FITNESS Q&A: ; Dancing Provides Never-Boring Exercise Option

By Cindy Boggs

Dear Cindy,

Just how beneficial is dancing? I am taking a ballroom dance class and wonder if it will keep me in shape. I am not really interested in treadmills and weights, so please don’t recommend I do that. But tell me if I’m kidding myself to think that dancing once or twice a week is sufficient to keep my 60-year-old body healthy? – Ann

Dear Ann,

Dancing is as physically beneficial as you make it. Like any other form of movement, it depends on how often you dance, how intensely you dance and how long you dance. The same would be true if you exercised on a treadmill; it is not the apparatus or the activity that determines the efficacy of a workout, but rather what you put into the apparatus or activity.

Your question is a great one, though. Far too often, people mistakenly believe that the only way to achieve health is to sweat on a treadmill or grunt in a gym. These are good options for those who enjoy it, but if you are forcing yourself into movement and activity that is unfulfilling, chances are you won’t stick with it.

The secret to an active life is finding something you love doing. What better choice than dance, which stimulates both the body and mind? There are so many types of dance, the choices are never ending and never boring. To name just a few, there’s swing, Latin, disco, line, salsa, belly, square, flamenco, jazz, tap, modern, ballet, folk, hip-hop, shag and tango.

Each style offers a unique feeling, intensity level and pattern of movement. Some dances are gentle and graceful while others can shake your soul. The variety of dance allows you to find a style that suits you, your personality and current capabilities.

Another enticing aspect of dance is you don’t have to be great to reap the benefits – just willing. Unlike some sports and other athletic activities, dance is suitable for all ages, sizes and shapes.

While younger people often dance regularly, increasing numbers of older adults are getting back into dance. Some who had formal dance lessons in ballet or tap are resuming lessons in the retirement years. Once you begin participating, age becomes inconsequential and the music continues to motivate and move you.

Dancing regularly, two to three times a week, will also improve coordination and balance and will enable you to enjoy many additional physical benefits such as:

* Increased bone density,

* Stronger muscles and improved stamina,

* Improved cardio-pulmonary function and blood circulation,

* Reduced risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes,

* Weight management – a 150-pound adult who dances for 30 minutes will burn about 150 calories, and

* Improved posture and body awareness.

There are also many valuable mental benefits such as:

* Reduced tension and stress,

* Decreased depression and increased confidence,

* Wider social circles with new friends, and

* Improved brain power and memory function.

I continually seek new activities capable of improving mind and body health such as dance. A spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise, Dr. Rita Beckford, published a 2003 study from the New England Journal of Medicine that showed less dementia in those who practiced ballroom dancing at least twice a week. Remarkably, research also showed some people with Alzheimer’s disease were able to recall forgotten memories when they danced to music they used to know.

The value of keeping the brain healthy can never be underestimated. Exercise in general increases the level of brain chemicals that encourage nerve cells to grow. Furthermore, dancing that requires you to remember dance steps, sequences and rhythm patterns boosts brain power by improving memory skills.

Ann, the bottom line is dancing is a great way to stay physically and mentally active. Look at a dancer. They’re usually graceful, lean and with impeccable posture. Dancing can be one of the best ways to unleash your spirit and exercise your soul – what could be better for anyone at any age.

Cindy Boggs, free-lance fitness professional and state state director of Activate America, has been an ACE-certified fitness coordinator/instructor at the Charleston Family YMCA since 1989. Have a question pertaining to health and/or fitness? E-mail cindysays@aol.com or visit her at www.cindysays.com.