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| Dance
yourself fit |
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 Most
of us want to stay fit, but exercise can be dull. If you
are not the type who likes to pump iron in the gym, sweat
it out pounding the pavements or swim length after boring
length in your local pool, how are you going to hone your
figure the way you want it? By dancing, that’s how.
One of the smartest ways to exercise, say sports psychologists,
is to do it while also doing something you enjoy, such
as dancing. You’re not only more likely to do it
for longer but more likely to do it more intensely. Singing
and bopping along while your favourite performer’s
CD is on the player is one way of doing it. But better
still is to enrol in a dance class.
Great for kicking those calories is the sexy salsa, the
Latin dance craze that first hit Britain in the mid-70s.
It’s a heady fusion of Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances
performed to hot rhythms. Over the past few years it’s
become much more mainstream and hugely popular, with classes
and salsa nights now widely available.
It’s super-sociable and sexy and offers one hot workout.
Generally, it’s pretty energetic and involves lots
of steps and turns so you’ll get an aerobic workout
doing it. How many calories you burn depends entirely
on how long and how intensely you do it, as with any exercise.
To really see the fat-blasting effects though you need
to do it non-stop for at least 20-30 minutes at a time,
intensively and regularly, at least a few times a week.
Salsa specifically focuses on moving the hips from side
to side and turning. Rotating the torso is something most
people neglect in their workouts.
“Our bodies are designed to twist and turn,”
says Nick Hudson, head trainer at Holmes Place Academy.
“These days we lead sedentary lifestyles, which means
we don’t work the muscles that rotate our spines
enough, which can make us prone to injury. Salsa is a
good way of gently waking these torso muscles up and helps
to lightly tone your midriff as well as your legs.”
 If
salsa doesn’t sound like your thing, there are loads
of other dance styles which you may find more appealing,
each one working on your body in a different way but all
brilliant at keeping you trim and healthy.
Tap is tipped to be the next big thing. It’s energetic
and exuberant fun. Belly dancing has soared in popularity
lately as a glamorous way to exercise, plus you get to
wear sexy outfits. Ballet is the latest keep fit craze
of the stars, jazz is young and funky, while flamenco
will allow you to stamp your feet in fiery passion.
Check out what’s on offer in your area by looking
in a local further education prospectus. It is a good
place to start and costs are always affordable. |
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