Dancing can be fun, and it’s also great Cardio workout. But 1 hour of dancing burns how many calories?
If you’re trying to lose weight or just stay in shape, that’s an important number to know! But the good news is that you can dance for as long as you want, even two hours or more, and still burn tons of calories along the way—and have fun doing it!
Read on to learn how many calories you burn by dancing.
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Benefits of dance
We all know that exercise is beneficial to our overall health and well-being, but did you know that one hour of dancing—specifically Zumba—can burn more than 600 calories?
In fact, a 155-pound person can burn 567 calories per hour by doing Zumba. That’s equal to 26 miles of walking. If you want to learn how to lose weight fast with exercise, start doing some form of dance on a regular basis.
Not only will you shed pounds, but your coordination will improve as well! There are many different types of dances you can try: salsa, belly dancing, ballroom dance or swing dance.
Don’t be afraid to ask friends or coworkers if they have any experience in these forms of dances—you might even find someone who’d be willing to take classes with you!
For example, I used to take weekly Latin Dance lessons at my local YMCA when I was in college. It was great exercise and helped me meet new people at school. Plus it was just plain fun! And don’t forget about YouTube videos!
Many professional dancers upload instructional videos to help others get started learning popular styles of dance like hip hop, Bollywood and contemporary. The best part about watching YouTube videos is that there are hundreds of them available—meaning you can pick up tips from dozens of professional dancers.
Once you’ve found a style of dance that interests you, go ahead and buy yourself some fancy clothes (or not) and give it a shot! Remember to wear comfortable shoes because if your feet hurt during class then chances are good that it won’t be long before you’re looking for something else to do instead.
An hour of dance can burn up to 500 calories
It’s not hard to understand why dance is such a popular form of physical activity. Not only does it help you tone your muscles and boost cardiovascular health, but studies also show that it can even help improve memory function in seniors.
Of course, choosing which type of dance to do—ballet? Belly dancing? Modern?—depends on what you’re looking to get out of it.
For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, you may want to choose a high-intensity style like ballroom or salsa instead of something less intense like tap or modern styles of ballet.
Or, if you just want to burn calories without getting too sweaty, try Zumba or hip hop. Whatever you decide, one thing’s for sure: An hour of dance will definitely leave you feeling energetic and ready to take on whatever comes next!
The body burns more calories when engaged in an aerobic exercise like dance, with these extra calories coming from fat stores.
But remember: To get these benefits, aim for about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week—that’s about three half-hour sessions.
Plus, don’t forget to warm up first with five minutes of light movement before starting your dance routine; stretching after a workout is also important to help prevent injury as well as maintain range of motion in joints. Finally, don’t forget to hydrate! A general rule of thumb is to drink one cup (eight ounces) of water every 20 minutes during physical activity.
The bottom line? It’s true that dancing can burn calories and help you lose weight, but you’ll need to commit to it consistently and build muscle mass if you want noticeable results. So bust out those moves at home or at your local studio on a regular basis and work toward becoming more toned than ever!
The best types of dance for burning calories
I love to dance, but I’ve always heard you burn more calories dancing than other exercises. But I have no idea what types of dances are best. Ballroom and belly dancing are fun, but they’re not as aerobic as salsa and line dancing, which look like more fun to me anyway.
So what’s your take on dance and how many calories does it really burn? How much weight can you lose doing something like that? — Kelsey in Farmington Hills, MI The average person burns about 300 calories during a one-hour session of ballroom or swing dancing.
For example, a 200-pound person would burn about 600 calories in a one-hour class of fast-paced Latin dance such as Salsa or Merengue (about three miles).
An hourlong country two-step would likely be closer to 300 calories (about 2 miles), while a slow waltz might net around 200 (1 mile).
If you want to try ballroom or Latin dancing, look for studios with instructors who emphasize proper technique and timing; those classes will get your heart rate up higher and result in greater calorie expenditure.
In general, avoid dance aerobics classes, where people just jump around quickly to music without learning steps. Those tend to be less effective at burning calories and improving cardiovascular fitness because you don’t learn good form.
You may also wish to consider Zumba or Jazzercise, which combine elements of dance with strength training moves such as squats and lunges.
Why dancing is a good workout routine
First, dancing burns a significant number of calories. Second, it engages more muscles than other forms of exercise (such as running).
Third, it’s fun! That may seem like an obvious benefit, but if you have no interest in working out—and therefore no desire to dance—you won’t do it. What is not obvious is that unlike when you run or bike on a treadmill in your basement or local gym, dancing allows you to easily be active and social at the same time.
If you enjoy being around others who like to dance then attending events with live music are great ways to stay motivated. It’s also good for your social life! Don’t worry about learning fancy moves; even basic steps will work your body while having fun.
The bottom line: You can burn a lot of calories by doing something you love. So get out there and dance! And feel free to sing along too! Singing is another excellent form of exercise. Your lungs, heart and diaphragm all get a workout while singing.
Singing activates all kinds of muscle groups in your face, chest, abdomen and back. And since singing uses many muscle groups simultaneously, it’s kind of like getting a full-body workout without actually moving very much.
And here’s one last thing: In addition to burning calories when you sing, studies show that people who regularly sing have better overall health than those who don’t sing…including better cardiovascular health.
Why? Researchers say it could be because singing causes small increases in blood pressure which leads to increased blood flow throughout our bodies…which helps us live longer lives!
Must-know tips before your first dance class
So, how many calories does dancing for an hour burn? It depends. Let’s compare two different types of dance: salsa and ballroom. If you dance like a salsa diva, you can expect to burn around 507 calories in 60 minutes.
On the other hand, if you boogie like a ballroom king or queen, you can expect to burn around 514 calories in 60 minutes—that’s four more than salsa! That doesn’t mean ballroom burns more calories per minute of exercise; there are just fewer minutes spent standing in place as opposed to moving quickly during salsa lessons.
In either case, though, both dances will give you a good workout and help you lose weight—as long as you practice regularly. If that sounds like something that might interest you, check out your local dance studio or gym’s website for class schedules and pricing information.
Some places offer discounts on classes if you buy them in bulk so be sure to ask about that when booking your first session! And don’t forget your water bottle. Most studios won’t allow drinks (other than water) on their floors so it’s best to hydrate before hitting up your first class.
And while we’re at it, you’ll want to arrive early so you have time to warm up before starting your lesson. Dance warm-ups may seem silly but they actually get your heart pumping and muscles limbering in preparation for vigorous activity—which is exactly what we want!
As a general rule of thumb, plan on spending 10-15 minutes warming up with light stretching before every dance class. Good luck with your first lesson and remember to have fun!
Conclusion
If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to watch your calorie intake and increase your activity level. According to WebMD, a 5-foot-4-inch woman who weighs 140 pounds needs about 1,800 calories per day to maintain her weight.
To burn that many calories without even leaving home, she would have to dance for 60 minutes. If she wants to lose weight instead of maintain it, she should reduce her daily calorie intake by 500 calories per day.
By keeping track of what she eats and calculating how much she’d need to exercise in order to burn those calories — which might be difficult — it’s easy to see why most people don’t have any luck with diets. They’re either too restrictive or they require too much effort.
The best way to lose weight is slowly, through gradual changes like cutting out sugary drinks and swapping out high-calorie snacks for fruits and vegetables.
These small lifestyle changes are easier than dieting because they don’t feel like sacrifices; rather, they just become part of everyday life.
But if you really love dancing, there’s no reason not to do both!
FAQs
Is dancing better than walking?
While both walking and dancing are great forms of exercise, research has found that there are some key differences in how your body processes calories when you dance compared to when you walk. For example, a 2010 study from University of West London discovered that older adults who danced on a regular basis burned more calories than those who walked at a similar pace. And although some older participants may have benefited from dancing’s ability to improve balance and coordination, researchers concluded that in general, dancing is just better than walking. The reason? When you’re dancing, you’re really getting your heart rate up while toning muscles simultaneously. Plus, it’s fun! Who doesn’t love a good dance party? A 2011 study by Stanford University also found that low-impact aerobic activities like line dancing burn even more calories than high-impact activities like running. These findings suggest that you can get in shape faster by spending less time working out; if you’re not sure where to start, try signing up for a class at your local gym or community center—it might be exactly what you need to motivate yourself into staying active and healthy.
Does dancing at home count as exercise?
It’s time to get up and dance! Home exercise has been touted as one of the best exercises, or at least one of the most fun. Any cardiovascular activity is going to benefit your health—and any move that gets you on your feet is a great choice, whether it’s a boot camp class or dancing around your living room. The best part about dance workouts is that they incorporate balance and coordination in addition to aerobic capacity. And research shows just 30 minutes of any kind of physical activity can make a difference in terms of physical fitness (even if you only do it once). So feel free to dance like no one’s watching—it counts! Keep Reading: How Long Does It Take To Burn Off A Slice Of Cake? What should I wear?: Wear loose-fitting clothing that allows you to move freely without fear of tripping over it. Baggy clothes are fine so long as they don’t interfere with your movements. Try not to wear shoes with slippery soles since you’ll be moving quickly throughout most dances. Also, avoid accessories since these could become dangerous weapons when used incorrectly during your dance routine. Wearing a headband or sweatband will keep perspiration from dripping into your eyes and may even help keep hair out of your face while you’re exercising.
Is dance a strength or cardio?
Dance isn’t a strength or cardio workout by itself. It falls into a category called metabolic conditioning, which is defined as any exercise that elevates metabolism above baseline (American Council on Exercise). The reason you feel like you’re burning more calories than you actually are has to do with how your body responds to dance moves. Unlike running or lifting weights, dancing works your muscles in multiple directions at once and recruits many different muscles groups at once, which requires them to work together. All of that extra muscle coordination can translate into higher calorie burn because you are using more energy over a longer period of time. In fact, many people claim they burn as many as 500 calories in just one hour of dancing! However, it’s important to remember that these numbers aren’t always accurate. While it may be true that you burned 500 calories during your hour-long dance class, research shows that most people overestimate their actual calorie burn when doing activities such as dancing or running. This is likely due to a phenomenon known as post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which refers to how much oxygen our bodies use after we exercise—and why we often feel winded and fatigued even after we stop exercising.
