Not just for fun: Dandiya, garba help you stay fit!

Indulging in those fast-paced movements with your friends during Navratri can also help you stay physically and mentally healthy

If you have been enjoying your garba and dandiya sessions during Navratri and are worried about missing out on your daily workout routine, fret not. It should come as a relief to know that indulging in these folk-dance forms is like sweating it out at the gym.

Though these power-packed dance forms seem a lot of fun, they hold a deeper meaning in the festive season with their health benefits. Vaishnavi Boora, fitness coach, says, “With the power to boost your mental and physical health, garba and dandiya can be magical for cardiovascular health, weight loss and core strength building.” Asserting on the same point is fitness consultant and pilates specialist, Rajni Maker as she says, “Dandiya is an excellent way to lose fat as the fast-paced activity is not just cardio but also similar to many exercise variations like a curtsy lunge, speed skater and deep squats.”

Since dandiya raas and garba are community dance activities, they also help improve people’s mental health. “With its group setting, these dance forms bring in a sense of unity as doing certain coordinated steps can be a fun way of belongingness. Also, these movements feel rewarding when you are able to do the steps together,” says Jenisha Shah, senior psychologist at Mpower and therapeutic art and movement facilitator.

Women playing garba during a Navratri celebration (Photo: Shutterstock)

BURN CALORIES

Dancing to the beats of garba with your friends is a fabulous way to work your muscles and burn a lot of calories. The intensity of this dance form is similar to high-intensity aerobics or cardio, and in about one hour of garba, an individual can burn anywhere between 500 to 600 calories.

GOOD FOR WEIGHT LOSS

To lose two to three kilos in a month, you need to follow a calorie-deficit diet. By playing garba/dandiya for nine days, you can lose those two to three kilos, even without changing anything in your diet.

REDUCE FAT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

If you are a wheelchair user, try to do some practise sessions with dandiya sticks and even create some new moves. It helps lose fat around the belly because there is a lot of twisting, turning and stretching.

GREAT CARDIO EXERCISE

Playing dandiya is like doing aerobics or cardio exercise, which is any rhythmic activity that raises your heart rate into your target heart rate zone. It is the zone where you burn fat and calories the most.

BOOSTS CONFIDENCE

Just like how working out makes us feel better and lifts our spirits, doing dandiya or garba is also an opportunity to make new friends and have some great social interactions, which in turn boosts confidence.

MORE FLEXIBLE BODY

Since dandiya raas involves a lot of movement, it is a great time to experiment with your body’s flexibility. As you dance and have fun during Navratri, your body feels great, too.

GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Playing dandiya and garba entails fast-paced music and movements, so it helps bump up the production of feel-good neurotransmitters called endorphins. Since these rhythmic dance forms require full concentration, they help divert your mind from the day’s stress.

A woman ready to play dandiya (Photo: Shutterstock)

TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE DANCING DURING NAVRATRI:

Make sure you avoid fatty foods before dancing.

Have oranges, almonds, bananas, brown rice platter or sweet potatoes, as they are light.

Wear the right kind of footwear when playing garba so that you don’t compromise on your form or get injured. Opt for jutis, shoes, flats or sandals with back support.

If you don’t want to wear sneakers under your lehenga, dance barefoot to avoid any pressure on your ankles or knees while dancing!

Inputs by Vaishnavi Boora, fitness coach