It’s no secret that dance cardio is a fun, fresh way to work up a sweat and torch serious calories. But how to actually see muscle tone from all your time on the floor? That’s a bit more elusive.
Dancing might seem like a great leg and arm workout; after all, you are stepping every which way and gliding through the air with your arms. But truth is, dancing should stem from your core—abs, hips, and yes, glutes—which, when engaged, power the rest of your body for all kinds of motion, says trainer Selena Watkins, winner of our 2016 Next Fitness Star competition and creator of the Women’s Health High-Intensity Dance Cardio DVD.
The reason is twofold: “You want to be light on your feet, and in order to do that, you need to engage your abs so your weight doesn’t drop into your legs and you can move freely,” says Selena. Activating your core also prevents injury, “because those muscles are designed to support your weight, taking the pressure off sensitive joints,” she explains.
Of course, when you bring your abs into the mix, you also strengthen them, resulting in a tighter tummy. Plus, you set yourself up for more sculpted legs, a perkier booty, and leaner arms, because you’re better able to stabilize your whole body and properly execute every movement.
Get started with this 10-minute abs routine from High-Intensity Dance Cardio:
The best way to think about contracting your core? “Every time you exhale, think about zipping yourself up from your pubic bone to your breast bone, as if you’re knitting your left side and right side together,” Watkins says. “Thinking of bracing yourself for a punch in the stomach can make you forget to breathe, and ‘pulling your belly button toward your spine’ can be confused with sucking in.”
So if you want to give one of the awesome routines in Women’s Health High-Intensity Dance Cardio DVD, just remember: core first. “Not only will you notice a difference in how well you dance, but you’ll see your abs and body change within three to four weeks,” Watkins swears.
