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Dancing Your Way to Fitness?

A Health Message from Wagoner Community Hospital

(July 2011) If you've been intrigued by those dance games on the popular video gaming systems, you are not alone. These games are extremely popular among players of all ages. But, can you really consider them exercise?

The dance video games are a form of exercise and can be a great substitute for your normal walk, jog or bicycle ride on days when scorching temperatures make you hate the idea of leaving your air conditioned home. Just by getting up on your feet, you use your core muscles and burn more calories than you do sitting or reclining. But, don't just stand there. The more you move, the greater the exercise benefits you'll receive.

Follow these tips to get the most out of dancing your way to health.

The best exercise is the one you will do on a consistent basis. If you don't enjoy the exercise, you'll find ways to get out of doing it until your exercise routine is forgotten along with the New Year's Resolution that sparked it. So find a form of exercise that you actually enjoy.

Keep dancing. Health professional encourage people to exercise most days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. So, if you want to get a serious workout, plan to dance at least 30 minutes. If you're sharing the game system with others, allow each dancer to compete for 10-15 minutes before changing places with an observer.
Move your entire body. Some game systems score based on the movements of the controller you hold in your hand. Others monitor the whole body when scoring. Regardless of which system you have, keep your whole body in motion.

Start sweating. The activity you are doing should be vigorous enough to increase your heart rate and cause you to break a sweat. You should be able to talk while exercising, but it should require some extra effort.
Pay attention to your body. Talk to your health provider or exercise physiologist if you need to modify your exercise program because of a pre-existing injury or health condition. If you haven't been exercising regularly, visit with your doctor first to make sure you are healthy enough to tolerate exercise and follow your health provider's recommendations on starting slowly and building up your endurance.
Involve the family. Don't hide your new dance moves from the family. Get everyone involved in dancing and other forms of regular exercise.

It's easy to get bored with your exercise routine so mix things up a bit. If you really enjoy dancing, use your video game system to work out a couple of days a week. Summer time is also a great time to take your exercise routine to the pool. Whether you love or hate the hot weather, it's important to find an activity to keep moving through the summer months. Gyms and fitness centers provide air conditioned comfort for workouts, and malls remain popular among walkers. And, if next winter brings a repeat of this year's blizzard conditions, dancing in front of the television may be just what you need in the winter months as well.

Dancing Your Way to Fitness?

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