This Quick Cardio Dance Workout Is Ultra Effective

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Each month, a new trainer takes us through four of the best workouts they have in their back pocket. Follow along weekly for new ways to sweat it out with us. See All

If you consider “cardio” to be a four letter word because it brings to mind gasping for air on a treadmill or spin bike, thankfully there are other ways to get your heart rate up—and they happen to be whole lot of fun. Doesn’t dancing around your living room sound much more appealing than lacing up your sneakers and hitting the pavement? If the answer is yes, then try this cardio dance workout with Sydney Lotuaco, professional dancer and trainer. In this week’s Trainer of the Month Club workout, she takes you through a 17-minute dance session that is bound to leave you dripping with sweat and bursting with endorphins.

Getting a regular dose of cardio is important (the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of it per week) because it comes with a whole host of body benefits that you can’t get with just strength training. Plus, it’s also great for your brain. And dancing is more than just and actually-fun way to get the job done. “Physically, dance is a full-body workout that allows you to move every muscle in your body,” Sadie Kurzban, founder and CEO of 305 Fitness, previously told Well+Good. “Through dance, you also get the added benefit of connecting brain with body. You’re learning a ton of coordination, agility, neuromuscular control and balance, the kinds of skills that help you in any kind of athletic realm but also definitely help you as you age to preserve your memory and everyday function.”

In this workout from Lotuaco, you’ll grapevine your way through a sweaty 10 minutes of dancing before grabbing your mat and doing some exercises targeted for your booty and abs. Then, you’ll finish things up with a little stretching. And when it’s over, you won’t be thinking “I’m so freaking happy that that’s done with”—you’ll be basking in endorphins that will leave you wanting to come back and do it again.

Ready to get dancing? Watch the video above.

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