Doing spot-reducing exercises in your abdominal area will not flatten your stomach, but dancing will. Rather than do slow dancing or low-impact dance, choose vigorous moves that spike your heart rate so you burn calories. You will trim fat everywhere you store it, including your stomach. Maximize the amount of belly fat you burn during dancing by adding speed, strength and intensity challenges to your routines. Stay safe during high-impact dance workouts by wearing shoes that fit well and support your ankles during sharp turns. The soles should have enough tread to stop you from slipping on the dance floor.
Step 1
Warm up properly for your dance workout. Do 10 minutes of stepping side to side, knee lifts and swinging your arms to elevate your heart rate, make your muscles more flexible, and lubricate your knee and hip joints.
Step 2
Play music with a high amount of beats per minute. The faster the music, the more vigorously you will move. Vary the speed of your songs if you want to do interval training.
Step 3
Select intense dance workouts such as Zumba, hip hop and step aerobics.
Step 4
Exaggerate your dance moves. Step widely, jump high, squat low and lift your knees high. You burn more body fat and also build muscle tissue. The denser your muscle tissue, the higher you raise your basal metabolism.
Step 5
Incorporate arm movements. Raise you arms high and wide during your dance sessions. You burn more calories and strengthen your upper arms.
Step 6
Engage your core muscles. Inhale deeply and contract your abdomen. Do moves that have you using your abdominal muscles to maintain balance. This strengthens your stomach area and sculpts your abdominal muscles.
Tips and Warnings
- If you tire between songs, move slowly rather than stop.
References
- American Council on Exercise; Why Is the Concept of Spot Reduction Considered a Myth?; Jessica Matthews
- MayoClinic.com; Belly Fat in Women: Taking --- and Keeping --- It Off; April 2011
- Harvard School of Public Health: Strength and Flexibility Training
- "The New York Times"; Samba Lines at the Gym; Mireya Navarro; July 2008
Member Comments