Dance is fun and the amount of health improvement derived from dance depends, like most exercises, on how strenuous it is, the duration of activity and the number of times a week you dance.
The American College of Sports Medicine [ACSM] recommends 60 minutes of aerobic activity, at your target heart rate [THR], three times a week to maintain your present level of cardiovascular health and up to five times per week to improve your fitness level. However, if you are quite sedentary, three times a week at the lower end of the THR range would be a good place to begin to see improvement and build your levels of intensity, duration and frequency from there. THR is calculated by subtracting your age from 220 and multiplying by 60% and 80% and working between those numbers during your dance session. Start at the 60% level if you are new to exercise.
Research conducted through the Mayo Clinic reports that social dancing helps to:
- reduce stress
- increase energy
- improve strength
- increase muscle tone and coordination
Dance is Aerobic Exercise
"Aerobic" simply means "with oxygen." Aerobic exercise is any activity that makes you breathe hard while using large muscle groups in a rhythmic nature for an extended period of time. Aerobic activities help make your heart stronger by demanding that it use more oxygen and as a result be more efficient at rest.
Aerobic activity recruits more oxygen to the cell and if weight management is the goal it is important to remember that fat burns in the presence of oxygen. Stress responses are reduced by improvements in cardiovascular and muscular health, with additional benefits from increased endorphin production and weight reduction resulting from the extra calories burned. Bones and muscles are also strengthened, which improves your capacity to perform everyday activity [increased energy] while improving the tone of your body at the same time.
Dance Style
There are as many different styles of dance as there are places to engage in dance activity. Many forms of dance do not require partners, prior training, special clothing or footwear. Jazzercise, a popular class in the 1980s, has revamped their program and their 60-minute classes meet regularly, all over the country. Colleges, universities, community centers and dance studios also offer a variety of dance classes to the general public, including ballroom, African, folk and country in addition to ballet, jazz, modern and tap.
No matter the style of dance you do, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) reports that dancing can:
- reduce blood pressure
- improve strength of the bones of legs and hips
- lower risk of coronary heart disease
- aid in weight management
For optimal health benefits, find the style of dance that resonates with you and makes you happy and eager to participate every week.
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