Dance As A Contributor To Cardiovascular Fitness

Dance is a major part of many cultures throughout the world. Often looked upon as a form of art and expression, dance also requires a great amount of athleticism. According to the “Journal of Physical Education and Recreation,” dance develops strength, endurance, body type, flexibility, coordination, speed, agility, balance, intelligence and creativity. Dancers can gain many of the same cardiovascular benefits as individuals who participate in regular exercise regimens.

Study

A study published in the “European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology” observed the maximal oxygen intake, body composition via skinfold tests and vital signs of 12 female dancers and 12 sedentary females. The study concluded that the dancers had significantly lower weight, lower resting heart rate and lower diastolic blood pressure. Maximal oxygen intake, an indicator of cardiovascular fitness that measures the body's efficiency of taking in and using oxygen in the bloodstream and tissues, was also higher in dancers.

Increase Your Cardiovascular Fitness

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Assocation recommend doing 20 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity, which is activity that requires oxygen, three to five days a week. The ACSM also recommends that you exercise intensely enough to raise your heart rate to between 55 and 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports adds that to improve cardiovascular fitness, an exercise program should incorporate the concepts of overload, regularity and progression. This means that the you should exercise at levels that are vigorous and long enough to overload your body above its resting level, during at least three different workouts each week and to increase the intensity, frequency or duration of activity over periods of time to improve aerobic fitness and endurance.

Dance Styles

Dance comes in many forms and intensities. Research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle showed the effects of three different dance styles on a group of amateur dancers. After the dancers took a preassessment evaluation for height, weight and maximal oxygen consumption, their heart rates were recorded during three different styles of salsa dance: typical salsa, group dance salsa and night club salsa. The data showed that heart rate was significantly higher for night-club salsa, compared with the other two styles. Therefore, to achieve greater cardio benefits from dance, choose moderately intense to intense dances such as ballet, tap, salsa, hip-hop or ballroom that are quick moving and require greater physical exertion.

Considerations

Speak with your doctor before beginning a new exercise or dance program. Your doctor can help you find appropriate dance styles that are suitable for your current physical condition.