“It Got My Heart Rate Up”

If you use TikTok, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen countless dance trends that seem to pop up every day. Whether it’s dancing along to a new pop song like “Apple” by Charli XCX or a classic Broadway musical like Chicago, the choreographed routines go viral and people of all backgrounds join in on the fun, including The Office star Jenna Fischer. 

Fischer opened up about her love of TikTok dances on the Office Ladies podcast with Angela Kinsey. She talked about how she enjoys spending time learning different routines, even if Fischer doesn’t post the videos of her doing them herself.  

She referenced a few dances that have gone viral on the app as the catalyst for her hobby. “It all started with me learning the tap dance routine to ‘Footloose.’ That kind of kicked it off,” Fischer shared. “It’s great exercise. It really is. Just learning these TikTok dances. And the latest one I learned was the one from the show Chicago.”  

Fischer also mentioned how the dance routines get her heart rate up, making it a good form of exercise. It’s no secret that movement is essential to your well-being. Getting regular exercise has plenty of health benefits, including reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes, as well as improving your mental health. And finding ways to get your heart rate up by doing activities you actually enjoy doing is key to making exercise sustainable—it’s called joyful movement. TikTok dances seem to do the trick for Fischer and for many others who share their routines on the app. 

Joyful movement can look different for everyone, since it aims to promote a healthy relationship with moving your body. While I’m not one to learn TikTok dances, I do try to get in some regular movement throughout the week. Lately, I’ve been making an effort to go for walks in the evening since the weather is cooling down. I love walking along the riverfront in my town and taking in the fresh air—and sometimes I also get in a little arm workout by pushing my cat in his stroller! No matter how you choose to incorporate movement into your routine, it’s clear that finding something that you enjoy can make a huge difference in motivating you to get some exercise.