Fitness: Music, Dance & Exercise

Have you reached a stage when you realize that the feet-stomping, heart-wrenching, muscle-squeezing workouts are just not for you? But you still need to feel the heavy pulse, the rhythm and beat as well as have your heart pound and recover with the satisfaction of having worked out. Do you have the urge to exercise but don't want to do it alone? Or may be you find exercising tedious and boring? Well, the answer might lie in learning how to dance!

Yes, dance can perk up your routine, get rid of the tedium and most importantly, help you stay in shape. Moreover, since it is a skill, it is something you can take home with you. As with learning any new skill, it does take a while to perfect and get a complete workout, so you might like to overlap your current routine till you get the hang of things and it becomes a part of you.

What can dance do?

Dance, like any other movement, involves not only motion in the physical sense but also hones the kinesthetic senses, taking motion through space and time. Dance also develops a sense of getting your mind to work in synchronization with your body, for an outcome that is both perfect and harmonious. Of course, what you do require is a keen spatial awareness with which, the nuances of each movement only get better. As your neural pathways begin to interweave all these senses together you will begin to enjoy the power of your body and mind at work, in dance.

Since dance involves the limbs, heart and lungs, it is considered an aerobic workout, sometimes even making demands on the anaerobic system, with high intensity moves like jumps, leaps and moving in different planes. Thus, like any aerobic movement, it does eat up calories and tones up the involved muscles, mostly in the lower limbs. With regular dance, and depending on the kind of dance you learn, it also helps develop the stabilizer muscles in the midsection.

Getting started

Find yourself a good qualified trainer failing which, you needn't despair! Put on a good pair of shoes, clothes you can breathe in and invest in a good music system and go for it! Blast the music, close your eyes and find the rhythm in you - it's got to be there somewhere. Try doing this in front of a mirror and you will be amazed at the way you can move.

One essential requisite is that you have to be willing to let go and throw all your inhibitions to the winds. That will give you the ability to adapt better to the music and actually enhance your dancing skills

Whom to dance with?

Dance can be done alone, with a partner or in a group. It can be learnt for the pure joy of the activity, as a social skill or to develop confidence and poise. Dancing alone can be therapeutic but some dance forms involve partners. Finding a partner can be either cumbersome or a delight! Choose someone who shares your enthusiasm & joie de vivre and watch magic happen.

The role of music

You may be a perfect dancer but if the music doesn't complement your dance, it will not have the desired effect. Music has the power to impact your mood, your movements, and your ability to relax or get stressed. But each person reacts to the same music differently and not all music has the same effect on you.

Choose your music depending on the kind of workout you have planned. Pick the music with the right number of beats to enable to rock your spirits or calm you down, whatever the case may be. Say, for example, you are in the mood to do a cardio workout and you choose a slow, soothing soul number, you will land up getting no workout, leaving you frustrated.

Those who are musically inclined can almost know when to put their foot down in synch with the next beat. So take some time out to choose your music before you actually start to workout to save time and frustrating moments.

Caution

High intensity dance may not your cup of tea if you are overweight or obese or have joint problems. Also avoid them if you are not used to regular working out or exercising either your heart or muscles. Most dance-for-fitness classes have options wherein you do not have to perform all the moves beyond your capability or at the same intensity.

So if you find doing exercise long and boring, add a bit of dance to your routine and see the difference. It will add life and vigor to your workout, making it fun and enjoyable. So what are you waiting for? Turn on your music system and get swinging.