Monday, January 7, 2008
Last Chance to see Riverdance
In case you want to see Riverdance to get an idea of what clogging is or just for a great entertainment event, it will be closing soon. Get inspired to learn to dance for great exercise. You'll lose weight, be more fit and have fun doing it!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Have Fun While You Exercise!
We all know that we should exercise for our health but for most people, it is a challenge to do it consistently. And consistency is the key for continued benefit. Here's the good news!!! Dancing is great fun and qualifies as an aerobic activity!!! Just look at the stars on Dancing with the Stars - WOW! Well, admittedly they were probably in pretty good shape to start with - being "stars" and all.
Depending on your interests, there are many types of dance to choose from. Obviously the more energetic the dance, the more calories you'll burn and the better the cardiac "workout" you'll get. But remember that the important thing about any fitness program is to "just DO it!! and do it consistently and for long term. So take your pick of dance styles and get moving. You'll have so much fun, it won't feel like exercise.
For my own dancing and exercise story (in my younger days - remember I'm a baby boomer), I learned to clog and then taught clogging for a couple of years. For those of you who don't know about clogging, the foot movements are very similar to the dance style of Michael Flatley - Lord of the Dance. Cloggers do some pretty fancy footwork, but don't hold their arms as stiff as the Flatley dancers. Anyway, I got hooked on clogging and danced probably for 5 years, losing a good 20 pounds without even thinking about it in the first few months of dancing. AND there were cloggers in our group who were still clogging in their 70's, though not quite as energetic as the youngsters. I moved away from my clogging group and have not yet clogged again, but every time I hear music we danced to, I can still do a few of the steps.
If clogging is not your "cup of tea", then think about the other options of dance. Ballroom, club or disco, country western, folk, Latin (salsa, cha cha), swing, rhythm and blues. While many dance styles require a partner, like ballroom or swing dancing, square or round dancing of the country western venue, there are options for those without a partner. Clogging, folk and belly dancing, country Western line dancing do not require a partner. And of course anyone can get up on a dance floor to most styles of dance and just "boogie" with the crowd. A single person can find other singles looking to dance at local dance studios and clubs, community and senior centers, schools and universities. Not only may you find a dance partner, but social interaction during the breaks is a great motivator to continue the activity.
So now we know we can have fun exercising for cardiac health and weight control. A study by The New England Journal of Medicine in June, 2003 found that dancing reduced the risk of various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's. The mental effort required to learn, remember and associate dance steps to the rhythm of the music is a form of mental exercise that reduces the risk of dementia. Another great reason to get into the dancing scene.
Depending on your interests, there are many types of dance to choose from. Obviously the more energetic the dance, the more calories you'll burn and the better the cardiac "workout" you'll get. But remember that the important thing about any fitness program is to "just DO it!! and do it consistently and for long term. So take your pick of dance styles and get moving. You'll have so much fun, it won't feel like exercise.
For my own dancing and exercise story (in my younger days - remember I'm a baby boomer), I learned to clog and then taught clogging for a couple of years. For those of you who don't know about clogging, the foot movements are very similar to the dance style of Michael Flatley - Lord of the Dance. Cloggers do some pretty fancy footwork, but don't hold their arms as stiff as the Flatley dancers. Anyway, I got hooked on clogging and danced probably for 5 years, losing a good 20 pounds without even thinking about it in the first few months of dancing. AND there were cloggers in our group who were still clogging in their 70's, though not quite as energetic as the youngsters. I moved away from my clogging group and have not yet clogged again, but every time I hear music we danced to, I can still do a few of the steps.
If clogging is not your "cup of tea", then think about the other options of dance. Ballroom, club or disco, country western, folk, Latin (salsa, cha cha), swing, rhythm and blues. While many dance styles require a partner, like ballroom or swing dancing, square or round dancing of the country western venue, there are options for those without a partner. Clogging, folk and belly dancing, country Western line dancing do not require a partner. And of course anyone can get up on a dance floor to most styles of dance and just "boogie" with the crowd. A single person can find other singles looking to dance at local dance studios and clubs, community and senior centers, schools and universities. Not only may you find a dance partner, but social interaction during the breaks is a great motivator to continue the activity.
So now we know we can have fun exercising for cardiac health and weight control. A study by The New England Journal of Medicine in June, 2003 found that dancing reduced the risk of various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's. The mental effort required to learn, remember and associate dance steps to the rhythm of the music is a form of mental exercise that reduces the risk of dementia. Another great reason to get into the dancing scene.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)