TikTok dance trends may catch a lot of people’s attention, and they can be fun to do. But what about the dances that promote weight loss such as the viral “Ab Dance”? Sure, dancing has always been known to get the heart pumping (think Zumba), but Health.com experts agree that the Ab Dance move amounts to little more than pelvic thrusts, and if done incorrectly can hurt you more than help you.
The Ab Dance is based on a practice called “spot reduction”. Spot reduction refers to the claim that fat in a certain area of the body can be targeted for reduction through exercise of specific muscles in that desired area. For example, exercising the abdominal muscles to lose weight in or around one’s midsection.
Weightwatchers Canada says otherwise, explaining that body fat is simply stored energy in our bodies. When the body turns to fat for energy it draws from fat cells equally throughout our bodies and not just the muscles that are creating the energy demand.
We each store and burn fat differently. Where your body chooses to recruit fat cells from to use as energy depends on many factors, including gender, hormones and genetics.
Therefore, smashing out hundreds of squats isn’t necessarily going to torch thigh fat, nor is the Ab Dance going to give you perfect abs.
Although professionals know spot reduction is a myth, many people still believe that it is possible to choose where fat can be lost on one’s body because of the continual misleading information some social media outlets are providing.
Muscle growth in a region does not reduce fat in that region. Instead, fat is lost from the entire body because of diet and regular exercise.
The best course of action, says weightwatchers.com, is to reduce body fat while also toning and strengthening the body is to do full-body aerobic activities, along with strength exercises that incorporate large muscle groups. This could look like swimming and running, along with deadlifts and squat cleans; these exercises work the entire body, which will help burn fat and strengthen muscles.
Remember nutrition and building muscle will be your best friends if you’re looking to lose fat and gain muscle. So, to build strong abs, stick to proven exercises, like planks and crunches, and healthy eating to meet your goal.
