The routine at the gym and intensive workouts can get boring and discourage everyone with their repetitiveness. When you are looking for an interesting way to lose weight and at the same time provide yourself with entertainment, it is worth considering dance classes, which have an unusually large number of advantages.
Dance, an ancient art form, has evolved over many centuries. Today, it is not unusual for people to dance just to feel good, to de-stress, to meet new people, out of passion or simply for entertainment. However, dancing is not only an array of benefits for our mind and social background, but also a great way to stay fit and in shape.
While there are several forms of dance, few styles involve intense classes that resemble a workout at the gym. Below, we will take a look at just those dances with the help of which we can quickly lose weight.
Zumba is a dance that includes fast aerobic movements that have a great cardio effect. The movements of a typical Zumba dance are a mixture of hip-hop, samba and salsa with additional squats and bends. The steps are relatively easy to follow and help strengthen the arms, abdomen and legs, in addition to firming the lower body and providing overall fitness. To lose weight and see results fairly quickly, opt for Zumba classes 2-3 times a week.
If we are not afraid of ballroom dancing or if we plan to engage our partner in a fitness journey, it is definitely best to bet on salsa. It’s a really hot, crazy and fun dance, consisting mainly of swaying and fast turns, which require very good coordination, sense of rhythm and chemistry with your partner. It usually consists of six steps to eight numbers of music, including turns and dancing side by side. Practicing salsa for an hour a day will help burn up to 420 calories.
Pole dancing, also known as pole fitness, can be a great form of exercise. It includes moves such as holding onto a pole, twisting and creating shapes with your body. It carries a lot of benefits: improved flexibility, especially in the back and legs, increased muscle strength, especially in the upper body, and fat burning through strength training moves. However, this type of dance has a lot more elements of acrobatics in it than the previous ones, so if you practice it only under the guidance of a qualified instructor.
Ballet is a form of classical dance that focuses on precise movements and technique. While the slow movements of ballet won’t burn as many calories as other types of dance, it can still help improve your health and fitness by increasing muscle strength and tone, especially in the legs and torso, increasing flexibility, agility and coordination, and improving posture.
In freestyle dance, we do not have to perform any specific steps or specific body movements. Freestyle is most often performed to fast beat music, where the idea is to perform spontaneous, energetic movements. This form of dance helps to make the body more flexible and lose excess weight. 30 minutes of freestyle dancing to rhythmic music can burn up to 180 calories.
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