Category: ABC Blog

Dance has always been a part of human culture, rituals, and celebrations. Today, most dancing is about recreation and self-expression. If you’re a mom and you’re looking for time for yourself, dancing is an enjoyable way to be more physically active and stay fit. Try our Zumba classes! Want to get moving at home with your little one(s)? Here we explore the benefits of dancing — for both you and the kids in your life! 

The benefits of dancing for a small child – and mom – are endless. New moms will notice that little ones like to move to music, even before they can walk. As little things, they will pull themselves up, and hold onto a rail or surface while their knees bop up and down.

Dancing doesn’t just get you moving either, it also helps one stay in tune with their emotions. It helps shed extra pregnancy weight, and it also keeps mom and baby’s heart and health in check.

Then there are the social benefits of dance. Dancing with a small child will enhance a mom’s bond with her child, and children dancing together will teach all involved to relate in healthier ways with each other and to be mindful of each other’s personalities, emotions, and movements. Here are 10 reasons why dancing is good for both mom and her small baby or child.

1. Cardiovascular health

Dancing is good for the heart in more ways than one. It’s good for the emotional center of one’s being, but also the physical heart.

Half an hour of dance four to five times a week is enough to benefit mom and baby who will not only feel energized from the experience but will enjoy improved cardiovascular health. Moving to music gets the blood flowing and the heart pumping and both mom and her small child will feel more alive.

2. Balance

Dancing works on the core muscles of one’s body with movements emanating from the inside outwards. These core muscles are pivotal in balance and body alignment and dancing regularly will change the way both baby and mom carry themselves.

It will also keep them strong from the inside out. This core strength will help both adults and children with other physical activities and sports.

3. It is for everybody

No one is excluded from dance. Sure, not every mom is created to be a prima ballerina, but every mom can participate in some form of dance or another. The same goes for babies and small children.

Dancing, like walking, is within every human being’s reach. This means that any baby and any mom can get moving to music – and enjoy themselves… no excuses! At the same time, anyone of any age can move to music, baby included.

4. There are so many types

There is a style of dance to suit every personality. Some prefer a slower waltz, others, a jazzy interlude. Then there are children’s favorites, with actions and well-known melodies. There is also modern, hip-hop, freestyle, street dancing, country-style barn dancing, line dancing, and the list goes on.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to dance and every mom-child duo can find a dancing theme and style to suit their unique temperaments, ability, and relationship.

5. It is gentle on the body

A new mom might feel overweight, out of sorts, or still, be recovering from labor. This is why dancing with a baby is such a great way to get back into shape. Mom can waltz with a baby around the living room, taking things at her own pace, while getting an emotional, psychological and physical work-out.

The little one will enjoy the movement and learn to appreciate music and dance from a young age. It is low impact (mostly) which means knees and back joints will remain relatively protected. Mom and child can also work out according to their own physical ability and fitness level.

6. It is fun

Whoever said dancing is not fun has never done a country-western line dance with a group of laughing friends, or stood to be a Grease Lightning legend on the dance floor.

Dancing engages all of the senses and it also engages one’s sense of humor. Mom and tot can have fun twirling and making up their own dance moves. Laughter will definitely color dancing sessions with a small child. A new mom will probably even battle to keep up!

7. It can be organized and specific

As spontaneous as dancing in the living room might sound, there are more formal options. Among these, formalized dance workout DVDs, which mom can do alongside her small child, adapting moves according to her ability and allowing her child to come up with his or her own moves while she sticks with the fitness regime.

Formalized dance workouts accommodate different dance preferences, such as Latin American, Salsa, Brazilian dance, ballet, hip-hop, and even street dancing.

8. It helps with stress

Nothing gets those moody blues out better than some fun dancing in good company and what better company than one’s bopping and weaving tot?

Moms who exercise are less stressed than those who are more sedentary, as exercise releases serotonin in the brain which helps mom to feel more on top of everything.

9. It goes with great music

Dancing and music go hand in hand. They are like two peas in a pod and it is impossible to separate the two. When music is played, something is stirred in the heart and spirit, and emotions are processed and creativity is generated.

The dance itself becomes an expression of the music. Putting on one’s favorite music and dancing to this then becomes a spiritual exercise as much as a physical exercise. For a small child, dancing with mom can be the beginning of a lifelong romance with music.

10. It engages the mind

Children will learn many things from dancing. They will learn discipline since many dance varieties have “rules,” which include physical rules, as well as social rules (such as, each person has a turn or step, which must coordinate with the other’s).

Also, they will learn to engage their minds, through learning sequences of steps and specific ways of moving their bodies, which will require constant thought and focus. Children who learn dance will also learn to memorize specific sequences. This act of memorizing will strengthen their memory skills. This same skill can then be applied to other learning processes.

ABC Fit Studio has a wide variety of options and private sessions available for you to start dancing. Keeping up with your workout plan will be easier than ever. Gain a whole new level of body awareness! Schedule a class today at (949) 305-3310 and join our online community on Facebook.

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Reference: [https://www.babygaga.com/reasons-dancing-good-mom-small-child/]

By now, we are quite sure you’ve heard all about the benefits of yoga. But, like any physical activity, if you’re not careful, yoga can also cause injury. Of course, our trained instructors are well versed on how to modify, ensure proper alignment & positioning, and are here to get your questions answered — but it’s always good to be armed with data yourself. Here we dive into some of the most common yoga posture errors that can lead to injury, and how you can avoid them to get the most out of your time on the mat. The benefits are ENORMOUS — so don’t miss out!

For various reasons such as fitness, stress relief, or physiotherapy, more people are embracing yoga for its physical and mental benefits today. While yoga may seem like a low impact activity, experts warn that without proper execution of poses (or asanas), yoga practitioners can be vulnerable to injuries too. Often, these injuries develop over time, as a result of the consistent incorrect practice of postures.

Overstretching of the joints, muscle and tendon strains are common yoga-related injuries, according to our Orthopedic specialists. As with any physical activity, the safest approach to yoga is to learn how to practice the asanas properly and to stay in tune with your body to avoid overdoing it.

When practicing yoga, these are specific areas to pay attention to.

Neck

Cause: Putting too much of your body weight on your neck when doing headstand, plough and shoulder stand. You can also injure your neck when you fling it too far back without support in certain yoga poses.

Prevention: Make neck safety a priority by being mindful of your body’s limits and only attempting poses of appropriate difficulty. The neck is one of the most delicate areas to injure, and it takes time to heal.

Shoulder

Cause: Incorrect body alignment in headstand and shoulder stand poses. Shrugging (raising the shoulders up toward the ears) compresses the shoulders and injure the muscles.

Prevention: Tight shoulders are often weak, so don’t attempt shoulder stands and headstands until your shoulders open up and are strengthened. Always keep the shoulders held back and down away from the ears, be careful not to pull too hard on the shoulders during stretches.

Wrist

Cause: Placing too much of your body weight on your wrists during poses where your hands are on the mat. Tender wrists from keyboard use and texting further aggravate this injury.

Prevention: Learn to properly bear weight on the correct parts of your hand: keep your wrists aligned to the front edge of your mat, and spread your fingers evenly with both your index finger and the heel of your hand pushing.

Back

Cause: Rounding your spine when trying to go deep into your forward folds. When moving into a pose, rounding your back while keeping your legs straight can also injure your back.

Prevention: Before bending, imagine lengthening your spine up and away from your hips to avoid rounding your back, and focus on breathing into each pose. Aim for a straight back, don’t fold too deep and engage your abs to keep your core stabilized. Remember to keep your knees soft by bending them in poses like forward folds and down dog.

Knee

Cause: Lack of flexibility in your hips to execute deep knee-folding or hip-opening poses. Your knee can also twist out of alignment when doing pigeon pose, warrior poses, or half-lotus.

Prevention: Work towards achieving hip flexibility – don’t strain and push beyond your limits. Do all the preparatory poses before moving into poses like half lotus and use props during pigeon to support the knee. Move slowly and deliberately until you are comfortable, and never lock your knees in standing forward bends. Keep your big toe aligned with your kneecap at all times.

Hamstring

Cause: Going too deep into your forward fold or moving into any pose with your legs straight. Straightening your legs and back – as well as quick, jerky movements – can pull your hamstring muscles.

Prevention: An easy way to prevent an injured hamstring is to keep your knees soft by bending them. When moving into a forward fold, don’t use your hands to push yourself deeper; pull back and breathe into the entire length of your hamstring to fully stretch it.

Practise Yoga Safely

Follow these tips to minimize your risk of injury:

• If you have any existing injuries, speak with your doctor before starting.
• Focus on your breathing.
• Find a trained and experienced yoga instructor.
• Be patient with yourself.
• Adapt poses to your individual needs and abilities.
• Do not compete or compare your progress with your friends or others.

Gain a whole new level of body awareness with ABC Fit Studio. We have a wide variety of options and private sessions available. Keeping up with your workout plan will be easier than ever. Schedule a class today at (949) 305-3310 and join our online community on Facebook.

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Reference: [https://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/health-resources/health-articles/common-yoga-injuries-and-how-to-avoid-them/]

People have been dancing and benefiting from this fun practice for thousands of years. It is not only a practice, it sets you up to be a better version of yourself. Besides myriad health benefits for your mind and body, if there’s ever been a time when we could all use an ecstatic release, it’s now. Let’s hit the dance floor!

Ann took her first dance class on a dare. A sexual assault in her early 20s had left her numb and dissociated from her body. Years of self-medicating with food followed, causing her to gain weight and feel even more out of touch with her physical form. As a way of rebuilding a connection to her body, Ann’s therapist challenged her to take a dance class. “I carried a great deal of shame over both my assault and my weight gain. The idea of a dance class terrified me,” the 38-year-old admits. Nonetheless, Ann signed up for a class at Forward_Space in New York City, which offers 50-minute sweat sessions rooted in dance.

Forward_Space was founded by internationally renowned choreographer and artistic director Kristin Sudeikis. “To me, the concept of wellness is anchored in the question, What fills up one’s well?” she says. “My intention was to create a space where people can connect to themselves, other people, and the greater world around them—in that order—again and again through incredible music and embodied movement.”

Ann’s experience is just one example of the positive benefits dance and dance-based cardio can have. There’s no doubt about it: Dancing is a phenomenal workout—it increases agility, burns calories, and can tone and sculpt your body. But it also has a profound power to shape our mental, emotional, and spiritual worlds, says Lynn Saladino, PsyD, a therapist in New York City who incorporates movement into her work with patients. “In addition to these important benefits, it can be so much fun.”

Your Brain on Dance

Research has found that dancing can spark a better mood, more stamina, and an extra oomph of vitality. When surveyed, recreational dancers had a more positive POV and a jump in their energy levels when compared with before they began dancing.“When you begin moving, you immediately release the brain chemicals dopamine, adrenaline, and endorphins, causing a powerful and lasting effect I call ‘energized optimism,’” says Kelly McGonigal, PhD, a leading health psychologist who studies the mind-body connection, and author of The Joy of Movement. “The adrenaline makes you feel powerful, the dopamine generates hope, and the endorphins bring you joy. You’ve created this amazing cocktail that boosts your mood and energy, leads you to experience better social interactions, makes you more likely to progress on your goals, and lowers stress. So dancing doesn’t just make you feel great in the moment. It sets you up to be a better version of yourself.”

Additionally, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that dancing may keep your memory strong and even prevent you from developing dementia as you age. It does this by rebuilding volume in the hippocampus, the area of the brain that controls memory, which naturally shrinks as you get older. Experts attribute that growth partly to the concentration necessary to learn the dance moves.

A Moving Meditation

Samuel Beckett famously said, “Dance first. Think later.” He may have been onto something, because certain types of routines can open the mental and emotional floodgates, allowing you to think more clearly and better tune in to yourself. Sudeikis points out that there is a meditative quality to be found in dance. “By consciously putting your body in motion, you’re offering yourself a 360-degree physiological reset, which can be cathartic, deeply transforming, and healing.” At Forward_Space, Sudeikis leads classes through a specific moving meditation toward the end of each class. Setting it to a powerful song (think ballads by Adele, Florence and the Machine, or Emeli Sandé), she leads participants through a series of short, repetitive movements that can feel like physical manifestations of making more space in your head and your heart. For example, she may have you push your arms out in front of you in a sweeping motion over and over as a way of clearing out what no longer serves you. You can also keep your knees soft and shoulders relaxed, with your hands by your side. Bring one hand in front of you and over your head, then follow with the other hand. Repeat this over and over, as if you’re peeling layers of the day off and away. 

“The everyday life of cell phones, laptops, and screens can result in a shrinking back and in, rather than an expanding up and out,” says Sudeikis. “The dance floor offers an invitation to unapologetically practice taking up space while also acknowledging the people around you—which is something we could use more of in the world, don’t you think?”

Get in Step

People have been dancing together for thousands of years. “It’s a timeless practice that has been and is still used to celebrate, grieve, create, commune, and more,” Sudeikis says. McGonigal adds that ancient ceremonial rituals, as well as gatherings before going into battle, incorporated dance to generate collective strength.

In other words, dancing doesn’t just help you connect with yourself. “Endorphins are bonding chemicals, so that rush helps you connect with those around you,” says McGonigal. “Dancing with others also creates what psychologists term ‘we agency,’ which is the sensation that you’re all one impressive entity. We each naturally absorb the energy and confidence of the whole group, which leads to feeling less lonely and more empowered.”

Fast-forward to current times and the isolation we’ve all been living through. Because of those bonding chemicals, dance and cardio dance classes can serve as an antidote. “I’ve witnessed full classes of strangers share waves of euphoria,” says Sudeikis. “Dance is one of the great unifiers—sharing a nod of acknowledgment or recognition with the person next to you is a small moment that can have a lasting effect.”

Everyone to the Dance Floor

No matter what your body type or level of experience, you can dance. It’s that simple. Nonetheless, some people may feel uncomfortable attending a traditional dance class, especially if they’ve never taken one before. But when dance is done within the context of wellness, it can seem more approachable for many people. This is, in part, because it feels like the benchmarks are different. Rather than doing specific moves perfectly, your goal can simply be to sweat and be open to new ways of moving your body. “Dancing offers a fresh perspective on exercise, one of fun, inclusivity, and a loosening up of rules and do-or-die end goals,” says McGonigal. “A good class is all about feeling good rather than looking good. It’s a workout, yes, but it’s also a party.”

And even if you walk onto the dance floor nervous, research indicates you most likely won’t leave that way. One study looked at how dance influenced the mental health of adolescent girls. When they took regular classes, they reported feeling more positive and confident. And according to our experts, these immediate benefits extend to people of any and every age.

“‘Beats high, lights low’ is our founding mantra and a key part of the Forward_Space experience,” says Sudeikis. “With the beats high, there’s an invitation to be fully immersed in the music. Dimming the lights low allows the opportunity to feel less self-conscious and drop further into the body.”

If you’re nervous to try it, Saladino suggests acknowledging that hesitance, and then working to mitigate it. Say to yourself, Okay, I’m nervous. So what do I need to do to feel more comfortable? The answer could be simple, like deciding to start in the back of the class or getting a friend to join you. “Do what’s necessary to dial down the anxiety, not completely reject it,” Saladino says. “And keep in mind that nervousness doesn’t translate to ‘not worth doing.’”

There’s deep payoff to be had when we gently push ourselves to do new things. McGonigal points out that doing something novel helps you evolve and revise your self-image in a positive way. “When we bring our full selves to the dance floor,” says Sudeikis, “that in and of itself opens the door to infinite possibilities.”

Gain a whole new level of body awareness with ABC Fit Studio. We have a wide variety of options and private sessions available. Keeping up with your workout plan will be easier than ever. Schedule a class today at (949) 305-3310 and join our online community on Facebook.

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Reference: [https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a38584568/benefits-of-dancing/]