Dance fever

With the continued rise of high intensity exercise, fitness has become an activity in which the phrase “the harder, the better” is the norm.

As someone who takes his workouts seriously, I will be the first to say that I want to challenge myself in the gym. However, as the workouts get harder and the intensity continues to go up, we have been losing touch with one simple facet of exercise — fun.

One man who believes we can put some fun back in fitness is Joseph Corella, owner of 5-6-7-SWEAT!.

Joseph is a colleague of mine in Los Angeles and someone who makes it a priority to have every member of his classes leave with a good sweat and an even bigger smile.

“There is something about dance that is magical. It’s hard to explain but when you are dancing, you feel it. It frees you in ways that can change your life,” Corella says.

Life-changing is a strong statement. However, Corella mentioned that there are scientific studies that have shown dancing to fight many different diseases, heal the body, free the mind and increase your overall body strength, stability and mobility. Plus, students from Corella’s classes have said that dancing has helped them through difficult times in their lives.

If you’ve read my past articles, I’ve told you many times about the importance of strength training, flexibility and rest. Having some fun and moving around should simply be another piece to our overall wellness puzzle.

“Dance represents so many things to me,” Corella says. “Dance is there for me through the good and the bad. It speaks for me when I can’t. Dance has saved my life in many different ways. Again, there is something magical about dancing when you allow yourself to be present with it.”

What I’d also like to point out is that dancing is just one example of movement, happiness and fun.

What is it that you enjoy doing physically? What is it that you enjoy doing so much that you feel like it’s not even exercise? Could it be gardening? (If you’ve read my past articles, I’ve touched on this.). Could it be serving as a head coach or assistant coach for your children’s team? (Check out my past articles for that discussion as well.).

How would you define art? How can you be artistic? What is out there that makes you reflect and makes you passionate about life in the way Corella is about dance?

Find that.  And go out and do it.  Have a little fun every once in a while.  You don’t have to necessarily “live to exercise.” But it is good to exercise to live.

Reach Giovanni on twitter @GiovanniRoselli and his website, GiovanniRoselli.com.

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