Cardio dance workouts draw seasoned dancers and non-dancers alike to gyms, dance studios and even living room floors. The workouts incorporate repetitive dance movements to offer aerobic exercise. Cardio dance fans often say they love learning dance steps and working out to music while reaping health benefits. Check with your doctor before beginning a cardio dance workout, which you may find strenuous.
Benefits
Aerobic dancing burns an average of 480 to 625 calories an hour, according to the Calorie Control Council. Not only can you potentially lose weight from these calorie- and fat-burning exercises, cardio dance workouts also elevate your heart rate and improve your mood. Such workouts help you develop balance, strength, coordination and flexibility, making them excellent workouts for your entire body.
Dance Aerobics
Dance aerobics have been around since the 1960s, though they didn't become widely popular in the United States until the 1980s, according to the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. A general dance aerobics workout usually includes a warm-up and stretches, a core workout that incorporates a variety of dance steps and a cooling down period. A general dance aerobics class may include movements from different dance genres.
Jazzercise
Jazzercise was one of the first cardio dance workouts to emerge, beginning in 1969. Jazzercise combines jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga and cardio boxing movements in a workout that can potentially burn 600 calories in 60 minutes, according to the Jazzercise website.
Zumba
Zumba first got Americans on their feet and shaking their hips to Latin rhythms in the name of exercise during the early 2000s. Zumba combines Latin-inspired dance moves and music with resistance training to deliver a high-energy workout in a party-like atmosphere.
Hip-Hop
Bringing the beat from the street indoors, hip-hop dance workouts use hip-hop dance movements and music to offer a full-body workout. While instructors teach hip-hop dance steps, these classes often are structured to give you freedom to exhibit your own funky steps and style.
Options
While dance aerobics, Jazzercise, Zumba and hip-hop make up some of the most popular cardio dance workouts, they're not the only ones. You can find cardio dance workouts inspired by nearly every type of dance, from country line dancing to pole dancing. If you can't find a dance workout that suits your personal preferences at your local gym or community center, look for DVDs, TV programs or online instructional videos you can use at home.
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