When one thinks of belly dancing, the vision of an hour glass figure in a gauzy outfit with a belly button barely peeking through on a set of fabulous abs surely comes to mind. However, having a "body to kill for" is not a prerequisite to enjoying this form of exercise, anyone can belly dance regardless of their size, height, or age. Belly dancing is an oriental dance that originated in Egypt, Russia, Spain, Mesopotamia, Morocco, and many other countries and has yet to be precisely dated...women have been using this form of exercise for centuries to prepare a woman's body for pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery, post-childbirth. It gives a great work out, because belly dancing uses every muscle in the body to express sensuality and emotion.
Belly dancing can be a very sensual experience, but this should not be confused with sexual experience. Although the health benefits mentioned below may improve sexual performance, belly dancing is not a sexual dance. Belly dancing is an art...... an art of self expression.... an art of self love. The female body is beautiful, unrelated to a woman's sexuality, and belly dancing helps a woman tune in to that beauty that radiates from inside through the joy of hearing music and feeling its rhythm, the feel of clothes on the body, the fragrance of skin, and the movements that empower. Belly dancing celebrates the natural movements of the body, and in so doing, improves self esteem and body image. While one may start belly dancing feeling awkward, shy, and self conscious, it does not take long for the dance to awaken and connect a woman with her own femininity. Belly dancing is a celebration of femininity.
.
The health benefits derived from belly dancing are many! The hip drops, pelvic lifts, figure eights, shimmies, belly rolls, and other dance moves call on and strengthen the core muscles which serves to improve posture, increase abdominal tone and strength, reduce and prevent lower back pain, and yes, ladies, it even helps keep the digestive system moving. Strong glutes and pelvic muscles in addition to improved flexibility and fluidity of movement, are other benefits. But if you think that belly dancing only works the abdominal, thigh, and hip areas, you would be wrong. Belly dancing literally uses every muscle in the body, including the neck, arms, hands, and chest. All this repetitive motion also serves to keep joints and ligaments well lubricated. (Humble, 2008)
Due to the fact that a belly dancer is on her feet, constantly moving, belly dancing is considered a weight bearing exercise, which means that it can prevent or delay osteoporosis and strengthen bones. The movements in belly dancing are slow, gentle, and graceful enough to be considered low- to no- impact exercise, which means you can get a phenomenal full body workout without causing damage to your joints. In addition, this author has found the gentle stretches, calming movements, and rhythms to be extremely effective at reducing stress. (Humble, 2008)
Belly dancing is a fantastic and fun tool to have in your arsenal against the battle of the bulge, but how much bang do you get for your buck? According to Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat (n.d.) belly dancing burns 250-300 calories per hour for a woman weighing approximately 125 pounds, (and you can add 10% for every 15 pounds over 125). However, a word of caution, when taking a belly dancing class or using a video for weight loss take care that the instructor keeps you moving continuously throughout the class and that the class uses traveling steps. This continuous movement is the key in belly dancing those pounds away.
As always, no exercise is right for everyone. Please consult with your physician before trying this or any other type of exercise.
References
Humble, L. H. (2008). Belly dance to better health, Danse du ventre: The Middle Eastern dance of fun and fitness. Retrieved from http://worlddance.suite101.com/article.cfm/belly_dance_to_better_health
Jean-Murat, C. (n.d.). Staying healthy: 10 easy steps for woment: An online guide. Retrieved from http://www.drcarolle.com/healthy_04.htm
Comments