karina

SheKnows Talks Shape Up

SheKnows celebrity correspondent Whitney English caught up with Karina at The Sports Club/LA where she was teaching her Shape Up dance class. Whitney talked with Karina about how dance keeps her in tip-top shape.

"Dance is a well-rounded workout," Karina says. "You don't work one muscle group; you work the whole body. It's great cardio. Plus, you have fun when you dance and you work out. You forget that you're actually physically working and sweating. You're enjoying the process and at the same time, toning up, losing weight and burning calories."

As you would expect, high-paced routines like jive and cha cha are more intense and these routines will give you a better cardio workout. But slow dances like the waltz and rumba require so much control and you use different muscle groups to make sure that you control every step. So the slower routines are also a very intense workout. Trying several different dance styles is your best bet to get the ultimate dancer's body.

We all saw the dramatic weight loss of Kelly Osbourne and Kirstie Alley on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Karina was asked if everyone can expect results like that. "Dancing with the Stars is a very grueling experience; we have 8-10 hours of rehearsal a day. Yes, that's every single day." Karina points out that when you take a dance class, you won't be doing it 10 hours a day, seven days a week. "You are going to lose weight, just not at the pace of Kelly and Kirstie." Karina told Whitney she has students who take her classes 4-5 times a week. To get the dancer's body you dream of, Karina recommends that you participate in a dance class at least three times a week. Karina's advice: make sure you are doing it consistently.

Dance is a great workout, but like any fitness plan, it's not a quick fix. Diet plays a big part too. See Whitney's complete interview with Karina here.