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The following was reprinted from January 1994
Mayo
Clinic Health Letter, with permission of Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
SOCIAL DANCING
Jass up your fitness routine with a regular dose
of dance.
Evelyn resolved that in 1994 she'd exercise regularly.
But it's only the beginning of the New Year and she's already bored with
her new stationary bike. The rowing machine and treadmill at the YWCA also
hold little appeal.
When a friend coaxed her to go along for an evening
of free dance lessons, she realized exercise doesn't have to be a chore.
It's true. Whether you're swirling across the floor
to a Strauss waltz or doing do-si-dos to the commands of a square dance
caller, you’re getting exercise - and probably having fun too.
Dancing pairs you up with more than a partner.
From burning calories to socializing with friends,
dancing offers these health benefits:
-
Calories - Dancing can burn as many
calories as walking, swimming or riding a bicycle. During a half hour of
sustained dancing you can burn between 200 and 400 calories.
One factor that determines how many calories you'll
expend is distance. In one study, researchers attached pedometers to square
dancers and found each person covered nearly five miles in a single evening.
-
Cardiovascular conditioning - Regular
exercise can lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and an improved
cholesterol profile.
Experts typically recommend 30 to 40 minutes of
continuous activity three to four times a week. Dancing may not provide
all the conditions you need, but it can help. The degree of cardiovascular
conditioning depends on how vigorously you dance, how long you dance continuously
and how regularly you do it.
-
Strong bones - The
side to side movements of many dances strengthen your weight bearing bones
(tibia, fibula, and femur) and can help prevent or slow loss of bone mass
(osteoporosis).
-
Rehabilitation - If you are recovering
from heart or knee surgery, movement may be part of your rehabilitation.
Dancing is a positive alternative to aerobic dancing or jogging.
-
Sociability - Dancing contains a social
component that solitary fitness endeavors don't. It gives you an opportunity
to develop strong social ties which contribute to self-esteem and a positive
outlook.
Would you like to dance?
Tomorrow night when you consider settling down for
a little television, turn on the music instead. After a few spins around
the living room, you'll have so much fun you may forget you're exercising.
The following are excerpts printed from the USDA
News, reprinted from Dancing News of Central Florida and THE CALLER of
Memphis, TN.