If you're looking for an enjoyable way to exercise and burn calories -- as well as learn a few smoldering dance moves -- consider signing up for a belly dancing class. Belly dancing isolates and strengthens certain parts of your body, such as your abdominals. Other health benefits of belly dancing include improved posture, balance, coordination, muscle tone and cardiovascular health. It also promotes weight loss and reduces stress.
Burn Calories
Unlike regular exercise, belly dancing requires that you move your body in ways you may have not thought possible. Isolating certain parts of your body, such as your neck and shoulders, plus certain elements of belly dancing, like snake arms and undulations, strengthen muscles, boosts your metabolism and burns calories. The amount of calories you burn belly dancing depends on your age, gender and weight, as well as how much energy you exert while dancing. On average, you may burn up to 300 calories in one hour.
Strengthen Muscles
In addition to burning calories and fat, belly dancing strengthens and tones your mid-section, legs and glutes. Some traditional belly dancing moves include the hip shimmy, figure eights, hip drops and rolls. These moves strengthen and work your abdominals as well as your back, hips and legs. Other belly dancing moves, such as snake arms, work your arm, shoulder and upper back muscles while head slides work your neck. Building strong muscles not only help burn more calories but also protect your joints and bones from injury.
Fertility
Belly dancing is also known to provide additional health benefits. In ancient times, women often belly danced to help improve the fertility of other women. Belly dancing is also said to help prepare women for childbirth, since many of the hip and pelvic movements mimic those taught in childbirth classes. Other health benefits of belly dancing include stress reduction, improved digestion and regular bowel movements and less bothersome PMS symptoms, such as cramps and bloating.
Basic Belly Dancing Moves
Whether you sign up for a belly dancing class or pick up a belly dancing instructional DVD, each lesson is based on a core set of moves, including shimmies, undulations, isolation and traveling steps. As your fitness and belly dancing skills improve, you may also learn complex floor movements as well as how to incorporate finger cymbals, veils, swords and candles into your performance. The more effort you put into performing a belly dance routine, the better your weight loss and muscle strengthening results.
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