Good dancers generally do things differently, but you don’t have to be a professional dancer to have fun and stay in shape. Here’s the thing: dancing is fun, working out regularly isn’t. But when you combine workout and dance, you’re likely going to get in better shape more quickly through sheer pleasure and useful application. Sure, if you’re running, you’re going to build up endurance which could help you avoid an extreme situation. But it’s just not that fun.

Meanwhile, with hip-hop moves, you can get your exercise in, and as your moves grow fitter, you can take them to the club. It’s an uphill spiral! The more you dance, the more you can dance. below are four families of hip-hop moves that can help you stay fit, hone your body, and have fun the whole while.

1: Zumba Variety

Zumba is a mélange that sort of blends a variety of cool dance steps with that particular Latin flair that has become popular today. There are a variety of steps here, like “climbing the rope”, among others.  

But Zumba, in common, are an entire family of Latinized hip-hop moves that are specifically designed for physical effect and aesthetic sensibility. Several seen in the above video include The Cumbia, Basic Bellydance, and most notably, Beto, which involves some tight arm and core moves.

2: The Ab Rock

Ab rocks move from a crouched stance to the left and right in time to the music. These moves have a “low” feeling and can include squats to a degree. 

Ab Rocks are a fun step, because not only do they get your abdominal muscles are worked out in some stylish moves, but if you do moves like this long enough, you’re going to get abs like rocks!

3: Step Lunges

Step lunges include taking the left foot and then the right foot, stepping forward, and nearly reaching the knee of the rear leg to the ground while crossing your arms in front of you and, presumably, making a few faces just to get that hip-hop “feel”.

4: Extended Squat Plié

This is a great step to start on. You want the insole of your feet facing outward, and your legs wide. You sit down quickly in time with the music, then stand up as quickly and rock your abs. This movement can be done as quickly or as thoughtfully as you feel convenient. 

You can move from the elongated squat plié to an ab-rock position, and then throw in a few steps lunges for good measure. These moves combined with Cumbia, Basic Belly Dance, and Beto from Zumba can turn out a pretty comprehensive exercise that will help you shed hundreds of calories every hour.