Seeing the viewing figures of dance shows on TV, spending time and energy on the dance floor has become very popular. So, if you want to improve your health, dance as exercise might be the activity that we all needs to stick with the cardio workouts known to be so very good for your health.
Two recent studies, one out of Italy, the other conducted in the United Kingdom, suggest this might be the way to go, and both were presented at the most recent annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Seattle.
The Italian project found that salsa dancing improved cardiovascular fitness, while the UK work discovered that the less strenuous, but still great fun, fox trot or tango steps added two thousand steps to a subjects daily walking total.
Ten thousand steps, it is suggested by experts, are required daily for good health - But every little bit helps, specially as you get older.
The Italian researchers analysed lively salsa dancing, takin heart readings and oxygen levels in dancers who were doing either lessons, dancing at a night club or doing a group dance known as the rueda de casino.
The average age of the participants was 36 years old, and eleven pairs of dancer were involved.
The maximum heart rate of the dancers went up 58-75% and their oxygen levels went up 41-56%, depending on where the subjects danced.
Those dancing at the nightclub proved to get the most aerobic workout, though all three locations increased heart rate and oxygen levels.
Study author Gian Pietro Emerenziani, from the University of the Studies of Rome stated that Salsa is an energetic dance. All three types of salsa in the study, practiced regularly, will have a positive affect on fitness and health.
Aa team of UK researchers conducted a study of the effects of dancing by offering a 12-week series of ballroom dancing lessons to a group of adults who are usually not active.
The average age of the 27 subjects was 53; most, 22, were females. They attended lessons once a week for two hours, all led by a qualified instructor. The dances the subjects learned and performed included the tango, fox trot and cha-cha.
“Learning to dance can be a fun, social, local and friendly way to enjoy low-intensity physical activity and skill learning”, explains the author of the second of the two studies, Stephen Cobley who is a senior lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
Dancing means you can avoid the gym or stop getting all hot and sweaty to get the cardio benefit of a workout.
It helps strengthen bones and muscles without hurting joints, it tones your body, helps with posture and balance, improves your stamina and flexibility, reduces stress, wards off potential problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis and even depression.
As you move your feet, you want to keep an eye on your heart rate however, so that youre sure the dancing is intense enough.
Its also important not to take away the benefits of the workout by consuming high calorie drinks or snacks while youre out.
Before you lace up those dancing shoes be sure that youve spoken to your doctor about what type of activity is right for you, especially if youve been inactive for a long time.
There are many dancing option, including: square dancing, swing dancing, line dancing, folk dancing, ballroom dancing, belly dancing, salsa, flamenco, jazz, modern, clogging and contra - They can be great for your health, not to mention your social life.