Exercise can make us stronger, more energetic, and can even help us lose extra weight.
So why do so few of us do it?
Perhaps we’re super busy, or perhaps every time we want to run, it suddenly starts raining, or maybe working out doesn’t sound very appealing after we’ve already worked hard all day long.
But don’t worry! Treadmills and gyms aren’t the only options to help us get healthy. There is a unique kind of workout that is both beneficial and relaxing. Here’s what makes dance exercise awesome.
6 Reasons Dance Fitness is an Awesome Way to Workout
#1 Makes Working Out Fun
Working out can make us feel better. Yet many of us don’t simply don’t like normal exercise. There are a million more interesting things to do.But what if we could work out without the work?
Dancing it out makes exercise fun. We can play our favorite songs over and over or try out an instrumental playlist. If we’re a creative person, there’s a seemingly endless amount of new moves to learn.
In fact, dancing is so enjoyable that even ancient cultures did it, and with no technology to help them on the farm fields, they didn’t have a need to work out.
If we already have an existing exercise routine, we can use dance exercise to switch things up and keep it from becoming boring or be a substitute for when it’s too rainy to run or when the gym closes early.
While there are many kinds of workouts with benefits, the best one is the one you can stick with, and actually do consistently. Who wouldn’t want to twirl to their favorite song all day long?
Because dance exercise is so fun, it’s harder to resist.
#2 Is Inexpensive and Convenient
Another great thing about dancing is that it requires little to no equipment. The only thing we need is a pair of good quality tennis shoes or ballet slippers if we’re on the carpet. And if we don’t want to invest in a fancy speaker, turning up our phone volume should work just fine.
We also don’t need to go to a gym or pay a monthly gym fee; rather, we can just push back the living room couch, and voilà! There is plenty of space. It also doesn’t matter whether it is rainy or sunny, because our living room is not affected by the weather.
#3 Builds A Variety of Muscles
Of course, dancing isn’t the only kind of exercise that’s good for us. Swimming, for example, also has many benefits such as using all your muscles rather than just a few.
Dancing has a similar effect and uses multiple groups of muscle. However, we don’t need to find a pool or stop just because it thunders outside.
#4 Is Safer than Other Exercises
Exercise is meant to improve our health, but some types of exercise can be risky. For example, cyclists face a higher risk of injury than drivers. Running can have an impact on joints.
And while few things in this world are risk-free, dance exercise seems to minimize these risks. It can be low or high impact, depending on your style. Don’t let this scare you away from other exercises, though, because cycling and running are indeed fun, and there are ways to do them safely. However, if you like both exercises equally as much, it makes sense to go for the safer option of dance exercise.
#5 Boosts Immune System
Did you know that dancing it out can boost the immune system? Research has found that listening to positive dance music may provide immune support, help reduce cortisol levels, while also boosting endorphins, giving us those feel-good vibes after a dance workout!
#6 Helps Us Keep A Positive Mindset
Dancing is also a workout that is trickier to keep track of. Sure, we can log when we do it, but how much intensity will depend on the song or playlist we choose. There is no specific distance to count, and unless we have a fancy fitness watch, we really can’t track anything except how often we do it.
While this can be annoying to those of us who like to track progress, this setback can actually work to our benefit. This is because our health is more than just a number. There are other things to factor in such as having better sleep quality, which can also help curb those junk food cravings.
A scale won’t give us credit for this because it can’t be counted. Paying attention to only numbers can cause us to become discouraged and not realize our true progress. However, since dance exercise doesn’t have mileage or numbers to count, we can keep our main focus off the numbers and instead realize the full health benefits of dance.
The Bottom Line
Exercise is very beneficial to our health and something we should all consider working into our daily routine. However, if we’re going to be working out consistently, it makes sense to choose the most enjoyable option possible. Many people have loved dance all throughout history; if they didn’t, then there wouldn’t be so many types we can learn how to do.
Want some help? Download our app! We have virtual classes in dance exercise, plus workouts in various fitness categories like Pilates, yoga, strength, HIIT, cardio, and stretch. New workouts are added all the time.
So, join in on the fun and get moving to the music!
