WATCH ABOVE: The benefits of Irish dancing are vast, according to Dr. Kim Gladden of the Cleveland Clinic.
TORONTO — If you want to channel the spirit of Irish, without the green beers (which aren’t really an Irish tradition), a little Riverdance action might be just what you need.
Dancing — and according to the Cleveland Clinic‘s Dr. Kim Gladden, Irish dancing in particular — is known to provide plenty of physical benefits. For one, its fast footwork helps you build better balance while strengthening your legs and core muscles.
WATCH: St. Paddy’s day performance by dancers from the Rising Tide Irish Dance Academy.
“It’s so energetic.”
“You can get a cardiovascular workout. You get your heart rate up. You’re moving large muscle groups rhythmically, so it fits the criteria for an aerobic workout if you’re doing it in a sustained fashion,” Gladden said.
READ MORE: Hitting the dance floor a great calorie burn
Working on your “Lord of the Dance” moves could also give your brain a work-out. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found dancing may decrease your risk of developing dementia — something Gladden agrees with.
“Having to think about rhythm, and time your movements; and learn the choreography because, as you’re learning choreography, you really have to think and ingrain movement. And it fires patterns in the brain that I think are very beneficial.”
And if you need the green beers to flow before you bust out your fancy footwork, that’s okay too.
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