Dancing is the most enjoyable way to stay in shape. Here’s how to make the most of every dance move to tone your muscles, release your emotions, and feel happier and more relaxed.
Dance is a whole trend! And we’re not saying this just because, numerous studies support the great benefits it brings to our health, both physically and mentally. Furthermore, on an emotional level, dance becomes the perfect ally to release those emotions that we sometimes keep bottled up, such as anger, sadness, or anxiety.
“Dance awakens emotions and perceptions through movement and music, facilitating the expression of these sensations, feelings, and moods in a more natural and uninhibited way,” explains África López-Illescas, a doctor at the Spanish Agency for Health Protection in Sport (AEPSD), of the Higher Sports Council, to EFE.
These must be some of the reasons why there are more and more places where we can go to practice all kinds of dances: Latin, zumba, Bollywood choreographies, African, or more modern styles, such as hip-hop or funky. The more traditional ones like ballet also have a place. But why do people get so hooked on dancing? Next, we will give you three compelling reasons that will make you keep moving to the rhythm of the music.
- It’s a great cardiovascular workout that helps us burn calories.
Yes, and although it may seem unbelievable, dancing is an exercise with a significant cardiovascular workload and involves a high calorie consumption. But how many calories can we burn? This number depends a lot on each person and the intensity of the dance performed, but to give us an idea, studies say that you can burn up to 400 calories in a dance class. Not bad, right? And of course, it also counts if you go out partying on a Saturday night with your friends and dance non-stop.
- It improves flexibility, corrects posture, and strengthens your abs while working your entire body.
It’s true, dancing can help you tone the muscles throughout your body and specifically, your abs. Maintaining a correct posture and keeping your abs contracted while you dance will cause you to do an “unconscious” abdominal exercise, which will help in your goal of having a strong and flat stomach. Additionally, it will also help you improve posture because by dancing and involving all the muscles in your body, you will be acquiring a more upright body position. This will help you gain a few centimeters in height, which is usually lost as we age due to slouching.
Moreover, the movements we make when dancing help us improve and maintain our flexibility and reduce body stiffness. You might wonder: Why is this good? Well, by increasing flexibility, you will alleviate joint pain and post-exercise soreness experienced after any sport.
- It’s a fantastic stress-relief therapy and helps us overcome shyness.
Have you noticed that generally, when we enter any dance class or dance with friends, people smile and seem to be having fun? Well, this is also true because when we engage in a cardiovascular activity of a certain level, like dancing; adrenaline and endorphins work together to create a state of joy, vitality, energy, and positivity. Moreover, going out dancing helps you interact with other people, it can help you make new friends, and overcome shyness. Dare to dance, even if you think you weren’t born for it, you just have to set aside your shyness and start with basic steps to gain confidence.
Have we convinced you? What are you waiting for to start dancing?
