There are a lot of options to reach healthy lifestyle goal. There are a lot of people are considering taking shortcut in the form of ‘healthy’ diet program which claims to be effective even without regular exercises. Well, the fact is no matter how healthy your daily diet habit is, still exercise is also essential because not only your weight that should be maintained but also your stamina and energy which could be reached only with regular exercise.
Square Dancing as Fun Exercise
When it comes to the word ‘exercise’ the first thing that may cross your mind is like some athletic sports that you hate. Actually, in this modern world there are so many options of exercises and one of them is square dancing. Yes, dancing is also one of the types of exercises you could do if you love dancing, so when you need to do some exercising, gym is not the only option there are a lot of dancing studio you could attend. And what makes square dancing is so popular and fun when there are a lot of options of dance? It is not only about the health benefits of dancing but because there are some people who love doing solo dancing but more people love to do dancing in a group and square dancing is among the option of group dancing recommended in this matter. Just like the name, square dancing is consisting of eight people in one group with a pair of couple in each side. This kind of dancing is very popular in England and some parts of Europe but now it is progressively popular worldwide as well.
Health Benefits of Square Dancing
For some people or perhaps for you dancing is dancing. However, square dancing is more than just moving your hips because during the dancing you are supposed to be focus with your moves while at the same time should coordinate with the other dancers. Well, to give you more insight information the list of health benefits of square dancing below may change your mind because perhaps joining the class is not a bad idea at all.
- Excellent Way to Socialize
Socializing is one of the ways you could do to help reducing your stress level. After a very long week at work you could at least have sometimes for yourself to just socialize. While you are doing it with your significant others to socialize while square dancing, the health benefits will be double.
- Manages Your Stress Level
As mentioned in the previous point, dancing is one of the effective ways to help you managing your stress level. It is one of the benefits of exercise for emotional health. The easy movements won’t stop you to stay focus with your steps. Once you could do it, the only thing you will find is only fun. Yes, dancing is a great way to have fun with people around you.
- Improves Cognitive Ability
Square dancing is not a rocket science but still you need to focus so could protect yours and the other dancers’ toes. Moving, remembering and focusing are not easy to be done at the same time but it is an excellent exercise to improve cognitive ability.
- Easy Exercise for Old People
Even when you’re old, exercises are still important. However, sometimes old people find it difficult to find one type of exercise that matches with their physical conditions. Well, square dancing is actually easy on old people with its simple steps and movements are perfect exercises for them.
- Good Exercise for Patients with Heart Condition
No matter how young you are if you have been diagnosed with certain heart conditions, your activities should be limited or well-managed. However, still exercise is important for people with heart condition but they should choose one that suits best to their condition and square dancing is one that is highly recommended.
- Gets Better Focus
You must be surprised how the easy steps in square dancing are requiring your full focus. Without you know it with regular training your focus will get better and better.
- Burns Some Calories
Square dancing is not going to turn you into a bodybuilding athlete but still doing it regularly could help you burning some excessive calories. Sometimes, what you need to do to maintain your weight is not intensive and exclusive training but only doing some easy moves like in square dancing but in regular basis.
- Lowering the Blood Pressure
The easy but continuous movements of square dancing may be good for those who have been suffering the symptoms of high blood pressure. It is because during the dancing your blood will regulate in rapid movement while your blood vessels were relaxed.
- Manages Your Cholesterol Level
Less calories you should worry about less cholesterol you should worry about as well. That is why if you want to control or manage your cholesterol level, you shouldn’t only focus on consuming foods that lower the cholesterol level but also find activities that could optimize it.
- Good for Bones
Some studies have found out that old people who are doing regular activities tend to have stronger bones than others who don’t. Square dancing is an easy exercise but having a lot of benefits for the bones health.
- Excellent for Coordination
While coordinating you need to balance some aspects at the same time. It seems easy but without practice everything will fall apart. Square dancing looks so easy from the outsiders but try to do it yourself and you need to muster up everything you have just to learn how to coordinate with the other dancers.
- Good for Mind and Soul
While dancing you need music to accompany you, so during the dancing you could get all the health benefits of listening to music as well. That is why square dancing is excellent for your mind and soul because at the same time you could socialize, memorize the steps and have fun.
Cautions of Square Dancing
Actually the caution closer to dancing is injury. That is why is highly recommended for you to do some warming up before dancing or doing physical activities. However, square dancing is not requiring you to do some difficult dancing movements or poses because this kind of dancing is more focusing on steps and coordinating with other dancers. Still, some cautions below are important to know.
- Compared to other modern dancing, square dancing is considered to be among the traditional ones. That is why instead of youngsters, this dancing is more popular among old people. Though this dance is quite simple but old people with special physical conditions should take it a bit lightly.
- Well, there is no such dangerous situation that may peer over you but be careful with your steps because toes are in the most vulnerable positions in this dancing.
If you are watching oldies movies from Europe or England, you will find that square dancing is quite popular in those countries since it is a typical dance that usually performed during parties. However today, square dancing is only danced in the studio or in the special occasions as part of traditional or national events but still aside from the health benefits of square dancing, learning it totally is worth doing.