According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of high intensity aerobic activity every week. The best way to do this is with activities that are fun for you. If you enjoy dancing to popular music, you might want to consider using a hip hop dancing workout to help you meet the recommendations for exercise.
The "Work" Dance Workout
According to the Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide from the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, a person who is dancing burns about three to six times as many calories as a person who is resting. Dance choreography such as that in the Cupid "Work" dance from the Mike's Moves hip hop dance website consists of continuous vigorous jumping and kicking along with fluid hip and arm motions. These motions can easily add up to a moderate or vigorous aerobic workout. To increase the length of time that your workout lasts, practice the steps individually multiple times until you get them right and then put them all together with the music. Repeat these basic steps with a few different songs to make a lengthy workout.
The Moonwalk Workout
Hip hop dancing workouts include many distinctive moves. According to Mike's Moves, the moonwalk is a gliding motion that you can do on a smooth surface. As you master the steps, you'll be burning calories by moving and working on balance at the same time because of the need to hold yourself in the proper position. Hip hop dancing allows for individual touches, too. Make up your own dance steps to go with your favorite music. If you want a more vigorous workout to burn extra calories, you can emphasize explosive motions like jumping and plyometrics. If you want a moderate or light workout, you can stress stretching and fluid movement. The Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide estimates that mild stretching burns about 2.5 times as many calories as resting.
The Sponge Bob Workout
For a truly fast-paced and potentially grueling workout, try adapting the Sponge Bob dance move illustrated at Mike's Moves to your workout. The Sponge Bob consists of rapid leg and arm movements that start out approximating moderate jumping jacks and then swiftly shift to a pace that is equivalent to running and jumping in place. Try dancing the Sponge Bob and over an extended period you'll be doing the equivalent of a high impact aerobic dance, which burns seven times as many calories as a person at rest according to the Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide.
Strength and Flexibility Workouts Using Hip Hop
According to the Mayo Clinic, a fitness program should include strength training and flexibility components. Incorporate these elements into your hip hop sessions to achieve well rounded workouts. Hold light dumbbells in your hands while practicing your dance moves such as popping, which is like a karate chop, and alternate sections of hip hop cardio with sections of resistance training such as squats, lunges or dips. Hip hop steps require good form if you want to execute them properly, and repeatedly practicing specific moves will strengthen your arms, legs and even your core using your own body weight. To perform hip hop steps well, you need flexibility as well as strength. Stretch at each workout to improve your hip hop technique and help you meet recommendations for a balanced exercise program.
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