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There are quite a few Ballet workout DVDs hitting the market right now, along with a wide variety of DVDs focused on a variety of other dance forms. When there are hundreds of other workouts on the market as well, why would anyone go with Ballet?
Benefits of Fitness Dance DVDs
Workouts based on any form of dance have a great advantage over any other type of workout simply because they are fun. While you are getting a good workout that builds muscle and increases your cardiovascular fitness, you are smiling and enjoying yourself. It does not feel like a grueling workout, but you still have the sore muscles in the morning to prove that it was in fact effective.
Another benefit of workouts based on dance is that they tend to work muscles that you do not work through many other types of exercise. For instance, when you run on the treadmill you are burning a lot of calories, but you are only really using the major muscles through your legs and some of your core.
On the other hand, when you get into a dance routine you are moving in all different directions, reaching up tall and dipping down low, and basically working a variety of muscles. You work small muscles along with large ones, and you work the upper and lower body in unison. This is why it is common to feel sore in odd places when you first start dancing.
There is a big difference between doing a long set of push ups and doing a dance routine which works those same muscles without you ever realizing. For this reason, you are more likely to stick with a dance based workout in the long term.
The Ballet Advantage
Now that it is clear that dancing is an excellent way to develop a lean body and lose weight, what gives a Ballet workout DVD the advantage over a DVD featuring hip hop?
Ballet is actually one of the gentlest forms of dance when it comes to the impact and wear and tear on your body. Since the movements featured in a Ballet workout DVD tend to be more graceful and slow with feet planed firmly on the floor, you will drastically reduce your risk of injury. Hip hop DVDs are quite popular, but they are also very fast paced and intense, and are not very relaxing.
Yet, the slower flow of a Ballet workout DVD does not mean it is less effective. In fact, you will feel the burn in every part of your body while doing this form of dance. Just like Yoga and Pilates, most movements pull from your core muscles and there is an emphasis on connecting your mind to the movements of your body.
The result of the controlled, focused movement is a very tight, toned body with a much lower body fat percentage in most cases. If you look at professional ballerinas who do these workouts on a routine basis, you will find them representing the ideal body type that women all over the world strive to achieve. It is not because they starve themselves, but because they are toned and well formed as a direct result of Ballet.
There is no question that you could burn a lot of calories with a fast paced hip hop workout filled with complicated footwork and routines. Yet, it is also a proven fact that you could burn just as many calories and get more body toning benefits from doing a Ballet workout DVD that features easier to catch footwork with a slower, more graceful pace.
Note on Form
Everything that was just stated about a Ballet workout DVD hinges on the assumption that you are following a technically correct instructor with proper form. Just because you recognize a celebrity on the DVD cover does not mean you are getting the best workout. When it comes to Ballet, you are better off finding a DVD instructor by someone skilled in this particular dance form.
Who Should Do Ballet?
Okay, so who should really be doing a Ballet workout DVD? This is an art form that many people refer to small children in tutus, but that is not the reality in the adult dance world today. If you were to go to a fitness studio offering a fitness Ballet class, you would be quite surprised to see a mixed group of people, often representing every age, race, and gender group.
This is because Ballet is effective for everyone! Anyone who wants a lower impact workout that delivers a tight, toned body and maximum fat burn will find a Ballet workout DVD well worth the investment.
