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The Many Health Benefits of Recreational Square DancingAre you looking for a way to shed extra pounds and enjoy healthy recreation year round? According to a study released in 1994 by the Mayo Clinic, "Dancing can burn as many calories as walking, swimming or riding a bicycle. During a half-hour of dancing you can burn between 200-400 calories. Regular exercise can lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol profile. Dancing may or may not provide all the conditioning you need, but it can help.... the side to side movements of many dances strengthens the weight bearing bones (tibia, fibula and femur) and can help prevent or slow loss of bone mass from Osteoporosis. Dr. Arron Blackburn states, "It’s clear that square dancing is the perfect exercise. It combines all positive aspects of intense physical exercise with none of the negative elements. " Dr. Blackburn also says, "Square-dancing is a low impact activity requiring constant movement and quick directional changes that help keep the body in shape. " The study was based on their physical examination which indicated that both female and male square dancers could expect to live well into their 80's. Square dance movements raise heart rates like many good aerobic exercises should. All the quick changes of direction loosen and tone up the muscles--but not so severely as to cause injury. In Square-dancing, when you’re not moving, you’re smiling, laughing, clapping hands and tapping your feet, which also contributes to long term wellness. "You don’t see a lot of 55 year old basketball players, but that’s just the age when square dancers are hitting their prime." It is often said that Square Dancing will add 10 years to your life. |
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8 Reasons to Dance:
You will get your blood moving, tone your body and burn calories |
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