Line Dancing as Exercise

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blueeyesgrace
blueeyesgrace Posts: 407 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So it may be odd that I use country line dancing as a form of exercise, but let me tell you - it's quite a workout! I go a few times a week for about 4 hours each time. Granted I'm not on the dance floor the entire four hours, but I'm out there a good bit. I've seen quite the changes in my legs over the past few months. I've even noticed my "love handles" are trimming down!

Does anyone else use country line dancing, or dancing in general, as a form of exercise? If so, what is your favorite song to get the heart pumping and body moving to? I would say my recent favorite is "Bullet" by Jessie James. Lots of turns and lower leg cross body movements!

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  • barbiereynolds701
    barbiereynolds701 Posts: 98 Member
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    I have dance parties with my.kids almost daily. We love uptown funk!
  • blueeyesgrace
    blueeyesgrace Posts: 407 Member
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    barbiereynolds701 wrote: »
    I have dance parties with my.kids almost daily. We love uptown funk!

    That line dance is so awesome! It is surprisingly played at most country clubs on a nightly basis... haha! Glad you enjoy your dance parties with your kids - my daughter loves our dance parties, too!
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    I do lindy hop for fun and exercise. Talk about a workout! I take classes (1 hr/week) attend practice (2 hrs/week) and socials (4 hrs/social, 1-2 socials per week). I dance 7-15 hours a week most weeks.

    I wish I knew the names of some of the songs I love, but swing music tends to be a bit old school. Late at night they do turn on more modern music like "Happy" by Pharrell or a remix of Katy Perry's "Roar." I'm going to have to keep my phone nearby next social and Shazam a few songs. When I'm dancing I have a hard time hearing/focusing on the lyrics. Like, I know I really like this one song by a lady and the only line I know is "don't tell him." Haha. Not helpful.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    Lindy hop for me too. I'm not a fan of 'exercise' and more a fan of 'activity' so something I do that is fun and has a side effect of keeping you fit is great.

    We did an awful lot of Uptown Funk as a practice in a solo jazz steps weekend recently. Great fun and very tiring!!!
  • blueeyesgrace
    blueeyesgrace Posts: 407 Member
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    girlinahat wrote: »
    Lindy hop for me too. I'm not a fan of 'exercise' and more a fan of 'activity' so something I do that is fun and has a side effect of keeping you fit is great.

    We did an awful lot of Uptown Funk as a practice in a solo jazz steps weekend recently. Great fun and very tiring!!!

    Did you do the "line dance" version or a version y'all made up on your own? There's two versions where I dance at - one is a 64 count intermediate (a GREAT workout), and the other is a 32 count easy beginner dance.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,325 Member
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    Do what you love! stripper_bunny.gif
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
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    I do lindy hop on a regular basis. I'm more-or-less advanced, though not at a rockstar level.

    Like girlinahat, I would consider this to a part of an active lifestyle rather than exercise per se --though of course, it is exercise in a manner of speaking. Is it great exercise? Not to my mind, but it's certainly something and it's pretty good.

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    The wife and I two-step and she line dances.
  • blueeyesgrace
    blueeyesgrace Posts: 407 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    The wife and I two-step and she line dances.

    Ever done a fast pace Santa Fe dance? Whew! That's one that will get your heart rate up. I'm still trying to master the Schottische.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    I line dance, two-step, and west coast swing. It can be a pretty good workout, plus as you said, you tend to be on your feet for a couple hours strait so even if I am not sweating like when I run it still keeps me moving.

    Based on my fitbit I burn about 300 calories doing about 3 hours of dancing. I think it is a bit low though, it has a tough time tracking dancing since it is relatively irratic movement (working with a fitbit one so it only looks at steps not HR or anything).
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    blueeyesgrace wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    The wife and I two-step and she line dances.

    Ever done a fast pace Santa Fe dance? Whew! That's one that will get your heart rate up. I'm still trying to master the Schottische.

    Nope, never heard of those. We actually went and got dance lessons but not specific two-step type dance. Just a travel across the floor turns and stuff, a little country swing, little Rumba.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    The wife and I two-step and she line dances.

    This, for me and my man
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    ShellyBell999 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    The wife and I two-step and she line dances.

    This, for me and my man

    A friend of ours that lives in Oklahoma said that depending on the bar you're in; if you're a man and line-dance, you might get beat-up. LOL
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    I used to go line dancing a couple times a week in high school. It certainly is a workout!
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
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    Lindy hoppers, you should attend this thing today. Just in case you're not already aware of it.

    https://www.facebook.com/events/1446560462247994/
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    blueeyesgrace wrote: »
    girlinahat wrote: »
    Lindy hop for me too. I'm not a fan of 'exercise' and more a fan of 'activity' so something I do that is fun and has a side effect of keeping you fit is great.

    We did an awful lot of Uptown Funk as a practice in a solo jazz steps weekend recently. Great fun and very tiring!!!

    Did you do the "line dance" version or a version y'all made up on your own? There's two versions where I dance at - one is a 64 count intermediate (a GREAT workout), and the other is a 32 count easy beginner dance.


    I have no idea!!! I didn't even realise there WAS a set routine until you mentioned it and the wonders of Youtube showed me it. It was a warm-up in a taught class. Probably more like the 32 count but I can't remember -I'm always struggling to remember where my feet are supposed to be going!!!
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    spartan_d wrote: »
    Lindy hoppers, you should attend this thing today. Just in case you're not already aware of it.

    https://www.facebook.com/events/1446560462247994/

    damn. I missed it ;)

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    spartan_d wrote: »
    Lindy hoppers, you should attend this thing today. Just in case you're not already aware of it.

    https://www.facebook.com/events/1446560462247994/

    We went to a dance competition here in-town and there were a couple dancers that did the Lindy Hop. It looks like a lot of fun, not sure I have the coordination for it though.
  • blueeyesgrace
    blueeyesgrace Posts: 407 Member
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    girlinahat wrote: »

    I have no idea!!! I didn't even realise there WAS a set routine until you mentioned it and the wonders of Youtube showed me it. It was a warm-up in a taught class. Probably more like the 32 count but I can't remember -I'm always struggling to remember where my feet are supposed to be going!!!


    It's definitely tough at first to learn it! Side note - my daughter said last night the phrase "Uptown funk you up". I had to ask her to repeat it a few times to make sure that's what she was saying! She's 3... Words aren't always exactly clear when she talks...
  • lichic25
    lichic25 Posts: 161 Member
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    blueeyesgrace wrote: »
    So it may be odd that I use country line dancing as a form of exercise, but let me tell you - it's quite a workout! I go a few times a week for about 4 hours each time. Granted I'm not on the dance floor the entire four hours, but I'm out there a good bit. I've seen quite the changes in my legs over the past few months. I've even noticed my "love handles" are trimming down!

    Does anyone else use country line dancing, or dancing in general, as a form of exercise? If so, what is your favorite song to get the heart pumping and body moving to? I would say my recent favorite is "Bullet" by Jessie James. Lots of turns and lower leg cross body movements!

    Not odd at all! Anything to keep you moving, motivated and happy right? :)

    On occasion, I will turn on "Just Dance" if I want a change in my routine. It's fun and I'm usually out of breath by the end. Keep it up girl!

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