the San Francisco 49ers. "That extra flexibility and awareness of my body would have helped prevent injuries," said Rice, adding that the speed from learning ballroom dancing's fancy footwork would have been handy, too.
The heath advantages even extend to improved mental agility and mood. Ask a dancer and they will say that social dancing gives them a more positive outlook on life. Dancing also increases blood flow to the brain, which can slow the risk of cognitive decline due to aging, and prevent feelings of loneliness because of the sociability of doing the foxtrot or the tango with a partner. Lots of adult education programs, dance studios and gyms offer reasonably-priced classes or private lessons. But, like any workout, wearing the right gear is advisable.
For men, that means nothing tight, like belts or ties. Women should avoid heels and open-toed sandals. Flat comfortable shoes with leather soles and loose-fitting clothes are the way to go. Comfort is the name of the game. O. K lets get in shape and dance!
Dancing Off Those Calories
How many calories will you burn while dancing? That depends on the type of dancing. Here's a range of some of the most popular varieties, based on a 150-pound person, per hour:
* Swing dancing: 285+ calories/hour:
* Ballroom dancing: 265
* Square dancing: 280
* Belly dancing: 380
* Salsa dancing: 420+
* Aerobic dancing: 540+