Want to be able to hold on through strenuous physical activity like running for long periods of time? Start taking ballet. Not only will it help you build stronger muscles, but it will also help you in terms of aerobics.
Don’t take it from us, take it from action superstar and kickboxing legend Jean-Claude Van Damme. According to him, those who can do ballet can do any kind of sport.
Mind the Fingers
Ballet is unbelievably meticulous. Every move or position needs to look extremely polished down to the dancer's fingertips. Literally. One of the things ballerinas do automatically when dancing is keeping their fingers at a very specific position.
The thumb is relaxed into the palm, the forefinger points straight and slightly upward, the middle finger points straight and slightly downward, the ring-finger is the same as the forefinger, and the pinky points higher than all the rest. And no, we're not kidding.
All Ballet Dancers Are Athlete-Level Ripped
Dancing generally — and dancing ballet particularly — strengthen your bones and builds muscle strength like you wouldn't believe. It also helps burn calories and manage body weight. In fact, half an hour of intense ballet can burn 300 calories!
These advantages, plus improved motor skills, make ballet dancers as strong as rugby or football players, but with more class.
Ballet Helps Your Brain
Dancing ballet (or any other kind of dance for that matter) has its physical advantages, of course, but it greatly benefits the brain too. Studies show that taking regular dance classes improves our memory and can reduce the chances of dementia by more than 70 percent!
It could be due to the fact that dancers link the move sequence they learn to both their physical body and the music, which better anchors their memory of the routine they learn or perform.
Strength and Flexibility
Sure, ballet dancers have really strong legs. But can't that be achieved through squats? Well, yes and no. All strength and no flexibility means there is a lot of unlocked potential in the muscles.
While regular squats will make your legs strong and tone your backside, those muscles are more prone to injuries if you don't include some flexibility too. This is where ballet kicks in.