Depending on which aspect of fitness you are focusing on, there are a variety of dance types out there that align perfectly with your weight-loss or body improvement goals. The following list will break down the three most-popular dances to attempt to integrate into a daily routine in order to make working out more bearable.
3. Ballet
While delving into ballet isn’t ideal for all individuals looking to improve their health and fitness, it is an excellent possibility for skilled dancers and those looking to strengthen their core (abdominal and back) while increasing blood flow and improving flexibility through many forgotten joints. Additionally, light ballet has been recommended for pregnant women looking for low-stress forms of exercise—a testament to its positive qualities.
Beginning with tiptoe exercises and calf-training can not only relieve much of the pain in pregnant women’s feet, but can also improve blood flow throughout the body, even for non-pregnant participants.
2. Zumba
Zumba, at its core, is just as much fitness as it is dancing—which makes it the near-perfect candidate for a workout alternative. The trend has been around since the early 1990s and has maintained a cult following that has included video games and clothing on top of countless soundtracks.
By spending an hour per day doing Zumba in place of working out, not only will you give yourself the opportunity to improve your dancing, but you will also more-than-likely meet a like-minded Zumba enthusiast in the process. Not only will this provide you a partner for accountability, but you may also be able to add to your dance move repertoire.
Additionally, Zumba can be broken down in multiple sections. If you’d like to focus on certain parts of your body, that is possible. Zumba Step is the ideal leg and lower body workout, while Zumba Toning Is focused on building a foundation of abdominal strength. Very few dance moves allow the fitness possibilities that Zumba does once you become comfortable with it.
1. Samba
While phonetically similar to Zumba, Samba presents a much more elegant, prancing and leaping approach to fitness dancing. By immersing yourself into Samba style dancing, not only will the body become more graceful with practice, but the limbering of joints, muscles, and ligaments that have not soared in such a manner will begin to loosen themselves over time as well.
Not all men and women are meant to leap gracefully like a gazelle, but for those who are, the Samba should be your fitness dance of choice.