The Health Benefits Of Ballroom Dancing

from fivestarwayofliving.com:

By Blaze Smith, on July 22nd, 2010

Ready to get in shape but not a fan of the gym? You love to move to music, can’t help but tap your foot or loved to dance as a child? Would prefer to exercise while accomplishing something other than repetition? You sound like a great candidate to explore the enormous benefits of getting your exercise by going ballroom dancing.

There are many studies that show social dancing is an exceptional form of exercise. Mayo Clinic researchers claim social dancing helps “boost energy, improve strength, increase muscle tone and coordination all while reducing stress.” And not only in America have studies shown its value. In Italy, researchers found that 21 minutes of dancing just three times a week has cardiovascular benefits equal to a bicycle or treadmill workout.

Typical exercises can improve your bones and muscles but experts claim that dancing is the best workout when it comes to increasing your metabolism. Dances such as Jive and Salsa actually require surprisingly large amounts of energy. Dance increases your heart rate while consuming stored fats in your body. Ballroom dancing is definitely an enjoyable way to lose weight! Ballroom dancing tones your muscles, strengthens your core and improves your skin. So you look and feel better all while burning calories on the dance floor!

And what did the National Heart, Ling and Blood Institute (NHLBI) say about dancing? Well, they indicated that dancing can decrease your blood pressure, aid you in managing your weight, lower your risk of coronary heart diseases and strengthen your bones, especially those on your hips and legs. The good just keeps coming.

Can you believe that dancing also helps with memory, Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia? The New England Journal of Medicine reported that dancing does.

Like most exercises, the amount of benefit you get from dancing depends on the type and intensity. Exercise physiologist Catherine Cram of Comprehensive Consulting in Middleton, Wisconsin, stated that “a terrific workout occurs when a person gets his or her heart rate up (and) … dance is a weight-bearing activity which builds bones.”

I am confident you will find your own multiple reasons why ballroom dancing will benefit you – and your loved ones!

If you are pregnant (or know someone who is,) want to exercise and have fun, do take a look at Blaze Smith’s free “Ballroom Dance and Pregnancy” video on the topic. She also has other ballroom dancing tips and how tos freely available on the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Mamaroneck site that provide tips and information about ballroom dancing, what to wear, what to expect at the studio and more.