{"id":9704,"date":"2026-10-08T10:24:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/?p=9704"},"modified":"2026-10-08T10:30:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:30:31","slug":"what-is-better-dancing-or-walking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/blog\/nutrition-health\/what-is-better-dancing-or-walking\/","title":{"rendered":"Dancing as an Exercise: What Is Better, Dancing or Walking?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"9704\" class=\"elementor elementor-9704\" data-elementor-settings=\"{&quot;ha_cmc_init_switcher&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc49467 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cc49467\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2636c89 elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"2636c89\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;],&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;No headings were found on this page.&quot;,&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;numbers&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_laptop&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tTable of Contents\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__2636c89\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__2636c89\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__2636c89\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7cbdeb83 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7cbdeb83\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-725d94b9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"725d94b9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dancing and walking can give you a similar workout, but <\/span><b>dancing adds things walking doesn&#8217;t<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: coordination, balance training, mental challenge, and a social side. How hard you work depends on the style. A slow Waltz is about as demanding as a casual walk, while Viennese Waltz is closer to a real cardio session.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">is dancing good for you? Absolutely.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here&#8217;s how dancing compares to walking, and how to decide which one fits your routine.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise.webp\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-9705 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise.webp\" alt=\"Dancing as an exercise for all ages: a large group of smiling adult students and instructors in dancewear posing together on the wooden floor of a ballroom studio\" width=\"625\" height=\"625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise-1024x1024.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise-768x768.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise-1536x1536.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise-600x600.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2026\/10\/dancing-as-an-exercise-100x100.webp 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h2><b>Dancing vs. Walking: Which Burns More Calories?<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The answer depends on how fast you dance.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Researchers measure exercise intensity in METs (metabolic equivalents). One MET is the energy you use sitting still, so an activity rated 3 METs uses about three times as much. According to the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pacompendium.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/4_2024_adult-compendium-tracking-guide-1-2024.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Compendium of Physical Activities<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the standard reference researchers use:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Walking for pleasure:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 3.0 METs<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Slow ballroom <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(Waltz, Foxtrot, Rumba): 3.0 METs<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Fast ballroom:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 5.5 METs<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For a 155-pound adult, that works out to roughly <\/span><b>110 calories in 30 minutes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of casual walking or slow dancing, and roughly <\/span><b>200 calories in 30 minutes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of fast dancing. These are estimates, and your own numbers will vary with your weight and effort.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In other words, <\/span><b>slower dances are almost equal to a relaxed walk, and faster styles give you a noticeably harder workout.<\/b><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h2><b>Is Dancing as an Exercise Good for Your Heart?<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes. Both walking and dancing count as moderate aerobic activity, the kind that strengthens your heart and lungs. The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/odphp.health.gov\/our-work\/nutrition-physical-activity\/physical-activity-guidelines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and either one can count toward that goal.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The difference is variety. <\/span><b>Dancing naturally mixes slower and faster moments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which gently raises and lowers your heart rate. And because a lesson or a practice party tends to fly by, many people find it easier to keep moving for 45 minutes on the dance floor than on a solo walk.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h2><b>What Does Dancing as an Exercise Work That Walking Doesn&#8217;t?<\/b><\/h2><h3><b>Gives You a Full-Body Workout<\/b><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you walk, you mostly use your legs and feet the same way with each step. When you dance, your whole body gets involved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>Depending on the style, you&#8217;ll use your:<\/b><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Feet and legs for steps and weight transfer<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Core for control and stability<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arms and shoulders for movement and styling<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/blog\/ballroom-dances\/can-ballroom-dancing-in-ahwatukee-improve-posture\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Upper body for posture<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and coordination<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One moment you&#8217;re moving forward, the next you&#8217;re stepping to the side, turning, or repeating a move on the other side. <\/span><b>You&#8217;re not just moving more. You&#8217;re learning to move with purpose and control.<\/b><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h3><b>Challenges Your Coordination<\/b><\/h3><p><b>Walking uses a movement pattern your body already knows well. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dance asks you to combine several actions at once: remembering a pattern, listening to the music, placing your feet, shifting your weight, and moving your upper body in sync. With a partner, you also respond to their movement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For beginners, this is one reason why <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/blog\/dance-lessons\/are-private-dance-lessons-in-ahwatukee-good-for-beginners\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">private lessons can be valuable<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. An instructor <\/span><b>can break down combinations into smaller parts and give you time to practice each section before putting it all together.<\/b><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h3><b>Improves Your Balance and Body Awareness<\/b><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you walk, <\/span><b>your weight naturally shifts from one foot to the other.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> When dancing, you\u2019ll get to explore this even more by <\/span><b>shifting your weight, standing on one foot, turning, and changing direction.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In our dance studio in Ahwatukee, AZ, we guide our students <\/span><b>on where their weight should be, how to stay balanced during turns, and how to move with more control.<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As you progress and learn more complex steps, this body awareness can become even more important. You won\u2019t just know where your feet go. You\u2019ll start to feel how your whole body works together to create each movement.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h3><b>Keeps Your Brain Engaged<\/b><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Walking is a wonderful way to clear your head. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/blog\/mental-health-month\/rhythmic-therapy-the-mental-health-benefits-of-ballroom-dancing-mental-health-month\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">mental benefits of dancing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> come from the opposite: your brain stays busy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In dance lessons, you can <\/span><b>memorize steps, follow the rhythm, watch your instructor, and coordinate your movements.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> If you\u2019re learning with a partner, you can <\/span><b>learn how to respond to their timing and direction, all while staying in motion.<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You&#8217;re not just repeating the same movement over and over. There&#8217;s always something new for your brain to focus on, and for adults who want exercise to feel more stimulating, that&#8217;s a compelling reason to try dance lessons.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h3><b>Turns Exercise Into Social Time<\/b><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Walking with friends or in a group can be social, but when you move to the rhythm of the music, you can connect with others in a natural, enjoyable way.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you join dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios &#8211; Ahwatukee, AZ, you\u2019ll have the chance to <\/span><b>attend showcases, studio events, and practice parties.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> These are <\/span><b>great opportunities to meet new people, socialize, and have fun while you dance.<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For adults, the <\/span><b>social side can completely change how exercise feels.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Rather than just finishing a workout, <\/span><b>you\u2019re learning new skills and sharing memorable experiences with others.<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This mix of movement, learning, and connecting with others is what makes dancing stand out from traditional exercise.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h2><b>Dancing or Walking: Which Should You Choose?<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Both are good for you. The best choice is the one you&#8217;ll actually stick with.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Walking may suit you better if you:<\/b><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Want something free that you can do anywhere, any time<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prefer quiet time on your own or outdoors<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Are recovering from an injury and need very gentle, predictable movement<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><b>Dancing may suit you better if you:<\/b><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Get bored with repetitive workouts<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Want to improve balance, coordination, and posture<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enjoy music and learning new skills<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Want exercise that feels social<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many of our students do both: they walk during the week and dance a few times a week. The two work well together, since walking builds a steady base of activity while dancing adds balance, coordination, and mental challenge.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h2><b>Make Dance Part of Your Exercise Routine at a Dance Studio in Ahwatukee, AZ<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You don\u2019t have to choose between exercise and enjoyment; dancing offers both. With private sessions, you can improve your coordination, posture, rhythm, and body awareness while mastering a rewarding skill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That\u2019s exactly our goal at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fred Astaire Dance Studios &#8211; Ahwatukee<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. You can start with the basics and gradually build confidence as you progress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ready to improve your health with dancing?<\/span><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/dance-lessons\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Book your first lesson<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> today and start moving.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dancing and walking can give you a similar workout, but dancing adds things walking doesn&#8217;t: coordination, balance training, mental challenge, and a social side. How hard you work depends on the style. A slow Waltz is about as demanding as a casual walk, while Viennese Waltz is closer to a real cardio session.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":461,"featured_media":9706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition-health"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/461"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9704\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/ahwatukee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}