Music is food for the soul, but is karaoke good for the body?
HAVING a regular exercise routine is undoubtedly good for your health. But for some people, going for a jog or working out in the gym can be akin to a tedious chore.
So what if you made your workout more fun? Apparently, some people are choosing to hit the nearest karaoke outlet rather than the gym to burn calories.
But does this work?
Verdict:
TRUE
Singing is basically a form of cardiovascular activity, and according to Livestrong, singing while standing up can burn a similar number of calories as going for a stroll or doing some light housework. It can even help improve lung and heart function.
On average, in an hour, you can burn around 100 calories at the karaoke while sitting down. Singing while standing up can help you increase that to about 136 calories – that’s 8 to 9 calories per song, or 300 to 408 calories in a 3-hour session.
Add in some dance moves and tambourine shaking, and you’ll burn even more.
In fact, there are some karaoke room operators in Japan that have machines which will tell you how many calories you burned once you’ve finished singing a song.
The machine will calculate the amount based on your voice input, so a powerful ballad like Celine Dion’s "My Heart Will Go On" will have you burning more calories.
That said, burning calories is just an added benefit for a fun activity – if you’re really looking to get in some proper exercise, you’re probably better off going for a brisk walk or a swim.
References:
1. https://www.livestrong.com/
3. https://livejapan.com/en/
