Folk Dance for Health
by Rick Allen, DC, for RJ Dance Studio
http://www.rjdance.com/pg-health.htmDance is a great form of exercise while allowing you to be as energetic as you like. Some estimate social levels of dancing to burn 100 to 400 calories per hour, while competitive dancers burn more than 600 calories per hour. Two to three hours of continuous dancing can give you an excellent low-impact aerobic workout. Dancing is also a fun substitute for boring exercise programs designed for recovering surgery and heart patients.
If you are to dance well, it requires good posture, which helps you breath better, walk better, and look and feel younger!
Finally, dancing is one of the few activities men and women can enjoy together. It's a great way to meet people, make new friends, and interact socially. Dancers are the nicest people!
Other benefits of dancing include
- Lowers blood pressure
- Increases circulation
- Increases capacity of lungs for better respiratory function
- Slows degenerative changes in skeletal structure
- Increases flexibility and function of joints
- Increases muscle tone
- Sharpens coordination, balance, and reaction time
- Improves internal organ functions through better posture
- Improves mental health through reduced stress and depression
- Improves sleep
- Increases vigor
- Helps overcome social awkwardness
Used with permission.