Dancing is an effective cardiovascular exercise, burning up to 300 calories or more per hour, which can aid in weight loss. Dancing is also a weight bearing activity which improves muscle strength, coordination, balance and bone density, notes the American Council on Exercise. To lose weight dancing, choose dance routines or exercises that keep your working at a moderate to intense pace for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Belly Dance
Belly dancing works your entire body with emphasis on your core, your stomach, back, hip and pelvic muscles. According to MayoClinic.com, you can burn as many calories belly dancing as you can swimming, walking or bicycle riding. To lose weight belly dancing you need to choose a DVD, routine or class that incorporates a lot of traveling and movement into the belly dancing steps. Steps such as the rib slide can be done while moving to the right or left. Begin the rib slide by standing with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Lengthen your torso, step to your left and move just your ribs to the left, back to center and then to the right. Pull your right foot into your left and repeat the movement three more times to the left and then four times on the right.
Latin Style Dance
Latin style dance workouts such as Zumba and Core Rhythms blend Latin dance moves with low impact aerobics for an effective fat burning and core strengthening workout. Moves such as the cha-cha, mambo, samba, salsa and merengue are put into a group fitness format for a dance workout that will make you sweat and is effective for weight loss. Put together your own Latin style dance workout by adding simple Latin dance moves to basic low-impact aerobic moves, such as marching forward for four counts, then doing a cha-cha for two sets of four counts. Marching backwards for four counts and then doing a mambo for two sets of four.
Hoop Dancing
Hoop dancing blends dance moves with a special light weight hula hoop for a fast paced, fat burning cardio and core toning workout. This class is unique and a very effective way to burn calories. All students begin with the basic move of hooping around your waist. Once you learn this basic move you can move onto learning how to hoop around your legs, ankles, arms, neck and shoulders. Beginning hooping is done in place but once you get the basic concept you learn how to move while hooping, incorporating dance moves into your hoop routine.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
- American Council on Exercise: What Are The Benefits of Dance Inspired Workouts?
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Dancing: A Good Exercise for Weight Loss?
- "Fitness" Magazine: 10 Minute Workout-Belly Dance Away Ab Flab; Rib Slide
- CNN.com: Zumba Zooms to the Top of The Exercise World
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