Heath Benefits of Ballroom Dance Week 1: Physical

Wish there was a way to work out and have fun

For the first week of our eight week series about the health benefits of ballroom dance we are going to cover the physical aspects of how dancing can improve your life.

The physical benefits are pretty cut and dry as it is with any type of workout. If you put in the time and work, you will get results. The benefit of dancing for a workout is not only is it good for you, but you are also having fun as well as learning a life skill. But you may be asking, just how good is dancing for me.

Lets Break It Down

The first thing to note is how many calories you burn while dancing is going to depend on what type of dancing dance you do, how intensely you dance, and for how long. It makes sense that the dances that occur to faster paced music are going to require more effort and therefore are going to burn more calories. Here’s a short breakdown of different types of dances based on an hour of work.

Hip Hop: 370 – 610

Salsa: 405 – 480

Swing: 300 – 550

Foxtrot, waltz, tango, ect: 250 – 300 (though intense tangos can burn over 700!!)

So, as you can see there is a range of calories that are burnt for each type of dance, and this all depends on the intensity of the dancing and the pace of the music.

let’s cover the muscles that you’ll be sculpting as you glide across the floor.

Dancing is great for kids and adults alike. It is designed to increase your physical strength and flexibility, as well as improve your overall posture. Along with this you are going to get one hell of a cardiovascular workout. The constant movement will definitely get your heart rate up and when you are done your legs will be on fire. Ballroom dancing is great for building leg, arm, back, and core strength, as well as improving muscle tone and control.

The basic steps of ballroom dance have the potential to give you a serious physical full body workout. Weather its Cha-Cha, Foxtrot, Waltz, Rumba, Salsa, or Tango, these dance will not only be fun, but also improve your flexibility, balance, coordination, cardiovascular endurance and muscular tone. The type of workout you want is as versatile as the dances themselves. It all depends on what you want. If you want to improve your cardio, then faster paced dances such as salsa or a Cha-Cha will do the job. If you want to tone up your legs, then the tango will not disappoint. With these types of dances its hard to go wrong. Just try a few, pick your favorite and you’re well on your a healthier life.

If you don’t know where to start or want some help, this is our specialty, feel free to book an introductory lesson today where we will give you a one-on-one crash course on all the different types of ballroom dance and work with you to find your favorite types.

So, not only do get a solid workout, but unlike traditional workouts you also improve your coordination, flexibility and posture. Personally it seems like a no brainer. Say goodbye to those days of dreading the treadmill, or monotonously riding the bike. Why not have some fun while you work out while learning something new with some ballroom Dance!!