Dancing Your Way to Better Health
Ballroom Dancing May Help Mind, Body, and Spirit
Reviewed by
Michael W. Smith, MD
Tangos, waltzes, sambas, and foxtrots are gliding across America's TV sets
on the hit ballroom dance show, Dancing with the Stars.
Do you tap along with the beat as you watch? Or shimmy during the commercial
breaks? This may be one time when health experts won't fret if you follow in
the footsteps of prime-time TV. Ballroom dancing could help the mind and body,
they say.
Shall We Dance?
You're not likely to practice for hours with a world-class dance partner as
on the show. But you also won't face live national TV and the judges'
barbs.
Will you get a good workout? What about those two left feet? And how can
"twinkle toes" benefit your brain?
WebMD posed those questions to science, dance, and fitness pros. Here's
their spin on ballroom dancing's health perks.
Is It Exercise?
The TV show's contestants are often winded after their routines. One dancer
from last season said he lost 15 pounds.
How typical is that? It depends on the type of dancing and your skill level,
says exercise physiologist Catherine Cram, MS, of Comprehensive Fitness
Consulting in Middleton, Wis.
"Once someone gets to the point where they're getting their heart rate
up, they're actually getting a terrific workout," says Cram.
Dance is a weight-bearing activity, which builds bones. It's also
"wonderful" for your upper body and strength, says Cram.
Would-be dancers should consult their doctors first, especially if they have
any health problems, says Cram.
Calorie Check
How many calories will you burn? That depends on your body and how
vigorously you dance.
Dance is a "moderate activity," say the USDA's physical activity
guidelines. Adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous
activity daily, according to the guidelines.
It can be easier to stick to that with fun activities, says Cram.
Muscles Worked
New ballroom dancers may feel muscles they didn't know they had. That often
happens with a new activity, says Ken Richards, spokesman for USA Dance, the
national governing body of DanceSport -- the competitive version of ballroom
dancing.
Ballroom dancing often means moving backward, especially for women, says
Richards, a professional ballroom dancing veteran.
"If you're dancing the foxtrot, you're taking long, sweeping steps
backwards. That's very different than walking forward on a treadmill or taking
a jog around the neighborhood," he says.
Ballroom dancing works the backs of the thighs and buttock muscles
differently from many other types of exercise, says Richards.
Core Experience
The legs and arms often do the flashy dance moves. But they're sunk without
a strong body core.
The "core" muscles -- the abs and back -- are also used in Pilates,
says Janice Byer. A lifelong dancer, Byer is group exercise director of The
Courthouse Athletic Club in Oakland, Calif. Byer and her husband (whom she met
through dancing) are avid swing dancers.
The Dancing Brain
How might ballroom dancing help the brain? Verghese outlines three
possibilities:
- Increased blood flow to the brain from the physical exercise
- Less stress, depression, and loneliness from dancing's social aspect
- Mental challenges (memorizing steps, working with your partner)
"Dance, in many ways, is a complex activity. It's not just purely
physical," says Verghese.
Check Your Ego at the Door
Here's some advice for beginners from New York dance therapist Jane Wilson
Cathcart, LMSW, ADTR, CMA:
- Look for a good teacher who emphasizes what you can do, not your limits.
- Don't be a perfectionist about it.
- Don't worry about your size. Dance is for everyone.
- Get into the music, as well as the movement.
"Take in all the good feedback you're getting and give your inner judge
a couple of dollars to go to the movies," says Cathcart.
"We are usually our own worst critic," says Cathcart. "Think of
how many other times your critical judge has limited you from doing
something."
New skills can bring confidence. At parties and social events, dancers may
head to the dance floor feeling good about themselves without a martini's
encouragement, Richards jokes.
"Lay the pathwork of positivity through it," says Cathcart. "The
coolest dance begins with one step. The rest will follow."
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/dancing-your-way-to-better-health
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