As we learned in Foundations, each signature SilverSneakers class targets health- and skill-related goals. BOOM MOVE aims to improve specific components in the following ways:
- Flexibility is range of motion. In MOVE, you’ll target flexibility through dance-based movement blocks that progressively increase range of motion and joint mobility. Each class ends with a dedicated final stretch segment.
- Strength is the ability of a muscle to exert a force against resistance. In BOOM MOVE, participants will use their own body weight against the force of gravity, providing resistance for the muscles of both the upper and lower body. Some of the dance movements in MOVE will require the ability to isolate small muscles of the back and abdomen and help build control and style over time. By coordinating arm and leg movements, dancers get a total body workout.
- Endurance is measured as the length of time the muscular and cardiovascular systems can work before fatigue. Both muscular and cardiovascular endurance are important — not only for sports and leisure activities but also for everyday tasks like yard work and home maintenance projects. BOOM MOVE is an ideal class for building cardiovascular and pulmonary stamina because the dance-based movements blocks are continuous.
- Core conditioning is necessary for, and improved by, almost every type of exercise. A strong core supports posture, protects the spine, and improves movement precision. The dance-based movements found in MOVE originate from a strong center and therefore, strengthen the core. Frequent form and alignment reminders throughout class will help improve core conditioning, as well.
- Agility is the successful integration of balance, speed, coordination, strength and kinesthetic awareness needed when reacting to one’s environment or performing difficult movements. There’s a reason professional football players study ballet, and soccer stars warm up with dance-like movements. BOOM MOVE combines directional changes, weight shifts, and purposeful speed variations to improve agility through dance.
- Cognitive health is important for our members! According to the National Institute on Aging, cognitive health is the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember (2017). By coordinating movements of the upper and lower body, building new movement patterns, and incorporating complex movement variations, MOVE targets improvements in neuro-physiological fitness.
- Sense of well-being is a sense of being comfortable and healthy. Although the term “social dance” often specifically refers to partner or group dances, all dance is social. Dance provides social interaction, can increase self-confidence and helps to build interpersonal skills. MOVE targets a sense of well-being by offering a supportive social environment, personal connections, and community.