Dip into Salsa for Fun and Fitness

Article By: William Sukala, MS, CSCS
Source: WeightWatchers.com

Salsa dancing is fun, extremely social, and above all, a superb workout. A three-hour salsa outing can burn approximately 1,000 calories*. "Salsa is a great exercise for losing weight. It works the lower body muscles, the heart and the collective cardiovascular system," says Pablo Romo, salsa instructor in San Diego and Tijuana. And it's so much fun that you forget you're getting a workout!

Wallflower No More

If you're just getting started, you may want to take a few beginner-level classes. Find a dance studio in the yellow pages, or through an Internet search. Most major cities have dance schools with salsa classes on the menu. Give a call and find out days, times and prices. Classes provide a safe, supportive environment where it's OK to make mistakes, step on your partner's feet or bump into the couple next to you. This is completely natural, so don't let it discourage you.

Group salsa classes are often structured so that if you show up alone, you will merely partner up with whoever's next to you. After a few minutes, the instructor signals you to change partners. In essence, you're guaranteed to meet everyone in the class the first night. Even if you show up with a partner, most instructors prefer that you rotate partners. More advanced classmates help you progress more rapidly than dancing with the same partner who's also a newbie.

If you'd rather wing it without the lessons, know that many salsa clubs offer basic lessons before the start of the night's festivities. Again, you can find a salsa club in the phone book or through an internet search. And don't be afraid to show up at a club on your own (though it's more fun to head out with a group of friends). The scene tends to be friendly and respectful, and it is socially acceptable to switch partners frequently throughout the night, just like in class. (As always, when socializing with people you don't know, be smart about your safety.)

Instant Social Life

In addition to fun and fitness, salsa can also be the ticket to an instant social life. Salsa clubs, unlike smoky, boozy nightclubs, are frequently full of active, friendly people looking to cut a rug. Romo sums it up: "Salsa dancing provides a healthy, fun way to meet new and interesting people."

What could be better?

* Source: Exercise Testing and Prescription, by David C. Nieman (McGraw Hill, 2002).