Square Dancing will add ten years to your life, a surprising new study shows. Dr. Arron Blackburn states, "It's clear that square dancing is the perfect exercise. It combines all the positive aspects of intense physical activity with none of the negative elements."

Dr. Blackburn said square dancing is a low impact activity requiring constant movement and quick directional changes that help keep the body in shape.

The study was based on their physical examinations which indicated that both female and male square dancers could expect to live well into their "80's".

The square dance movements raise the heart rate like any good aerobic exercise should. All the quick changes of direction loosen and tone up the muscles - but not so severely as to cause injury. In square dancing, when you're not moving, you're clapping hands or tapping feet, which all contributes to long term fitness.

"You don't see a lot of 55 year old basketball players, but that's just the age when square dancers are hitting their peak", he said.

• * * * * * * * * * * E N D * * * * * * * * * * *