In these columns of ‘Life & Leisure’ today, we feature for you the introduction to Aerobics on page 36 (opposite this page) and also the man who first introduced Aerobics to the world.
That is just the start to this amazing exercise routine that is now a way of life as well as a part of well-being that has even extended to a type of tourism, with the world connecting not for travel but for fitness. As much as the fitness conscious that gather at these fitness centres for the general wellbeing, there are also the Ayurvedha centres sprouting up all over our country promoting yoga, meditation and exercises in various forms for the fitness conscious conducted even by way of Hotel Retreats. Basically this is all for the well-being of self.
Today Tourism, travel and wellbeing, fitness are all intertwined.
With this introduction to keeping fit in the fun way, Aerobic dances and their benefits, we will feature here in the weeks to come people and places that will highlight on keeping fit not only for travel but for the betterment of life ….
Dancing to stay fit is fun. There are various types of aerobic dances that can help you shed those extra pounds, improve flexibility and balance, and boost fitness. They are way better than doing monotonous gym activities. Moreover, a workout does not feel like a struggle when you incorporate an aerobic dance routine. You will only get healthier and fitter and learn to love the process.
Pick an aerobic dance form without further ado. Such dance forms effectively burn 300-500 calories in an hour, improve metabolism, reduce stress, whittle away excess fat, and boost your mood. Perform this dance form 3-4 times a week, and you will start seeing the results in a month.
Read on to learn about the many types of aerobic dance forms you can choose from.
Workout Blueprint: Aerobic Dances
• Frequency: 3-4 times a week
• Benefits: Increase blood circulation, aid weight loss, reduce stress, and boost energy and mood.
• Equipment Needed: No
• Space Required: Large space
• Assistance Required: Yes, for certain moves
• Who Should Avoid: Anyone with a chronic medical condition or joint or mobility issue.
What is Aerobics dancing?
When we speak of aerobics dancing, we are referring to ballet, jazz, Zumba, and so much more. They are usually called workouts with low impact because they are slow-paced compared to other aerobic workouts. Because of this, they are great options for pregnant women, elderly persons, and those with obesity. Aerobic dancing is a great way to get fit with some fun, so you look forward to your regular workout schedule. Aerobic dance, in contrast to traditional workouts, involves rhythm and music, making training a pleasurable experience. Additionally, the social element of dance fosters community engagement and support, further encouraging participation.
However, it isn’t necessary that an aerobic dance always has to be of low impact! You can also find some cool aerobics videos that promote high-intensity and healthy workouts for your body. It will rejuvenate your system, increase blood circulation, and make you feel good from the inside. These activities may help reduce anxiety and depression through the release of endorphins. You can also include hip-hop cardio workouts, step aerobics, country line dance workouts, Capoeira workouts, Irish dance workouts, Flamenco dance workouts, Swing dance workouts, and Ballet-inspired workouts. You are not restricted to following just one type either, you can mix and match for a customized workout session that caters to your needs. With that said, let’s go through the different types of aerobic dances making waves these days. So read up, enjoy and try to incorporate these exercises into your workout regimen!
Key Takeaways
• Aerobic dance is a fun daily workout that can burn 300-500 calories in an hour.
• There are low-impact and high-impact aerobic dance forms such as Zumba, jazzercise, ball dance, belly dance, and masala bhangra.
• Aerobics strengthens and tones the muscles, improves blood circulation, and provides overall fitness.
• Along with the physical benefits, this workout is also rejuvenating for the mind and helps reduce stress.
• Beginners should start at a slow pace and slowly bring up their energy level. Always begin with a warm-up exercise and end with stretching exercises.
Best Aerobic dance workouts:
There are so many of us ladies who would like to try aerobic dances, but are just unable to find the right class. There are so many others who don’t have enough time to reach a fitness studio and workout every day. There is no need to worry at all! Here are some cool aerobic workout videos that will tone your body and reduce body fat drastically!
Ballroom dancing
Although ballroom dancing might not be the most strenuous aerobic dance to do, it is surely full of benefits. It is a moderate activity and is popular throughout the world. The only downside with this dance form is that you cannot do it alone. You need a partner for ballroom dance workouts. Once you have found someone to dance with, you are surely going to have a great experience.
Following are some of the benefits you will find in ballroom dancing! Some will be a surprise for all those who underestimated ballroom dancing because of how slow it looks.
Tones your muscles:
Many of you might have been thinking that the workout is easy and doesn’t do much.
But that is not true. With ballroom dancing, you can tone those muscles and lose body fat quicker than you imagined. Your hands, shoulders, legs, and thighs will become tighter if you attend ballroom dancing classes on a regular basis.
Burns Calories:
Ballroom dancing burns a lot of calories. Within 30 minutes, you will be able to burn around 200 to 400 calories (3).
It all depends upon the intensity of the workout. So if you would like to lose some weight, do make it a point to attend these classes four times a week.
The fat will be melting off your body in no time, and you will be in your best shape faster than you had thought!
Makes You Confident:
Did you know that fun aerobic dances such as ballroom dancing make you feel confident and happy? Yes! The more you dance, the happier you feel! Not just that, you find expression in what you do and feel stress-free at the same time. If you are someone who deals with a whole lot of pressure at work, ballroom dancing is just the thing for it. It is stress-busting, energy-boosting, and super fun.
Great for bones:
Most experts have said that ballroom dancing increases your bone density and improves joint flexibility. You will feel stronger and fitter with the help of ballroom dancing.
Quick Tip
Ensure you wear two-inch closed-toe shoes for ballroom dancing. These shoes are specifically designed to provide arch support and help you move smoothly across the dance floor.
Belly dancing
Belly Dancing is beautiful and exotic. It emerged from Arabic countries such as Egypt and Turkey several decades ago. The name is entirely western and is a solo dance form where torso articulation is a must. There are different forms of belly dancing, and they all have unique styles. It does fall under the category of aerobic dances and is used these days in fitness classes too.
Belly dancing also has a host of benefits! Here they are:
Helps you experience the spirit:
With belly dancing, you will be able to discover the excitement and color of this exotic and bright dance form. It will surely be a new experience for you!
Improves Your Fitness Level:
Belly dancing also takes care of your fitness level. You will be able to learn the art of dancing and improve your strength. If you are someone who takes time to pick up steps, this will teach you how to stay patient. Even coordination can be learned and taught through this. Isn’t that cool?
Zumba
The first and most interesting kind of Aerobic Dance is Zumba. It is a great fitness program that combines Latin, International, and Salsa music with some amazing and fun-filled dance moves. You will find interval training, resistance training, and strength training.
There will be slow and fast rhythms alternating throughout so that you can keep burning calories.
A survey conducted on 1488 participants found that Zumba is among the top physical activities liked by Americans. 88% of the respondents had heard of it while 41% reported liking it. Women (46%) were more inclined towards Zumba than men (35%). Further, Zumba is popular among 51% of millennials, 35% of baby boomers, and 33% of Gen X.
Zumba is not just for people who can dance. Anybody can practice it! The steps are simple yet heart-pumping and fun. Not only will you enjoy the workout but also shed those extra kilos sooner than you can imagine.
Tones Your Entire Body:
Zumba is known today for toning your body in the most fun and effective way possible. It will engage all your muscles and make sure all the popular muscle-building moves, such as squats and lunges, find a place. It will tighten and tone your body from head to foot.
Gives You Great Results:
Zumba will also give you great results in a very short period.
There are many women who have lost over 50 pounds by doing Zumba and claim that it is one of the best cardio dance workouts.
A lot of them have also said that they would choose dancing over the gym any day.
Great For All Ages:
Zumba is great for women of all ages. You don’t have to do this alone. Get a hold of all your girlfriends and work out with them. If you are a mother, use this as an opportunity to bond with your little one. The two of you can melt fat like it’s no big deal with the help of Aerobic dance.
Reduces Stress:
Zumba is not just about losing weight. If you are someone who lives a sedentary lifestyle, Zumba will be a refreshing change for you with its psychological and social benefits (1). You are going to fall in love with Zumba, and there will be no turning back.
Easy To Find:
Zumba is very easy to find. Almost every metropolitan city in the world today has Zumba classes. If you find it difficult to travel to one, don’t stress! Grab a DVD. You can order it online or pick it up from a music store. Working out has never been this fun!
Did You Know?
Zumba was founded by Colombian dancer Alberto ‘Beto’ Perez in 2001.
Jazzercise
Who wants to have fun while working out? We all do! And this is what Jazzercise will do. It will work all those bulky sections of your body and help you achieve your fitness goals. Famous since the 1970s, this workout is effective, heart-rate elevating, and has a great combination of cardio and resistance training. There are over 78,000 Jazzercise instructors today, and almost every country conducts weekly classes on Jazzercise.
Here are a few benefits that should convince you to try Jazzercise.
Reduces The Risk Of Heart Disease:
Jazzercise may reduce the risk of heart disease or heart attack. Every class is about 60 minutes long.
Gives energy:
You will begin to have more energy in your body when you use Jazzercise. And this is something you need to feel yourself. When you spend an hour on Jazzercise, you are not just going to sweat like crazy but also improve your performance at your workplace. You will see how great it is!
Works for everyone:
Jazzercise is great for people belonging to all fitness levels. Regardless of whether you are a teenager or a young adult, or even a middle-aged woman, you can practice Jazzercise. Don’t ever hesitate to try Jazzercise. You will be amazed at what it can do for your health and body.
Gives a whole body workout:
Jazzercise routines take care of every muscle section of your body. Whether it is your abs, glutes, arms, and inner thighs, you will tone all of that with the help of this amazing routine.
Makes you happy:
Jazzercise also makes you a happier person. Your stress levels dip, and you feel so much lighter and relaxed. Attending Jazzercise classes five times a week does the trick!
Note: These benefits are mostly based on anecdotal evidence as research is limited on this exercise type.
Aqua Dance
Aqua dance, also known as water aerobics or aqua dance aerobics, combines dance movements and choreography with the resistance and buoyancy of water. It’s a popular low-impact workout option and is ideal for people at different fitness levels and those with joint pain or injuries.
Masala Bhangra
India is a diverse country where numerous cultures coexist. The country is known for its culture, religions, languages, ethnicity, cuisine, and of course, dances! One of the most popular dances which falls under the category of aerobics is Masala Bhangra, a Bollywood dance fitness routine. This dance form is cool, fun, exciting, and something that will make you love it. It originated in Punjab ages ago and is the cultural dance of the state.
Here are a few benefits that should convince you to try Masala Bhangra:
Masala Bhangra is full of fun. The beats and peppy tunes will make you enjoy dancing more than you can imagine.
If you have been looking for a good dance party, there cannot be a better option than this! You could easily join a dance class in your city or even purchase a DVD that teaches you Masala Bhangra.
Helps you lose weight:
Here comes Masala Bhangra, one of the best aerobics dances to lose weight. People, who have incorporated this dance form, tend to lose weight pretty fast. It can burn up to 500 calories in an hour. You can also burn more calories through high-impact dance routines.
Tones your body:
This dance form can also help you tone several muscle sections in your body. There is no reason you should ignore this!
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Benefits of Aerobic Dances
Dancing is a fun way to stay fit, and it allows you the room to experiment with different types of dancing. Dancing improves your balance and boosts fitness. Check out the infographic below about the benefits of aerobic dances.
Aerobics keep you fit and flexible in a fun way. One of the most effective, and fun, ways to burn calories is to strictly follow a dance for weight loss workout like Zumba, jazzercise, ballroom dancing, and belly dance. These dance workouts keep you healthy and active while having fun. Catering to different styles and genres of dance, this helps stretch your body, tone, your muscles and improve flexibility overall. Just like any workout, warming up before your dance practice and staying hydrated is important to make the most of it. Courtesy – Stylecraze
