Dance-inspired workouts

Q: I enjoy dancing and started taking a dance group exercise class twice a week. Each class lasts about an hour and we move the entire time, leaving me exhausted at the end. Compared with other types of cardio activities such as the treadmill or biking, could I just use my dance class as my cardiovascular workout, or would I need to do more?

A: Dancing is an excellent form of exercise and is becoming increasingly popular thanks to television shows featuring dancing, and DVDs, videos and group exercise classes focusing on dance-inspired workouts.

Dance styles ranging from ballroom and Latin dance to hip-hop, funk and many more are being used to give exercisers a workout that’s both challenging and fun. The moves done while dancing are definitely beneficial cardiovascular exercise, and how much you challenge yourself will determine how many calories you burn.

On average, a dance class where you move the entire time can burn 300-400 calories for a 55-minute class. This is a great cardiovascular workout because you use your entire body and move constantly.

Many people are able to keep their heart rate elevated throughout a dance group-exercise class because they’re not thinking about exercising but just having fun. Also, the challenge of learning new dance styles and choreography keeps participants excited.

Dancing is a great workout, BUT it cannot be the only type of exercise in which you participate. Since you attend class twice a week, you would still need to exercise an additional two to three days a week. This should include some type of strength training and additional cardiovascular workouts.

A balanced workout is important for promoting overall fitness and would include at least four days a week of cardiovascular exercise and at least three days a week of strength and flexibility training.

Keep dancing your way to a fit lifestyle.