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Dance Your Way Fit
By Christina | November 13, 2008
Watch people as they dance and you will see arms pumping, feet stomping, hips swaying and of course, lots of sweat dripping. Althought they may not realize it, they are working out whicle they dance. Dancing burns calories, increases energy, improves circulation and assists with muscle tone which all lead to gains in strength, endurance and flexibility. Dancing burns as many calories as quick walking or downhill skiing.
Dancing is inexpensive and requires no special equipment; all you need is music and the willingness to have fun. It doesn’t matter which type of dance you chose; hip-hop, reggae, or doing the Electric Slide, if you’re moving, you’re practicing good health and fitness.
Dance appeals to those people who aren’t big fans of exercise, especially because it allows people to express themselves in a way that standard cardio equipment won’t. It also has a more “fun” factor than traditional exercise. Gyms have caught on to the fact that people love to dance which is probably why there are so many types of dance being offered in Group Exercise programs. These classes, which often have creative names like Afro-robics and Cardio Soul, are also big draws because people can take the smooth moves they learn in class directly to the dance floor.
If you haven’t been a regular exercise participant in a long while, be sure to get a checkup from your doctor before you begin a dance routine since strenuous dancing, or any exercise for that matter, could aggravate an existing problem. As with any exercise, warm up and cool down your muscles with stretches to prevent cramps and injury.
