Dance as exercise

girlviernes
girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
edited November 10 in Fitness and Exercise
I love dance. It is my main fitness activity, and it is wonderful for so many reasons. My main dance is swing dancing, although I’ve done salsa, hula, ballroom, and ballet in the past. You can try out different forms of dance, just google in your area (lindy hop, salsa, hula, ballroom, ballet, tap, line dancing, contra dancing, etc.)

Here are some reasons to get your groove on:

1. It’s a ton of fun
The more you enjoy your physical activity, the more likely it is to become integrated into your life and something you can sustain over the long term

2. It’s social
Particularly if you are doing a social dance like swing dancing or salsa, it is a great way to meet people. Taking dance class is a nice way to meet like-minded people. You usually don’t need a partner, as in class they will rotate people so you always have someone to dance with.

3. Great fitness
Dancing can be great workout. There is a lot of built in variety in tempo and movement. Swing dancing for me is a bit like doing intervals for an hour or more. Some songs are slow and easy, other times the pace is very fast and my heart rate gets up there! In the past six months of dancing regularly my resting heart rate has gone from above 90 to 50-70.

4. Gets you out of your comfort zone and thinking differently
Dance is so different that what we typically do, it really forces you to do differently. Since I’m a girl, I’m usually following, so it means getting out of my head and really paying attention and being guided by my lead. For leads there is a lot of planning moves to meet the music and also connecting to the partner and figuring out how the follow interprets things.

5. Creativity and musicality
These are good things you will develop through dance :)

I'll leave you with this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9xxeWRxSbA

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Replies

  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I love dancing! I'm a contemporary dancers. And I also enjoy swing, salsa, African, and many other forms for recreation.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    Binary, very cool! African seems so fun :)
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,265 MFP Moderator
    edited January 2015
    I love dancing - but probably look more like a flailing squid when I do it. There is a square dancing club around here somewhere, and I LOVE that... but my partners probably don't appreciate me stepping on their feet.... GREAT exercise though. I always work up a decent sweat when I do it.

    @JoRocka‌ !!! Let's Dance!

  • flabassmcgee
    flabassmcgee Posts: 659 Member
    I watched the whole thing. I was mesmerized!

    I wish I had rhythm.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    You can actually develop rhythm, although it does take time and effort!
  • flabassmcgee
    flabassmcgee Posts: 659 Member
    girlviernes wrote: »
    You can actually develop rhythm, although it does take time and effort!

    You give me hope. <3
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    When I was a pre-teen I was a competition tap dancer. My shoes still fit and just today I thought maybe I should go to a tap class again. Thanks for reminding me.
  • streamgirl
    streamgirl Posts: 207 Member
    Great post! Thanks for the inspiration and reminder that working out can also be play!
  • balletgirl77
    balletgirl77 Posts: 61 Member
    edited January 2015
    Dancing accounts for most of my exercise too. On average I have 20 hours of ballet classes per week. It really is a great form of exercise because it builds cardiovascular and muscular endurance, not to mention that it's super enjoyable as well! I've had some people ask me what exercises I do at the gym or what sports I do in order to have such toned legs and I always say, "It's just from ballet!"
    Awesome post, thanks!
  • travisbirt
    travisbirt Posts: 2
    We dance Ballroom a few times a week.. As well as Salsa, Swing etc.. It is a great form of exercise! We get to interact and have a good time together well getting some decent exercise!
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    I'm in total agreement!

    I do dance fitness--both hip hop and Zumba (freaky-intense Zumba...there is twerking).

    I also do all of the Latin partner dances with varying degrees of skill. These include salsa (Cuban rueda and casino, plus standard salsa), mambo, merengue, cha-cha-cha, bachata. I do Mexican cumbia too.

    When I grow up, I want to be a flamenca. See, I already have the hair accessories!
  • urbancoko
    urbancoko Posts: 2
    I got back into dancing in March and I've lost 30 pounds with 20 to go although doc says my weight is fine. I may just get back to my college weight when I was a dancer. This is the only thing I've kept up with. I can get so focused with working out at the gym then 4 months in I lose all interest and the weight comes back. But with dance, I schedule 30 mins but I find myself still dancing an hour later.

    I have a hectic work schedule so I dance in my living room. I spent some time searching all over youtube for choreography that I like. I then put together about 10 videos as one work out; I have 6 so far. Each batch would include a warm up dance, increase intensity then a cool down. If you like the song and the choreography is great, you'll just loooooove it. E.g. I hated that Beyonce song; 7/11. But I saw a choreography on Youtube that has me addicted to the song. Even on a day like today when I'm sleep deprived, worked a long day without a lunch break, I got home so tired but I ended up putting in 40 minutes. It just makes my day brighter and shake off all that "work stress".
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    davis_em wrote: »
    I love dancing - but probably look more like a flailing squid when I do it. There is a square dancing club around here somewhere, and I LOVE that... but my partners probably don't appreciate me stepping on their feet.... GREAT exercise though. I always work up a decent sweat when I do it.

    @JoRocka‌ !!! Let's Dance!

    All the dancing! All the time!,!

    And yes. Outside of an actual neurological issue...balance and rhythm can be grossly improved with regular practice so to am those people saying 'I can't' you're wrong. You CAN... You just don't want to.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,972 Member
    My DW lost 35lbs from just dancing and reducing her intake. She's now at 125lbs at 5'4" and still dancing ballroom (6 days a week 2 hours a day and competes as of last year).

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • char_88
    char_88 Posts: 13 Member
    I love dancing too, I'm always considering getting back into it as I miss it so much. Ballet was always my favourite and it's so effective for toning muscles.
  • megsterftw
    megsterftw Posts: 10 Member
    I've just gotten back into Irish dance over the last few months, it's definitely an intense workout! But so much more fun than going to the gym XD
  • jjscholar
    jjscholar Posts: 413 Member
    edited January 2015
    Believe it or not dance workouts or cardio dance can also alleviate certain heart conditions such as cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. I know this from my personal experience with Zumba and Hip Hop Fitness. Let me put it this way when I started cardio dance my heart's ejection fraction or efficiency rating was only 27-35 percent. I had undergone implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation surgery in order to prevent sudden cardiac death. My doctors were even telling me that I might have to have a heart transplant if things did not improve. As of the last time I had an echo-cardiogram which was December 2013 my heart's ejection fraction had gone up to 65 percent which is within the normal range. Also, my last ICD checkout indicated that my ICD device has not picked up an sort of heart rhythm anomaly. That reminds me I have another ICD check out appointment latter on today January 13, 2015. In addition, my resting heart rate now ranges from 58-72. While I know that my results are not typical, it can be said that I had made great progress. That was why I decided to take the Zumba Basic 1 Instructor Training course in May 2013. While I do not currently teach any Zumba classes of my own, I do demonstration routines in my friends' Zumba classes on a regular basis. I am still a member of the Zumba Instructor Network, and I had attended the 2014 Zumba Instructor Convention. I would say that the only drawback of doing dance workouts in my experience is that where I live it is not really socially acceptable especially with online dating sites. This is because many think that I am weak or that I do not like to date women which is absolutely wrong. But I do my best to ignore those people.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    Awesome, jj!! That is very inspiring!

    Good points, JoRocka, also balance is a great thing especially as you get older.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7MRI_Sn-NM

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHWZdcZnVH0
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    davis_em wrote: »

    All the dancing! All the time!,!

    And yes. Outside of an actual neurological issue...balance and rhythm can be grossly improved with regular practice so to am those people saying 'I can't' you're wrong. You CAN... You just don't want to.

    I think that dancing is a real challenge for those who don't grow up doing it, but it certainly is something that can be improved with effort.

    I have a friend who became a Zumba instructor in his late 40s. He was a TERRIBLE dancer when he first started--really quite bad. He was very fit though and had great balance due to other active pastimes such as surfing. It took a couple of years, but he really became quite good. Now he travels the world doing Zumba events and giving master classes...in his 50s.

  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    I do pole fitness/dancing classes. Can I join the party?
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    jjscholar wrote: »
    Believe it or not dance workouts or cardio dance can also alleviate certain heart conditions such as cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. I know this from my personal experience with Zumba and Hip Hop Fitness. Let me put it this way when I started cardio dance my heart's ejection fraction or efficiency rating was only 27-35 percent. I had undergone implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation surgery in order to prevent sudden cardiac death. My doctors were even telling me that I might have to have a heart transplant if things did not improve. As of the last time I had an echo-cardiogram which was December 2013 my heart's ejection fraction had gone up to 65 percent which is within the normal range. Also, my last ICD checkout indicated that my ICD device has not picked up an sort of heart rhythm anomaly. That reminds me I have another ICD check out appointment latter on today January 13, 2015. In addition, my resting heart rate now ranges from 58-72. While I know that my results are not typical, it can be said that I had made great progress. That was why I decided to take the Zumba Basic 1 Instructor Training course in May 2013. While I do not currently teach any Zumba classes of my own, I do demonstration routines in my friends' Zumba classes on a regular basis. I am still a member of the Zumba Instructor Network, and I had attended the 2014 Zumba Instructor Convention. I would say that the only drawback of doing dance workouts in my experience is that where I live it is not really socially acceptable especially with online dating sites. This is because many think that I am weak or that I do not like to date women which is absolutely wrong. But I do my best to ignore those people.

    I have another male friend who is a Zumba instructor. He kept his Zumba activities secret from his family for many years. Eventually, they figured out what he was doing and they thought it meant that he was gay. He is not gay.

    People are weird!

    I think that straight men who take Zumba are very smart...the ratio is definitely in your favor!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Male dancers are sexy, sensual, fun, creative, adventurous. So silly not to see it as masculine. Dancing is feminine and masculine.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    Male swing dancers have it good as well :)
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    Even in Latin social dancing, there are almost always slightly more women than men. Good male dancers never have to sit things out.

    I've actually learned lead in several dances just so that I have more opportunities to dance when there aren't enough men around.
  • ines_a_crazy
    ines_a_crazy Posts: 11
    edited January 2015
    Hello,

    I'm taking ballroom dance classes with my husband and I love it. My reasons:

    1º I get to hug my husband for 90'. We are closer in those 90' that any other time in the week. We hug, we kiss, we laugh, we play, we tease...

    2º I get to excercise in a different way than the four times a week I go to the gym. It is not as intense, but it is nice and much much much fun.

    3º Metting other people, of all ages.

    4º After it we eat the greatest kebab in O'Porto nham nham!
  • Ooci
    Ooci Posts: 247 Member
    I absolutely adore dance and miss it terribly! none round here in deepest darkest rural Lincolnshire.
    I got good at salsa and used to be the demo girl in the classes - then I started teaching beginners.
    If I could find a good man I'd consider teaching it here where I live.

    Love your video girlviernes!
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    I want to learn ballroom dance so bad! We are starting lesions once a month in feb with friends. I'm really excited!
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    I'm a lindy hopper as well, girlviernes. Sending you a PM to ask which scene you're from.

    I think that dancing can be good exercise, but not great. Don't get me wrong; I know you can lose fat by doing so, and I certainly encourage people to try it. In a social scene though, it tends to be very much stop-and-go, and it usually doesn't place great demands on one's cardiovascular endurance. Nor is it particularly good for building strength.

    None of this is meant to discourage people from trying it, though. It's a good, enjoyable way to burn off some extra calories and keep people more active. I'd say that it's not as good as running, weight lifting, interval training, or boot camp work, but it's worth incorporating as a supplement to one's exercise program.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    Ines_a_crazy - that's so nice for you and hubby!

    Spartan_d - exciting to meet another lindy hopper :) I would argue that it can be great exercise, depending how you do it. If I go out to a dance, I'm going to be dancing at least 75% of the time. So if that's 2 hours, it's about 90 minutes of cardio. Maybe a third of the songs are very aerobic. It's not the same of course as something like running, where if you were to go running for 90 minutes several times a week you probably couldn't hardly help but lose weight. With dance, you still need to focus closely on calories.

    Dance classes can be highly aerobic too, the higher level swing classes I've taken can be 60 minutes of straight fast dance.

    I supplement dance with HIIT cardio about 1-3 times per week and strength training 2-3x/week.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    spartan_d wrote: »
    I'm a lindy hopper as well, girlviernes. Sending you a PM to ask which scene you're from.

    I think that dancing can be good exercise, but not great. Don't get me wrong; I know you can lose fat by doing so, and I certainly encourage people to try it. In a social scene though, it tends to be very much stop-and-go, and it usually doesn't place great demands on one's cardiovascular endurance. Nor is it particularly good for building strength.

    None of this is meant to discourage people from trying it, though. It's a good, enjoyable way to burn off some extra calories and keep people more active. I'd say that it's not as good as running, weight lifting, interval training, or boot camp work, but it's worth incorporating as a supplement to one's exercise program.

    It's true that dance can be stop and go (as often it needs to be), but that is still good exercise. Some contemporary classes keep going and going without stopping. I also strength train in addition to dancing and do yoga. And I am an active person in general. And dance is an excellent addition to an active lifestyle. Most dancers do other types of exercise in addition to dance training.

This discussion has been closed.

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