Does Dancing Build Muscle?
Exercise physiologist and Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Alexander Rothstein, Ed.D., is quoted extensively in a article discussing how dance benefits the body鈥檚 muscles. Rothstein explains that while dancing does positively impact muscles, hypertrophy鈥攇rowing muscle size鈥攊s not a common result. He notes that muscle growth can simply come down to body type and genetics; someone carrying extra weight may observe only weight loss, while a smaller person might see defined muscle.
鈥淢ost individuals, when they’re dancing, don’t get to that level that would result in significant muscle growth,鈥� Rothstein says. However, he adds, 鈥渋f you’re a beginner [to exercise], every stimulus builds a lot of muscle quickly.鈥�
Coverage of this story also appears on , , and .