HEALTH BENEFITS
the fun and exciting world
of Ballroom and Latin dancing!
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HEALTH BENEFITS the fun and exciting world
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Health Benefits
Dancing
has many benefits: An hour of moderate, sustained ballroom dance burns 250-300
calories - twice as much as tennis, swimming, walking, or bicycling. An hour of
vigorous dancing - such as the jive - can burn up to 400 calories. Ballroom
dancing is a low-impact activity that tones and strengthens calf, thigh, and
buttock muscles. It also improves flexibility, coordination, endurance, balance,
and posture. Besides improving appearance and poise, ballroom dance can enhance
your overall physical condition. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
endorses ballroom dancing as a way to lower the risk of coronary heart disease,
control blood pressure, reduce weight, and boost HDL cholesterol levels. Dance
can also reduce back pain, slow age-related muscle loss, and, since it is
weight-bearing exercise, help to build and maintain strong bones. There are some
important differences between ballroom dance and traditional aerobic exercise.
For one, aerobic routines and patterns are repetitious and can lead to overuse
of one set of muscles. But in ballroom dance, you can vary steps at will and
create your own patterns as the music and mood change. Since part of the fun -
and the challenge - of waltz or jive or samba is change and diversity, the risk
of overuse injury is low. So is the risk of boredom, which means that you are
more likely to stay motivated and committed. Consider these dance facts: Dance
contributes to increased personal confidence. Olympic athletes often include
dance in their training to sharpen their control, agility, speed and balance.
Dance is considered to be one of the top five physical activities, out of 60
studied. Dance contributes to good posture and body alignment. Dancing
encourages gentle stretching. Dance increases your flexibility and stamina. As
an aerobic exercise, dance benefits your cardiovascular system as you swing and
sway from hips to shoulders. Some doctors recommend thirty minutes of dance,
three times per week