Fitness Healts

Two new studies presented at a recent meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine indicate that you might just be able to dance your way to fitness and improved health.
Needless to say, this is great news for people who find traditional workout regimens boring and utterly lacking in entertainment value.
Dancing is an activity that has increased in popularity in recent years.
At the very least, watching dancing on television has positively soared in popularity and shows like “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Dancing with the Stars” have been consistent ratings-busters.
The first of the two studies was conducted on a group of 27 sedentary adults with an average age of 53. The participants, most of whom were women, were invited to a 12-week course on introductory ballroom dancing.
The course covered dances such as the cha-cha, the fox trot and the tango. The classes were designed to occupy normally sedentary time for the participants, with the aim of adding at least 2000 steps to their daily total.
The other study, conducted by researchers in Italy, focused on Salsa and the effect the dance had on the oxygen consumption and the heart rate of the dancers.
The study noted an increase in heart rate between 60% and 75%, coupled with a 50% increase in oxygen consumption, which translated into a pretty good workout.
While both studies established dancing as an effective alternative form of exercise, the researchers were quick to point out that it is important not to lose the benefits of dancing by consuming high-calorie snacks and drinks while partying.