How to Dance to Lose Weight

Dancing is not only a great way to have fun at home or out with friends, but it can also help you lose weight. When you dance you can add some joy to your workout as you shake what you've got and twist and shake away the calories. Follow these steps to make sure you get the most weight loss from your dance routine.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Research types of dance to find out which you like best and are most likely to stick with. Think about what type of music you like as part of your decision.
2. Understand the benefits of the types of dancing you plan to do. More active options include salsa or hip-hop, which can burn a large amount of calories, and slower options include ballroom or jazz, which still burn calories and provide aerobic activity. Ballet is a good way to increase your flexibility.
3. Look for classes or DVDs to teach you more about how to perform the dances. Read online reviews and call local studios to see if they have introductory options so you can try different styles to make sure you like them. Include dance at least once a week if you are doing another type of cardiovascular workout two or three other days during the week. Or, just use dance as your aerobics and do that for at least 20 minutes a day, three to four days a week.
4. Mix the types of dance you do to gain the most benefit. There are varying degrees of muscle use and activity levels depending on what dance you do. Doing more than one type of dance can work out different muscle groups.
5. Combine other types of workouts with dance to help you lose the most weight you can. Dance uses muscles, but not in the same way that lifting weights does so make sure you keep this a part of your weekly workouts. Also include pilates and yoga to ensure flexibility.

Tips & Warnings

• Go unstructured and dance on your own to lose weight. Just make sure you keep moving at a quick pace for at least 20 minutes.
• Make dancing a game while you lose weight. Play Dance Dance Revolution (made for Playstation) at home or at an arcade.
• Warm up before and stretch after you dance to prevent injury. It is still a workout that strains your body even though it is more fun than other workouts.