The end of December 2020, found me in a house party, with a few friends. The year hadn’t been kind to us. The grip of the pandemic had been at it’s worst. Luckily, we had survived the lay offs – and excitely embraced the ‘Work From Home’ culture. Well, we hadn’t foreseen some of the challenges.
Most of my gang is in the mid-30’s. This means young families, increased work office loads and the inevitable side-hustles. At this age, people tend to neglect themselves. It means less physical activities.
Weight became a problem, to us. We called a crisis meeting, towards end of that December.
The unanimous decision? A No-brainer, really. Get a gym membership – and shed it off.
We were motivated differently: Someone needed six-pack abs. A larger, curvy figure. A slimmer waist. Bigger muscles. Super human strength. We even wrote it down on a whiteboard. We were highly psyched. Someone got online and bought us all annual subscriptions in a chic gym downtown.
Well, on my end – it was mostly a social thing. I mostly wanted to hang out. Shut up, better health, too.
The first week in January went down well. It was a twice-weekly thing. The gym was packed, and my whole squad ticked the attendance register. The zest and the energy fizzled out pretty fast. By March – third month – we had become perennial absentees.
The excuses listed on the whiteboard ranged across parenting duties, work deadlines (fake excuse). I had signed up as a social engagement – I also dropped out. They didn’t come, so I got bored. I realised boredom is a major hiccup for lots of people pursuing a health regimen.
The secret is to find a fun exercise regiment, especially for employees working remotely.
That’s how I stumbled into dancing, as a form of exercise. Plus, who doesn’t like music?
Dance is not just an art anymore; it is one of the most sought after fun-filled fitness regimen. It’s an highly social activity – perfect for bonding session with friends, and family. Or, alone.
All one needs, as opposed to pricey gym equipment and fancy sports gear – is a decent stereo. Oh, download a good collection of music.
Dance fitness classes combine cardio and strength training moves with dance routines to create a workout experience unlike any other. It’s loads of fun. What’s more – the outcome is similar – if not better than regular workouts!
What are the kinds of dance workout ideal for exercise?
1. Belly dancing
2. Flamenco
3. Salsa
4. Hip hop
5. Ballet
6. Burlesque
7. Swing dancing
8. Tap dancing
9. Zumba
Zumba has been ranked as a form that burns highest amount of calories, per session. Tap dancing, has been used to improve cognitive abilities, in medical fields.
How is dancing beneficial as an exercise regime?
Stamina
Dancing offers a great cardiovascular workout and strengthens the muscles of your legs, arms, stomach, and back. It requires many muscle groups to work at one time to make sure you are doing the steps correctly. This means that dance will help improve your endurance and strengthen your muscles.
Flexibility
When you dance, you must continually stretch and hold poses for extended amounts of time each time. This helps boost your flexibility. In addition, the muscles used while dancing are often ones not traditionally associated with dance. Using these other muscles while dancing helps increase flexibility in the long run since they don’t stretch enough in regular workouts.
Dancing Increases Height (For Children)
Dancing utilizes the body’s largest muscles that stimulate bone growth. Jumping and moving help build muscle strength and motor skills, coordination, agility, and balance. All of which play an essential role in increasing your kid’s height. So put on some music and get your kids dancing!
Dancing Helps to Lose Weight
When you dance, your heart rate increases, meaning you are burning calories while having a good time. It doesn’t feel like exercise because there’s no stress or strain on your body, so dancing can be an enjoyable way of getting fit. To see results, though, maintain regular sessions, at least 30 minutes long.
Muscles of Legs and Arms Become Stronger
Dancing is a workout that works both the upper and lower body. The muscles of your legs, arms, stomach, and back all work to perform different dance moves while maintaining balance at times. This makes them stronger in time with dancing regularly!
Body toning
Most dance moves are challenging, helping you tone your abs, legs, and arms. With higher energy levels, it becomes easier for you to maintain smooth curves on the body because muscles become more toned with dancing regularly.
Detoxification
Regular dancing helps the blood vessels get rid of harmful salts, making you feel healthier and more energetic! When you sweat after dancing, your body excretes bad salts, detoxifying your internal organs for optimum performance.
Stress Buster
Dancing helps release stress, anxiety, and depression by making you feel lighter. It releases the happy hormone serotonin, reducing your body’s response to stress. After a long stressful day, a 20-minute dance session could be all you need to calm your nerves!
Unlimited Fun
Lastly, dancing is an activity that has no age limit. There are many different types of dances, find one in relation to age. Gather friends and family. It’s a fun way to bond, while having a good time!
The five critical things to remember when venturing into an exercise regimen:
1. Be consistent, avoid excuses. (Hire a babysitter, for example. Create solutions).
2. Track your progress, individually. (A friend will get muscles and trimmer waist quicker. People have different metabolisms – keep at it, you’ll gain).
3. Always seek cleaner, healthy food. Exercise is 80% food, 20% work out. (Stop junk snacks on the desk, as you work).
4. Get enough sleep. (The body needs to heal and build after workout sessions).
5. Create a network of like-minded individuals. (They’ll be the source of motivation you need for low-energy moments).
Get your dancing shoes on!
