When it comes to having a great time, staying in shape and perking up the brain chemicals that bring on joy, there are very few activities that can rival dancing. In addition to keeping your bones, muscles and cardiovascular system fit and strong, dancing also keeps your brain strong. It turns out that remembering dance steps and sequences is a great way to increase production of new brain cells and fight of memory loss as you age. Read on to find out more about how you can benefit from dancing.
No matter what kind of dance you choose, you can count on burning about 300 calories an hour. Of course, the more fit you become from dancing, the more muscle mass you will build. This adds up to a more efficient metabolism and even greater calorie burning capability. In addition to improving your muscle tone and your metabolism, dancing also helps you become more graceful and flexible and improves your posture. This can help you prevent falls as you grow older, and if you do fall, your bones will be stronger thanks to dancing.
Dancing is an excellent way to build your confidence and social skills and stay socially active. Of course, you can dance alone, but most of the time you’ll be out making friends and having fun. This is a natural way to fight stress and relieve the tensions of daily living. Many people fear developing chronic illnesses, such as diabetes as they age; however, if you take up dancing, you will greatly lower your chances of developing diabetes, heart disease and many other maladies connected with aging.
Of course, it is always a good idea to see your doctor before beginning a new form of exercise; however, no matter what shape you are in, there is a type of dance that is just perfect for you. Begin with slow dancing or even wheel chair dancing. As you become stronger, you can take on more challenging forms of dance. Simply performing simpler dance moves with more vigor will increase your fitness challenge and improve your fitness level. There are lots of places you can go to enjoy dancing. You might take classes at your local junior college, senior center or at a church or temple. Health clubs, dance studios and recreation centers are also good options for classes in everything from square dancing to line dancing to belly dancing to salsa. No matter what kind of dance you prefer, you can surely find an opportunity that suits you.
If you are nervous about dancing in public, you can start out with videos at home on your own. Look online or simply rent or buy dance/exercise DVDs or even inexpensive videotapes that you can pick up at garage sales and thrift stores. Of course, you could always check the library for dance videos you can borrow. Enjoying dancing to videos at home with a friend as a safe and fun way to get started dancing for fitness.
