Dance Your Way to Fitness

Why I chose Dance Central 3 as a Fitness Tool

Three years ago, I came down with a case of Bell's Palsy, which is partial paralysis of your face. Not only was I embarassed to go to the gym, my doctor ordered me to abstain from any form of strenuous exercise until I get better. After a little less than a year, I got the control of my facial muscles back and immediately went back to the gym. This wasn't the best idea as a couple months later, the Bell's Palsy was back. I knew that stress played a major role in my Bell's Palsy so controlling that was top priority. I also knew I had to take it easy. So instead of commuting to the gym every day, I decided I would stay home and start with some yoga as well as taking long walks around my neighborhood. It helped me save money on gym membership and gave me more time to do other things.

After a few months my health was improving but I knew that I needed to do more. One weekend, I was excited to go on a hike with a couple of friends and was surprised to find that I could barely make it to the top. It was embarrassing and shocking to myself how weak I had become. As I made my way back home, I passed by a random game center in downtown Tokyo where I saw a couple of young kids playing a dance game. I could see how it could be the perfect workout and I immediately wanted one in my house.

My Xbox and Dance Central 3

The next day I went into town and got myself the Xbox Game Console with Kinect as well as the Dance Central 3 game. After three grueling workouts, this is what I found out. Dance Central 3 is the perfect workout that I had been looking for. Each song is grouped into categories ranging from warm-up to intense levels letting you choose how hard you want to dance. I usually start off with a couple of songs from the warm-up and then continue to the more intense songs. After using Dance Central for almost a year, I can tell you that my stamina has significantly improved. Some of the songs are easy to master but the difficult ones are harder in skill as well as intensity. The best thing about this game is the fact that I don't feel like I'm working out. I find myself breathless and sweating like a cow, but I find myself wanting to go as long as I can. It's seriously that much fun! In short, Dance Central 3 totally rocks as well as being a serious workout! To date, I have mastered every song on the hardest level except for two but I know I'll get there soon!

Cool Extras in Dance Central 3

Dance Central 3 is the third installation of the Dance Central series and contains lots of touches that the previous versions didn't include. The biggest addition includes a Story Mode, which plays like a game. Your mission is to go back in time and master dance moves of different decades in order to beat the boss. (Remember "the hustle"?) Through mastering dance moves, you acquire the skills necessary to beat the final boss, Dr. Tan. At the end of the game, it's almost a guarantee that you'll be fitter than when you started. Dance Central 3 includes a total of 31 songs with additional songs that can be downloaded later on. Each song has three difficulty levels you can choose from letting you progress at your own pace.

The Verdict

I found a way to work out at home that is way more fun than working out with an exercise video. What's more important is that it has done what I hoped it would do. It has significantly improved my health and has made it easier to maintain my weight. Whether you're trying to get fit or just want to have fun, Dance Central 3 is a great game. You can even chose to have a blast playing with a friend or with a small group in Party Mode. The graphics are top-notch and the music is varied and sure to please a wide range of age groups.

Check out what what Dance Central 3 feels like with this run through of one of my favorite routines in Dance Central 3.