Has your doctor recently advised you to lose weight? If so, you may be wondering if you can lose weight dancing.
Those of you who love to boogie will be thrilled to hear that dancing is a good workout to lose weight because it is an easy form of aerobic exercise that is fun to do for any age group.
In fact, dancing is the aerobic exercise of choice for many. Perhaps it’s so popular because there are so many different types of dance.
Can You Lose Weight by Just Dancing?
Many people enjoy moving to an uplifting beat while they work up a sweat. The music motivates them and keeps their energy high.
Plus, dancing comes with numerous benefits. Not only can you lose weight dancing but also you’ll burn fat and calories while building muscle strength.
This is because dancing is a form of aerobic exercise, which means that it helps to rev up your metabolism as you burn calories.
Benefits of Dancing
The benefits of aerobic exercise are many and may include:
- Enhanced stamina;
- Reduced stress levels;
- A more robust immune system;
- Improved balance and coordination;
- Greater flexibility and mobility;
- Increased blood flow;
- More restful sleep at night; and
- Reduced risk for common health problems like heart disease and diabetes.
It also is possible that dancing will improve your mental health. Studies have demonstrated that the symptoms of depression and anxiety may be lessened by engaging in 150 minutes of exercise every week.
Another enormous benefit of dancing for exercise is that it is a social activity. Whether you’re dancing with a partner or in a group setting, dance exercise is a great method for building a sense of camaraderie and community.
You may make some new friends too.
Perhaps the biggest benefit to using dance as exercise is that it’s fun. The more you enjoy exercise, the more likely you are to do it regularly.
Pick something that you love, and you’ll be a fitness fanatic for life.
Can You Lose Weight by Dancing for 30 Minutes?
If you’re trying to lose weight dancing, then this is a critical question. Unfortunately, it is not easy to answer because numerous factors can affect how many calories you burn.
Among these factors are things like your body weight, how vigorous your workout is, how fast you move during your workout and how long you spend in a dancing session.
Let’s take a look at a few common examples. Assume that a person wants to dance to lose weight, and that they currently weigh 150 pounds.
In a 30-minute session, this person will burn about 118 calories if they are ballroom dancing.
However, that same person might burn 207 calories in 30 minutes if they were doing hip hop.
Other typical examples for the individual above might include 179 calories for 30 minutes of ballet and 172 calories for country line dancing.
Now that you have a broad understanding of how many calories these forms of dance will burn in half an hour, you will want to decide how many minutes per week you would need to exercise to actually lose weight dancing.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is wise for adults to engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.
Alternatively, you may choose to enjoy 75 minutes of high intensity workouts on a weekly basis.
If your fitness goal is to lose five percent or more of your total body weight, then experts generally recommend getting 300 minutes of exercise at a moderate level of intensity each week.
What Dance Is Best for Weight Loss?
The good news is that you have countless options if you want to lose weight dancing. People who belong to a gym are encouraged to check out the class schedule.
Most gyms feature group classes that involve various forms of aerobic dance.
Another excellent possibility is to look for dance instruction videos online. Many of these are available for free, and they can give you an excellent sweat session.
If you’re looking to get your feet wet but aren’t ready for a structured class or video, then crank up your favorite tunes on the stereo in your home.
Keep moving to the beat, making certain that your heart rate is elevated to ensure that you’re burning calories.
What about if you’re interested in a specific type of dance? You could find all sorts of opportunities in your community.
Here are some examples.
Zumba
Zumba may be offered right in your gym, but if it’s not, then consider looking for classes elsewhere.
Dance fitness is the focus in these classes, and each routine is set to Latin or international music that has an infectious beat.
One of the main benefits of Zumba is that it utilizes interval training, which means that it intermixes slow and fast movements.
With short bursts of high-intensity exercise and periods during which you can catch your breath and recover, Zumba provides a perfect opportunity to burn calories, tone muscles and keep your heart healthy.
A Zumba instructor demonstrates the routine for each song as it plays. All you have to do is follow along.
Most people feel like a fish out of water in their first few classes, but stick with it. The more you dance, the easier it gets.
Ballet
This classical dance form has been developing over the course of hundreds of years. You may be picturing perfect, graceful swans in white tutus, but there are many beginning ballet classes for adults out there.
Even if you’ve never worn a pair of ballet slippers, you can find a class that is welcoming and designed to introduce the fundamentals.
Much of ballet consists of slow, highly controlled movements that are fantastic for toning and strengthening every muscle in your body.
At the same time, you’ll be bending, jumping, turning and burning calories.
Teachers in adult beginner ballet classes generally work hard to make the movements accessible and understandable to all students.
You’ll be building your knowledge and abilities with each class session, and you’ll be rewarded with improved coordination, agility and flexibility.
Many people even remark on how much their posture has improved.
Ballroom Dancing
Here’s a great example of how you can lose weight dancing with a partner. Ballroom dancing can include salsa, swing, tango, the foxtrot and the waltz.
You’ll probably be introduced to a sampling of each of these in your lessons.
This is an excellent option if you and your spouse want to lose weight together or just pick up a new hobby that you can share.
Even if you don’t have a partner to bring to class with you, most ballroom dance classes have partners available, so it’s nothing to worry about.
Much of ballroom is low impact rather than high impact exercise. This makes it an accessible alternative if you are looking for a dance form that is easier on your joints.
Moreover, people who take ballroom dance classes frequently report that the muscles in their back, core and legs get a lot stronger with ballroom dance training.
Their balance gets better too, as does their flexibility.
You even may notice that ballroom dancing has cognitive benefits as your brain joins in the workout when you try to learn new choreography.
Hip Hop Dance
Are you looking for a high-intensity, high-impact dance workout option? If so, then hip hop is for you.
Hip hop is a champ when it comes to burning calories, and students in these classes may get to dance to some of their favorite music.
With a great deal of repetitive motion and jumping, this is not the best dance form for people with arthritis or who have other concerns related to their joints.
Pole Dancing
This is a great alternative if you are looking to build muscle strength while you burn calories.
Be certain to only take a class with a qualified instructor, and follow all directions carefully or you may risk an injury.
Essentially, pole dancing requires that you hold yourself up on the pole while performing all sorts of movements. You’ll build all kinds of arm strength as you grip and twist.
You may want to avoid pole dancing if you have a back injury or problems with your hands or wrists.
How to Avoid Injury While Dancing for Fitness
If you have decided to lose weight dancing, then it is critical that you keep certain guidelines in mind. This is especially true if you have been mainly sedentary for a number of years.
All of the total-body movements that are involved in dance can seem really strenuous when you’re new to them.
Accordingly, it is wise to seek out a well-qualified instructor who can help guide you to make your movements as safe as possible.
Remember that this is your workout, and it’s critical to listen to your body. Modify high-impact movements with low-impact alternatives, slow down or take a break whenever your body feels the need.
Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise so that you maintain adequate hydration.
Before you begin each dance session, go through a warm-up routine. This can involve some dynamic stretching, which you may want to begin before class even if the instructor will lead a warm-up for the class.
This ensures that your muscles and joints are ready for the more challenging work ahead.
Try not to simply quit moving when class ends.
Spend a few minutes walking around to cool down and slow your heart rate. Then, try some gentle stretching to help minimize muscle soreness.
Keep an eye on the instructor to ensure that you are using proper form. This is critical for most dance forms as it protects your body from injury.
Ask questions of the instructor if you are ever unsure about how to achieve proper form, and use a mirror when one is handy to see if you are using the proper form.
Also, don’t forget how important rest days are. When you are working out diligently, your body needs time to rest and recover.
This means that you need at least one or two days a week in which you are not working out or in which you are only doing lighter exercise, like going for a walk.
Rest days allow your muscles to repair themselves and provide a welcome break for your joints.
Final Thoughts
People often equate weight loss with exercise that feels a lot like drudgery. Endless rounds of squats, burpees and jumping jacks are one way to get the job done, but they are not the only way.
You can lose weight dancing, which means that you have a fun alternative to choose if more traditional exercise forms do not appeal to you.
Of course, you always have the option of giving yourself a mix of training styles. Maybe you take a ballet class on Monday, a Zumba class on Wednesday and a cycling class on Friday.
On other days, you do weight training. It’s just one more way to keep things interesting and to keep yourself motivated.
It is not unusual for people to feel intimidated by the thought of attending a dance class, but don’t let this deter you from trying.
Even if you have never had a dance class in your life, you can benefit from using dance for fitness.
Just feel the beat and keep moving during the workout. Eventually, the moves will become more familiar.
You may start out performing each one a little more slowly, but you’ll get up to speed if you keep practicing.
Dancing is a fantastic way to burn fat and calories, so find a class at your gym or community center today.
