Belly Dancing

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Raven2evil
Raven2evil Posts: 73 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So over all I'm more looking to flatten my stomach then I am trying to lose weight. Yes technically I'm about 20-40 lbs overweight because I'm short but I'm more looking for muscle toning. When I was super active in HS I only lost 2 lbs in that year but I had lost like 6-8 inches around my waist. But this year my boyfriend and I want to go to a festival and last time I loved my fail attempt at belly dancing in the drum circle. i figured this would be one of the best exercises for me and I get to learn a new skill. Any other ideas that would help me flatten my stomach. I have till October to do this but still sooner the better

Replies

  • strawberrygashes
    strawberrygashes Posts: 210 Member
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    Just wanted to say I used to belly dance (self taught) and LOVED it!!! I might even start up again for some no-impact exercise, bit of a change from all the high-impact exercise.

    Theres lots of other things you can do - a favourite around here is the Jillian Michaels DVDS, maybe zumba, running (a great fat burner)
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
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    I took belly dancing classes in the past, and depending on the size of your middle, you may not want to lose too much :wink: One needs a fair amount of hips and tummy to toss around. It's all about developing the skill and locating the muscles you need to execute fluid movements. Not in that order of course :laugh:

    I've heard spot reducing does not work so your efforts will best serve you if you aim for all over fat loss and practice practice, practive :flowerforyou: Good luck and belly roll on :smokin:
  • TigressPat
    TigressPat Posts: 722
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    belly dancers rarely have flat stomachs.
    and it does not flatten your stomach, even though it does tone and tighten everything.
  • Raven2evil
    Raven2evil Posts: 73 Member
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    when I look at most professional belly dancers their belly's are a little flatter. They aren't abs flat but they don't have a muffin top either. Why does spot training not work?
  • TigressPat
    TigressPat Posts: 722
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    when I look at most professional belly dancers their belly's are a little flatter. They aren't abs flat but they don't have a muffin top either. Why does spot training not work?
    belly dancing isn't spot training.
    It works just about everything.
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    edited December 2014
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    Belly dancing does work your torso more than anything, from your hips up to your chest. All those undulations, ribcage isolations, figure eights, etc work your back, lower back, lower abs, upper abs, everything in the area. Hip lifts will work your obliques. Honestly I haven't seen a lot of changes in my butt or legs.
    Most importantly I only lost weight through diet and not dancing, but dancing helped motivate me, keeping me on track and toning my body. I started noticing my body changing when I started taking classes, but it really changed when I taught several classes a week. Dancing itself will not do it (you dance what, 20 minutes?) but practicing or taking classes will, because you're doing movements repetitively.

    Salsa dancing worked on my legs. I also took yoga and that was a nice addition.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Unfortunately you can't spot reduce. The only way to get a flatter stomach is going to be losing the body fat.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
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    I love belly dancing. Not very good at it though. It does help you to isolate and recognise different muscles and improve your posture. Once you are comfortable exercising adding some strength training while you are losing weight may help flatten your stomach.
    Cheers, h.
  • bkthandler
    bkthandler Posts: 247 Member
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    Raven2evil wrote: »
    Why does spot training not work?

    You can't fight Mother Nature:-)

    If me and someone my exact height and weight both lost 25 pounds eating the same and excercising the same it wouldn't mean the fat came off the same place. I tend to lose in the butt and thighs first...you can run 10 miles a day and do abs of steel religously and you may never get the stomach you want....but your heart will (probably) be better for it and your back will benefit from those stronger abs.

    You can (and should aim to) be the best and healthiest you, you can be but there is no amount of work that will change the underlying structrure.

    There is no set of excercises that will give me JLo's booty.



  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    1.) Professional belly dancers at the high end are hired as much for their looks as their skills. And most people want a young- pretty- attractive fit looking performer. So yes- many of them ARE "thinner"

    2.) Nothing will help "flatten" your stomach except a steady calorie deficit.

    3.) It is a GREAT skill to learn- but please be aware- it's there are a lot of cultural/ethical/business ethics surrounding this dance form. Yes it's fun- but be aware there is a lot more to it than looking cute and swiveling your hips. Also-what you learn at a gym for a bellyfit class probably isn't going to be anything like real Middle Eastern based dancing. FYI.

    4.) If you want muscle "toning" I suggest you pick up some weights (starting strength/strong lifts/new rules of lifting for women or if you don't want to go to a gym look into progressive body weight lifting.

    Good luck- and if you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask.

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