In Motion Ballroom believes in the ability of dance to transform your life in many ways. Perhaps one of the most valuable benefits of dance, however, is the positive impact on your health. Dancing is beneficial to all areas of wellness (physical, emotional, social, mental, etc.), and we’re happy to be a part of your wellness journey. Keep reading to learn some of the ways that ballroom dancing benefits your physical health!
1. Build Heart Health
Dancing regularly can have a major impact on your cardiovascular health. Your heart, like any muscle, grows stronger when you exercise it! A 2014 study, conducted in the United Kingdom by Australian researchers, examined the connection between dancing and improved heart health; researchers concluded that regular dancing can reduce your chances of dying from heart disease by 46 percent! Studies have also shown that dancing can be better for improving heart health than fast-walking. The American Heart Association recommends dancing as exercise and even conducted a study of elderly patients (who had previously experienced heart failure) that demonstrated increased oxygen levels as well as other cardiac benefits after participating in ballroom dance classes. Dancing is the perfect low-impact exercise that can be modified to fit any skill level!
For those looking for a more intense form of exercise, your dancing can be pushed to a higher level rather quickly with one-on-one attention from your instructor. Short blasts of high-energy activity mixed with small rest periods raises and lowers your heart rate in an interval fashion. Commonly known as HIIT, interval training helps to develop at maintain a healthy heart. Dancing is a great way to practice interval training (customized to your abilities) without really feeling like you’re working out!
2. Improve Balance & Coordination
Unlike standard weight training and cardio exercise like running or biking, dancing involves a higher degree of precision and muscle control, which allows active dancers to improve the finer aspects of motor control. Many new dancers (once they get past the initial stages of memorizing the basics!) experience a significant increase in their balance as well as improved coordination. Many of our students in their golden years enjoy ballroom dancing not only as a fun activity, but also as a way to promote muscle control and stability.
3. Weight Management
Ballroom dance can be a light, low-impact activity or an intense aerobic exercise that increases your heart rate and uses a variety of muscles in the body. Ballroom dance has been shown to lower blood pressure, promote cardiovascular health, and strengthen muscles. As a weight-bearing exercise, dance can improve your posture and strengthen your bones and joints over time. Also, depending on the dances you are practicing and the level at which you are performing, you could burn 200-500 calories per session!
The best thing about ballroom dance as an exercise is that it doesn’t feel like exercise! In a lesson, you and your partner are working together, which helps take your mind off time spent “working out”. Having an instructor to hold you accountable and keep you motivated is a valuable component of private lessons. In group class and party settings you have the added benefit of social interaction and great music to keep you pumped up!
4. Reduce the Effects of Aging
Dancing is a great way to help prevent the onset of physical and mental degradation as you age. Studies have shown that dancing is the form of exercise most likely to promote and maintain overall health and mental vigor into old age. It can also help protect bone density and prevent osteoporosis. People who dance recreationally as a regular part of their routine remained active, independent, and mentally sharp much later in life, when compared with individuals who do not dance.
5. Injury Recovery
Ballroom dancing is a great low-impact activity that can promote a fit lifestyle while also decreasing your chances of an exercise-related injury. It can also help speed up knee recovery after surgery since it’s a lower impact exercise than jogging or biking. If you have areas of concern or are slowly introducing your body to exercise, ballroom dancing is a great activity to add to your life.
6. Improve Focus
The skills needed for dancing (coordination, control, balance, quick decision-making, etc.) are as much mental as they are physical; that applies to the benefits as well! The mental training practiced in dance lessons is subconsciously applied to many other aspects of life. Remembering new patterns, recognizing styles of music, navigating the dance floor, and reacting to real-time situations gives your brain the boost it needs to stay healthy. Who knew that dancing is a great way to preserve your brain health?
7. Increase Muscle Tone
Ballroom dancing contributes to muscle tone in a variety of ways; dancers must resist (with exact amount of pressure) their partner’s body strength as well as the strength of their own body, they must use various muscle groups to move from foot to foot (bonus points if you dance more than one style!), and the core must be engaged constantly to maintain proper form. Show routines may have instances of partners performing lifts and tricks which require a great deal of strength!
8. Boost Endurance
Dancing is an effective way to improve your general endurance. As you learn more movements and improve your technique, your muscles will work harder and you will be able to dance for longer periods of time. In time, you will find yourself being able to dance for a long while with little to no fatigue; double sessions or back-to-back lessons and parties will seem easy!
If you aren’t already a dancer, have no fear! Schedule your first lesson today and enjoy the benefits of dancing for a lifetime.
561-851-4808 | info@inmotionballroom.com
Note to students: If your primary goal for lessons is exercise, please let your instructor or management know. They will be sure to choose dances that keep your heart rate up and help you break a sweat! Please consult a medical professional before attempting any new form of physical activity!
