Get Fit through swing dancing

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The latest exercise trend will actually have you enjoying your workout. Kelly Baker reports.

A decade or two ago Australian women’s fitness regimes tended to be centred around organised sport. In a bid to keep fit and well, thousands of us played squash, tennis, netball or even cricket. Then the gym became the place to be; whether it was aerobics or spinning classes, Lycra G-strings and feeling the burn were all the rage. Today, a new exercise trend is upon us and this time it’s one everyone will love. Dubbed ‘pleasure-cise’, it’s all about doing what makes you feel good, both inside and out.

“People are now doing what suits them best as opposed to fitting their lifestyle around exercise,” says Vanessa Briese, a social researcher with Heartbeat Trends, an Australian company that tracks emerging social trends. “Traditional exercise is a thing of the past.”

Vanessa says the move away from traditional exercise is due to a number of factors. Firstly, there’s a growing desire for every aspect of our lives to be designed to suit us personally, and that includes our workouts. Secondly, we’re so busy that we’re no longer willing to waste time doing something we don’t enjoy. The result: we’re turning our backs on regular exercise and instead opting for workouts that bring us joy. “It can be pole dancing, salsa dancing or kick-boxing,” says Vanessa. “Whatever fits in with your lifestyle, wherever and whenever it suits you.”

A recent Heartbeat Trends study that looked at exercise trends amongst young people in New South Wales and Victoria also discovered that many of us yearn for a sense of community. Accordingly, we’re opting for workouts that we can do with friends and family by our sides. It makes perfect sense to Martha Lourey Bird, an exercise scientist and lecturer at the University of New South Wales.

“I’ve always said that the most important factor of an exercise regime is the fun factor,” Martha says. “If you enjoy your workout you’re far more likely to stick with it.” So grab someone close to you and get moving in any way your heart desires. Your body and soul will both thank you for it.

The swing dancer

As a child, Emily Gassner loved to dance. Today, she’s rekindled her passion and discovered a new fitness regime with swing dancing.

“All I ever wanted to do was dress up and prance around,” says Emily of her childhood love of dance. But then Emily discovered boys... and shopping. Suddenly dancing was out. She never stopped missing it though and, when she received a flyer advertising swing dancing classes, she didn’t think twice.

“I went along to a class and that was it,” she says.“I fell in love immediately.” These days Emily, 26, swing dances up to five or six times each week. Each dance session lasts about 90 minutes. Not surprisingly, she’s in great shape. “Swing is a full-body workout,” she says. “And it’s so much fun that you don’t realise anything is hurting until you stop.”

Swing dancing requires great posture, which means a serious workout for your abdominal (stomach) muscles. Many of the moves require you to be slightly bent at the knees with your bottom poking out. This works your quadriceps (fronts of thighs), hamstrings (backs of thighs) and bottom. Swing will also give you a top cardiovascular workout and burn up to 1,500 kilojoules in just one hour. If you’re interested in swing dancing, go to www.swingpatrol.com.au.

Photography: Steven Chee. Styling: Nicholas Sholl. Hair & make-up: Laura Dominique.