So we’re started the third month of the year, how are those fitness goals going? Not as well as you had hoped but still wanting to make a comeback? Well look no further than ballroom dance lessons at Ridgefield Fred Astaire Dance Studio! Although many people don’t think of it at first, dance is actually a great form of exercise.
Let’s start with the most obvious, flexibility, strength and endurance. Dancing tends to stretch the body in ways that it is not used to. The more steps you learn and do, the more flexibility and strength you will gain simply because many of the steps call for bending, stretching and muscles’ resisting their own body weight. Flexibility is great for your body’s health since it reduces the chance of injury and reduces the time it takes to heal proceeding a workout. Endurance is the capability of the muscle to work hard for longer periods of time without giving in to fatigue. The more you dance and work on your steps, you build up an endurance and condition your body to be able to do these moves with less and less fatigue.
There are an endless supply of new moves and techniques to learn in ballroom dance so routines are constantly changing. Which means that unlike running on the treadmill, there’s a world of options and much less likely of a chance to get bored. Our bodies need both aerobic and anaerobic exercise in order to be at its’ healthiest. Dance provides both; aerobic from turns, sway, etc and anaerobic from balancing, holding in a squat-like position, etc. Just like steps, there are endless possibilities to get a complete workout through dance.
Have you ever noticed that when people work out they tend to listen to music? Music fuels movement and with dance, music can change from fast to slow and everything in between. Music choices are endless to dance to which opens up to a world of creativity. Between the music, make up and costumes, and all the nuances in dance, it becomes an amazing creative outlet that just simply working out doesn’t provide.
Lastly, ballroom dancing is a collective activity, which means that it has positive effects on mental health. It is common knowledge that being around other people builds up social ties, and that socializing helps provide a positive outlook on life AND a better sense of self-confidence. What could be better?!
Long story short, ballroom dancing exercises the mind and body and is all around good for the soul. Ready to become the healthiest, happiest version of yourself? Give us a call and we can help you get started!