People Prefer Exercising on the Dance Floor Than at the Gym

More and more people prefer staying active by taking dancing classes or other such exercising methods which involve dancing, over working out in a gym. Polly de Mille, exercise physiologist at the Women's Sports Medicine Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery believes that the fast growing number of people who like to regularly go dancing than exercise in a gym chose this activity because they enjoy it more and because it offers them the chance to socialize more. Therefore, people do not go dancing simply because they have to keep healthy and fit; they go on the dancing floor because they enjoy moving their bodies to the rhythm.

"The best exercise program is one that is safe, balanced, promotes fitness and importantly, one people will do regularly because they enjoy it. The social aspects of dance help to make it very attractive for an increasing number of people versus, say, an elliptical training machine. Scientific studies are now also telling us that many things make dancing an excellent fitness regimen with attractive benefits," the exercise physiologist pointed out.

People who go to the gym in order to keep in shape often listen to music from headphones or do some other solitary activities while doing weight lifting and other aerobic or non-aerobic activities. They exercise their bodies, but they fail to keep in touch with the others and feel good while sweating at the gym. On the other hand, people who dance get the chance of socializing by meeting new people, talking or dancing with them etc.

"Those working out in gyms are often plugged into their iPods or their reading material, following their own regimen. Those dancing, however, are often moving in unison, possibly facing one another or touching, and having a communal experience. Connection and cooperation with others is integral to the experience," Polly de Mille noted.

Dancing helps people maintain a good and correct posture and balance, suggests Beth Shubin Stein, M.D., an assistant attending orthopedic surgeon at the Women's Sports Medicine Center, Hospital for Special Surgery. She also adds that dancing is as beneficial for keeping the body fit and toned as working out: "Dance is also a great aerobic workout and in addition tones many different muscle groups."

The conclusion than would be: go dancing, feel the rhythm, keep your body and your mind healthy!