FitSteps is a new dance for fitness class that has been developed by Strictly Come Dancing pro dancers and Mark Foster.
Today Mark Foster, former British Olympic swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing contestant, was speaking about Fit Steps on Channel4’s Sunday Brunch with Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer.
He explained how even though he was already very fit when he started dancing on Strictly Come Dancing he lost weight and saw fitness improvements. He also had a lot of fun in the process. This inspired him to set up Fit Steps with ballroom dancers Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite.
Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite devised a new series of dance workouts which combined the grace of Ballroom with up-tempo Latin dances. The result was a fun and energetic dance workout that burns fat and improves fitness. This is the first time that Ballroom and Latin dance movements have been combined with specific fitness exercises.
Burn 600 calories
Mark Foster said that FitSteps can burn up 600 calories in 45 minutes. This level of intensity is on par with an intensive circuit training class or bootcamp style workout. However, not everybody will burn that many calories in 45 minutes. See our calorie expenditure chart to compare with other exercises.
Dance has always been a very intensive form of exercise. If has had a bit of an image problem, especially amongst men, who think that it is not real exercise. But you only have to look at the bodies that pro dancers have to see that dance is an excellent form of fitness than is similar in many ways to martial arts. It really is great to see a “new” fitness movement develop. Hopefully many people will start using dance as a way to keep healthy and stay fit for many years to come.
Twelve Dances
FitSteps is based on the twelve most popular dances. Currently the Fit Steps team are teaching the first six of these in classes around the UK:
- Jive
- Cha Cha
- Samba
- Tango
- Waltz
- Quickstep
FitSteps is providing personal trainers and dance instructors with the opportunity to become members of the FitSteps® Academy Network (FAN) so that they can too teach the classes to their own students.
FitSteps Classes
FitSteps have classes running all over the UK and they have a class directory on their website: http://fan.fitsteps.co.uk/find-a-class/
Rosemary Conley’s fitness clubs have already embraced FitSteps along with many independent fitness clubs.
FitSteps Highlights from 2013
This video shows some of the moves that you can expect to do in a FitSteps dance class.