Are you bored of your gym routine, intense workouts and looking for an interesting way to lose those extra pounds? Then it’s time to take up dancing.

Dance, the ancient art form has evolved over many centuries. Today it is not unusual to find people dancing just for happiness, for stress free life, as a hobby or just as a pass time. So, the next time you get invited to join a Zumba class or a salsa to match steps with your partner, grab it right away for health reasons.

Though there are several dance forms, few styles include intense activities that are like gym workouts. In this article, read more on how regular dancing helps you in losing weight and in being fit.

Zumba:

Zumba involves fast paced aerobic movements that have cardio effect. Zumba moves are a mixture of hip-hop, samba, salsa involving squats and lunging. The steps are easy to perform and strengthen arms, abs and legs besides toning the lower body and in providing overall fitness. Practice Zumba 2 to 3 days a week for losing weight.

Salsa:

If you are planning to involve your partner in your fitness journey, go for salsa. It involves swaying, bending, fast swirls, that require a great amount of eye and hand coordination with your partner. It typically consists six steps over eight counts of music including turns and side by side dance. Practicing salsa for an hour daily can burn up to 420 calories. If you want to lose weight faster, do salsa 5 times a week.

Hip Hop Abs:

It is a unique dance form where the dance moves are targeted at shaping and toning your abs. Hip Hop abs help you in losing fat and building washboard abs. The moves are a combination of intense cardio and doesn’t involve any floor exercises or crunches.

Belly Dance:

Belly dancing is quite exotic, and it involves in toning tummy, abs, hips and back. Vigorous shaking of the belly reduces fat in abdominal region and thighs and shapes up the buttocks. Belly dancing is recommended for those suffering from back pain as it improves posture, less stressful on the bones. It is a great workout regimen as it burns around 300 calories in an hour.

Indian Dance Forms:

Our Indian dance forms too are not far behind in helping you achieve your fitness goals. Go for Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi or any other classical Indian style to improve your cardiovascular health, toning abs, calf muscles and thighs. In fact, a ten-minute practice of Indian dance form is equivalent to an hour of gym workout as it involves whole body movement including torso, neck, face and feet.