I just had a great breakdance session. I went over most of the top rock bboy moves I know, did some headspin practice and topped it with a short footwork exercise.

I am out of air, out of endurance and out of whatever you don’t have after not doing sports for a month due to a mounting pile of work. And I love it!

This were the 30 minutes I didn’t take in the previous weeks and I so should have taken them. Each and every week – if not even day. It’s not much and I’m not gonna be the best bboy in the world because of it. But it did remind me why I love to do all these crazy moves.

1. Clearing your mind

This is true for most sports I’ve tried: rollerblading, acrobatics, swimming and, yes, breakdancing. Everything you have in your head – work, life, responsibilities and problems – is gone. It’s the diversion from everyday life that you need to maintain balance in this world we live in. For me, it keeps me sane.

2. Life is so much better afterwards

It’s a great workout. I’m exhausted. I feel so much better than after just sitting behind the computer.

And I’ve left the best and most important for last:

3. Expressing your emotions, pleasuring your senses

Put on your favorite track on, be it funk, rap or jazz hop – whatever you need in that moment – and you’ll be connected with your feelings, your emotions, your mood. Especially if most of your life happens in your head (focusing on your reason that is), than you’ll appreciate the different state of awareness, when you get so entangled with your body’s senses.

Sure, it takes a while to be able to enter this state. That’s why you practice your bboy moves. When they become second nature to you, you don’t need to consciously choose to do Indian step or Salsa step or a Knee spin out of 6-step. You just do it. Because you feel it. You feel like doing it. It’s the best of feelings.

Recap

While the first and second reason are true for most sports, I am able to get the third only from breakdance. The flow, the music and the feeling your body gets out of connecting the two is something unique to dancing. What kind of dance you try of course depends on the music that most resonates with you. If your poison consists of funky breakbeats, you know you won’t be happy until you give breakdance a try.

If you do get that kind of connection out of breakdancing, it will be hard to let go and you’ll know exactly why you are over and over again coming back for more.