Dancing is a great way for people of
all ages to get and stay in shape. Besides being fun, dancing has many positive
health benefits. Following are the top 4 health benefits of dance.
1.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an important part of
being healthy. Dance requires a great amount of flexibility. Most dance classes
begin with a warm-up including several stretching exercises. Dancers must
strive to achieve full range of motion for all the major muscle groups. The
greater the range of motion, the more muscles can flex and extend. Most forms
of dance require dancers to perform moves that require bending and stretching,
so dancers naturally become more flexible by simply dancing.
2.
Strength
Strength is defined as the ability of a
muscle to exert a force against resistance. Dancing builds strength by forcing
the muscles to resist against a dancer's own body weight. Many styles of dance,
including jazz and ballet, require jumping and leaping high into the
air. Jumping and leaping require tremendous strength of the major leg muscles.
Ballroom dancing builds strength. Consider the muscle mass a male ballroom dance
develops by lifting his partner above his head!
3.
Endurance
Dance is physical exercise. Exercise
increases endurance. Endurance is the ability of muscles to work hard for
increasingly longer periods of time without fatigue. Regular dancing is great
for improving endurance, especially vigorous dancing such as line and ballroom
dancing . Elevating the heart rate can increase stamina. Just as in any form of
exercise, regular dancing will build endurance.
4.
Sense of Well-Being
Dancing is a social activity. Studies
have shown that strong social ties and socializing with friends contribute to
high self-esteem and a positive outlook. Dancing provides many opportunities to
meet other people. Joining a dance class can increase
self-confidence and build social skills. Because physical activity reduces
stress and tension, regular dancing gives an overall sense of well-being.