Back in 1997 I was looking for a fitness routine that would be fun, and therefore, something that I’d have a better chance sticking with. My boss’s daughter was an avid Irish step dancer – she’d often come into the office and practice in an empty room. She looked like she loved this activity so when I found a how-to-do Irish step video, I decided to buy it. The catalog also had a ‘belly dance for fun and fitness’ video and I thought, “What the heck.” I was hooked.
Learn Belly Dance
Before you can start a belly dance fitness routine, you need to learn belly dance. You can either sign up for a class or you can rent or purchase belly dance DVDs that will teach you the basic moves. Look for a DVD or class that emphasizes an introduction to moves as opposed to offering a fitness routine. Why, particularly if you want to create a belly dance workout?
A DVD fitness routine won’t introduce the full range of basic movements; in most cases they’ll give you a handful of moves that you repeat. I lucked out in that the first video I bought taught the basics as opposed to giving me a narrow workout that would have meant I’d have to buy a library of videos to get some variety. Learn the basics and then create your own routine, as I did.
Belly Dancing for Fun and Fitness
Once I learned the basics of belly dance – hip and ribcage circles, figure 8s, shimmies, hip and ribcage lifts and drops – I realized that I could expand my range with these few moves by introducing some variations. Although the variety was intellectually challenging, it also added physical challenges that created a better workout. Try
Change the speed of the move, make it slower or faster Change your elevation by doing the move on the ball(s) of one or both feet; do the move with a deeper knee bend; try the move while kneeling on the floor Practice ribcage moves while perched on the balls of your feet; this will work your legs in a different way and challenge your balance Practice arm moves with one pound dumbbells (even the slight change to two-pound dumbbells can add unnecessary stress to your shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints. Change a move so that you can travel with it, which will increase the cardiovascular challenge of a belly dance workout.
Dance Workout
When I started a belly dance workout routine, I often practiced (and still do) for an hour three-to-five times a week. Because this is a low-impact workout that doesn’t stress the joints or tear muscle tissue, you can complete this type of fitness routine daily.
Put on any type of music you love and practice each move 50 times. Remember, many moves work to the right as well as to the left – work your body evenly. After you practice the isolated movements, you can then do some free dancing, incorporating these moves into a dance.
A belly dance fitness routine can be fun while working muscles that conventional exercise workouts don’t affect. Incorporate a dance workout into your regular cardio and strength training workouts or just have fun dancing around your house! If you get hooked on belly dance, check out these other articles.
How to Develop a Belly Dance Practice Routine
Belly Dance Costume on a Budget
Belly Dance with Confidence