The benefits of dancing: knowing the basics before starting

Dancing to build muscle: the essential benefits of dancing 

When you dance, you stimulate parts of your body. By awakening your muscles, you strengthen them. As they say, sport is good for the body and the mind. This is absolutely true since dancing has a positive impact on your mind. But do you know which areas to invigorate and what are the benefits of dancing? 

Active muscles 

In dance, you animate 3 groups of your body : 

The first concerns alignment of shoulders, arms and forearms. This part is the weakest since it is not used much. The objective is not to strengthen them but to tone them as little as possible so that they are strong enough for the different movements to be performed. 

However, certain dances such as hip-hop or breakdancing allow you to strengthen them muscularly. 

Then, the areas of the back and abdominal muscles become better given that they allow trunk rotation, which is valid for any type of dance. For the abdominals, you work several muscles such as the rectus abdominis,  the internal and external obliques and the transverse. 

Have you ever wondered how your abdomen took shape ? It is thanks to the fact that you kept a posture in place, to the alignment of the pelvis and your repeated choreographies which strengthen your abdominals. 

The last group concerns lower limbs. They represent your lower body. By this we mean your legs and your glutes. In dance, they are constantly moving. 

The muscles that work first are the glutes, we call them the gluteal muscles. They are the first because they allow movement of the thigh and support the pelvis. There are 3 glutes: the large, the small and the medium. By themselves, they form the buttocks that we know. They are the most powerful and largest muscles in the human body. 

Other muscles are in action like the quadriceps which are located at the front of the thigh. More than 4 muscles are stimulated: the vastus femoris, THE vastus lateralis, THE vastus medialis, THE vast intermediate. If they heat up so much, it is because they mediate the flexion of the thighs on the hips and allow the extension of the legs on the thighs and participate in muscle strengthening. These are the actions that cause you soreness after sessions. 

Finally, the last muscles of this group that are used are the hamstrings, on the back of the thigh and calves. 

Dancing through its movements, dance steps, flexions and extensions strengthens your lower muscles. They become more resistant, solid and powerful. 

Physical and mental benefits

You would have understood it, dancing strengthens your muscles thanks to the sequences. But it has many other advantages. In fact, it allows you toincrease your endurance and cardio. You will be able to practice a sports session for a long time without feeling tired. 

Dancing helps prevent osteoarthritis because it strengthens your bones and joints. Your flexibility intensifies and regular practice allows you to burn calories. 200 to 400 calories in 30 minutes, doesn’t that tempt you? 

On the psychological side, benefits are many : 

• Increase in your creativity and sociability

• Wards off depression, anxiety and stress

• Regaining self-confidence

• Improving your memory

• Push back the aging deadline for your brain 

• Improvement in your moods : joy of living and motivation

• Keeps your health in shape

• Soothe your mind

If you want to know more about the benefits and the muscles used, read our article on Dancing to build muscle: the areas stimulated. 

How does dancing help with weight loss? 

Dancing is a good element for losing weight, but is it useful from all angles? It is profitable for two aspects that we will see right away and we recommend types of dances to dance to lose weight. 

Refine your figure and boost your cardio 

Certain dances allow you to lose excess weight without you gaining mass or your muscles getting bigger. This is possible thanks to dances that work on the deep muscles. They are those who maintain body postures. 

In the common mind, the ideal dance for refine the silhouette is classical dance since the muscles lengthen not in width but in length. 

Regarding cardio, dancing helps you get better cardio through the rhythm of the choreography. But for it to be at a higher level than your basic level, you must train regularly and rigorously. 

The choice of dance type

The type of dance is chosen according to your desire and your objective. Here are some tips to guide you towards your weight loss desire. 

If you want lose upper body, several dance classes are preparing there: 

• Hip-hop to refine your arms

• Classical dance to strengthen your back and lighten your arms

• Oriental dance to lose belly and hips

• Pole dancing to tone your abs and arms

  Finally, to lose weight evenly, you have the choice between: 

• Pole dancing since it works all your muscles
• Zumba to improve your cardio, strengthen all your muscles and develop your flexibility

The place of flexibility in dance

LDance is a sport that requires flexibility so that your movements are aesthetic and fluid. Flexibility is therefore a Essential element within the discipline. It also proves useful in your physical health. To help you stay on track, we recommend a few exercises to help you relax. 

The importance of flexibility 

As said above, flexibility can help you in your daily life. It allows you to maintain your physical condition since you will stretch your muscles and strengthen your joints. Even better, she helps you maintain good blood circulation and shape a new posture every day. You will feel that your efforts have paid off when climbing stairs or stooping costs less effort than before. 

In the field of dance, flexibility will save you more than once! Flexibility exercises protect your joints so the risk of injury is reduced. 

Additionally, the more flexible you become, the longer your muscles will have a range of motion. As a result, your movements will be less stiff and jerky than before, which will allow you to perform them with precision and accuracy. 

Exercises to be more flexible

Flexibility exercises aim to improve specific muscle groups to reap benefits. This is why we offer you exercises to reproduce for 15 to 30 seconds in sets of 3 or 5. 

To start, a exercise for your back since he has control of your body. This is where everything comes into play when it comes to movement. 

Lie on your stomach. Place your hands flat at chest height. Push your hands up so that your body comes off the ground. 

The second exercise concerns the hips, precisely the adductors on the inside of the thighs. 

Sit on the floor. Knees bent outwards, feet pressed together. Lengthen your spine, your hands touch your heels and push your knees toward the floor with your elbows. 

Finally, for prepare your legs, stretch your hamstrings. 

Lie on the floor with your legs straight. Try to touch the tips of your feet with your hands. 

To learn more about flexibility exercises, visit our article Flexibility exercise: how to become more flexible to dance? 

The benefits

Dance has the ability to free the body and mind. We explain the benefits of dance on a physical and moral level. 

The emotional benefits

Dance is like a natural antidepressant. In fact, it allows you to: 

• Chase away depression, anxiety and stress

• Eliminate negative thoughts

• Letting go thanks to the hormones of happiness

• Positive: motivation and joy of living

• Regaining self-confidence
• Develop your social skills

The benefits for your brain 

Dancing stimulates your brain for quick decision making. Particularly for the choice of dance steps. In the long term, you benefit from it: 

• Protects your brain health

• Improves your memory and concentration

There are many other benefits, you can learn more by reading our article on The mental benefits of dancing: dancing makes us feel good

Everything you need to remember

Still with us? Let's come back together the benefits of dance. We saw the muscles targeted by dance. Then we reviewed dance styles suitable for weight loss. We continued on the importance of flexibility at the heart of the discipline as well as exercises to help you improve your flexibility. Finally, we listed the physical and psychological benefits of dance.

Try dancing at DECIBEL®

It's time for you to work out with a reward! Come try it uninhibited dance at DECIBEL® ! 

Enjoy 50 min of workout and dance, be yourself to the rhythm of wild music with exceptional coaches. 

Dancing is waiting for you!