Did you know that Ballroom Dancing is a great way of getting fit? Doing just 30 minutes of non-stop ballroom dancing increases your heart rate into your fat burning zone, producing benefits equal to that of a low impact aerobics class. Nobody should under estimate the effect of general fitness that dancing can have, if you watch the stars of Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing With The Stars closely you’ll notice how they lose weight and tone-up over the length of the series. Even the fittest sports stars struggle with the dancing regime. Obviously this is all very much compacted into a short space of time for TV but by using Ballroom Dancing as a fitness hobby the long term health benefits will be great, and perhaps more important for some, noticeable.
The exact amount of calories you’ll burn will depend entirely on the type of dancing you’re doing. Generally speaking modern dances like the Waltz and Quick Step burn less calories than the Latin Ballroom Dances like the Cha-Cha, Rumba and Salsa. Either way you’ll be burning between 200 and 400 calories per hour. As you become fitter you’ll also be able to dance for longer, meaning that you’ll be able to burn even more calories. One of the great advantages dancing has over other traditional forms of exercise like playing competitive sports and going to the gym is that it can also be a great chance for couples to spend time together. What could be more fun than getting a bit sweaty burning some serious calories and getting fitter with your partner. Although most girls wont need any persuading on the health benefits of Ballroom Dancing, the men might need a little convincing as it’s bound to take them out of their comfort zone. With any luck seeing world famous sports stars doing it on TV might help change that.
Finally, one thing worth mentioning is the right clothes to wear. As with any form of exercise it is vital to have the correct clothing while getting fit dancing. It’s important that men don’t wear tight belts and no ties (a dangerous weapon on a twirling man). For women it’s best to avoid any form of open-toe sandal, heels are also not suitable. Flat comfortable broken in shoes and loose fit clothing is the way to go.
Ballroom Dancing is a fun way of improving your health and getting fit. Why not give it a go?
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Hanna
- 12th Jan, 11 08:01pm
Just a couple things I thought I should point out. Ballroom dancing actually burns between 400-600 calories per hour. Also, the clothing is really incorrect. Women should wear a heel. It doesn’t need to be too tall. But it helps develop the correct muscles needed in your leg. It also strengthens the ankle. If your ankles are not strong enough to do serious dancing on, you can seriously injure yourself. Also, I would recommend an open toed heel that straps around the ankle. The ankle strap is needed for support. The open toe is truly much more comfortable. When you are doing the Latin/rhythm dances, your weight is poised forward, thus cramming your toes into the front of your shoe. I am a ballroom dance instructor and I compete professionally. EVERY one of my students that start in a closed toed shoe tell me how much more comfortable open toes are when I finally recommend they move to that. Other than that, attire really depends on the studio. At our studio we dress up so the students tend to dress up as well. I have taught at other studios where the dress is much more casual. I hope this helps! Feel free to email with further questions!