We all know we need to exercise but working out at a gym can be intimidating, boring or expensive. Plus, with all equipment, the weights and all the different advice on working out, it’s hard to know what to do. But imagine if you could get the recommended amount of exercise, stay injury free and see results without ever having to walk into another gym. It may seem like a far off thought but ballroom dancing has several health benefits for you and it doesn’t require equipment, weights, or boring cardio sessions on the elliptical. Here are four health benefits that you’ll see if you participate in regular ballroom dancing sessions.

1) Burn the fat and the calories – with all the turning, stepping and maneuvering around the dance floor, you’ll sweat, burn calories and loose weight over time. And since there are so many different types of dances you’ll keep having fun while you’re loosing weight. If you spent just an hour last Friday night at the dance studio you could burn anywhere between 350-400 calories.

2) Be able to touch your toes – getting more flexible isn’t a benefit that is usually associated with ballroom dancing but many of the dance steps call for moves that require you to bend and stretch. As such, many classes will start with a few stretching exercises and each week you’ll see you’ll be able to move a little deeper into those dance moves.

3) Build strength and endurance – the rhythm of the songs, dancing with a partner, or showing the moves you’ve learned are all reasons why you keep dancing song after song. Before you know it, you’ve danced for 45 minutes straight. Ballroom dancing is a great way to get stronger muscles, build endurance and stay healthy.

4) Stay mentally strong – The constant mental activity that goes into learning new routines, performing a new dance or getting to interact with others all help sharpen your intellectual and mental abilities. Ballroom dancing can help create more neural pathways that ward off neural damages that occurs with aging.

It’s easy to get caught up in the fun that you’re having at the dance floor and forgot how beneficial it is to your health. More and more benefits are becoming more widely known, with more and more evidence showing that ballroom dancing is one of the few workouts that exercises your mind, body and soul.Contact us for more information on how ballroom dancing can change your health.