That's Fit

When the first season of Dancing With the Stars started, I thought it would be terribly cheesy. Kind of like this decade's version of Circus of the Stars. (Do you remember that? Or did I just age myself terribly?) Well, Dancing With the Stars is terribly cheesy, but it's also oddly enjoyable. If you've watched the show, you've probably seen celebrities like Joey Fatone and Marie Osmond lose weight during the season. All their hours of rehearsal and hard work paid off on the scale.

Dancing is a fun and effective way to exercise. It adds variety to your routine. You can join a dance class if you'd like, or, if you're a bit shy about dancing in front of others, try one of the many dance fitness DVDs on the market. There are options ranging from hip-hop to latin to bellydance to ballroom.

I grew up dancing -- tap, jazz, gymnastics, ballet -- you name it, I took the class. My schedule has recently become a bit more flexible, so I've been checking out new classes at my gym. I came across Hip Hop Live, which promised "it's more like a dance party than a workout." Sounds like a ball, right?

It was! But it was definitely a workout, too -- after the first class, I was drenched with sweat and crazy sore. More painful than the muscle soreness, though, was the serious bruise to my ego -- apparently those dance classes from my elementary school days weren't going to come back as easily as I had anticipated.

I went to the class again last night, and there was definite improvement (I'm still not good, but it was slightly less embarrassing). Probably Missy Elliott isn't going to be casting me in a video anytime soon, but I'm having a blast learning some of the moves. I don't know when I've laughed so hard working out.

Do you have a class you love to attend? Or hate? Or love to hate? Share -- if my gym has something similar, I promise I'll give it a shot!

Dancers are always in top shape. What's their secret? Determination? The moves? Practicing 8 hours a day? All of the above, apparently. Dancing in itself is a work out, and a fun one at that, much more enjoyable than spending hours on the treadmill or lifting weights, if you ask me. Dancing varies between the different types, but in most forms of dancing, flexibility is important. Also? Abs -- they get an awesome workout, no matter what type of dancing you're doing. Dancing balance and overall strength as well.

Want a dancer-perfect body? You could take up dancing ... or, you could try these exercises.