No matter what diet you follow, rather you sweat it out on a treadmill, in a spin class or sweatin’ the oldies, one indelible truth remains: to get in shape and stay that way you must exercise. No matter what pill claims research and science to stop carb absorption, block fat hormones or decrease hunger, the fine print is always the same: “use in conjunction with a sensible diet and exercise”.
The problem with that is most people hate to exercise. And the majority of those who do it consistently have simply submitted to the inescapable obligation to do so.
The quest now is how to make exercise enjoyable . . . dag on it, make it fun even. The best way to do that is to do something you enjoy. Something different., something that challenges your muscles, gets your blood pumping, and your laugh lines stuck. And if it makes you feel confident and sexy at the same time, it won’t hurt none. Belly dancing is just the activity that will give you all those benefits and some more to boot.
The History of Belly Dancing
Belly dancing is often looked at as the secret dance of the bronze skin beauties. But in fact this is a secret that has been revealed. Belly dancing has been done since ancient times. Some for of it exist in many countries around the world from the Middle East to East Asia, its performance in entrenched in culture and tradition.
Although belly dancing is viewed in western societies as a sexually exotic dance done by women for men, that’s not the traditional view or practice of belly dancing. As a dance that is performed in societies where women and men have socially separate interaction (ie women over here, men over there), it is a dance that is most commonly done for women by women. In ancient Egypt, when the mistress went in labor, her harem would gather around her and do undulations of the belly, also known as belly rolls, to symbolize the birthing process, and distract her from labor pains.
During bridal parties when the bride had her hands and feet covered in Henna (a mud-like paste to dye decoration on the skin) the women would belly dancing to pass the time while the henna dried.
Interestingly enough men belly dance as well. With firm, earthly moves that often includes stomps and sharp movements, instead of the graceful flows of the female version, men celebrate among them selves.
The uniqueness of belly dancing
Belly dancing is a type of dancing whose base is isolation moves. You must move your torso while keeping your lower body still and visa versa. For most people in western society it is a muscle challenge because we are not use to using our muscles in the way belly dancing requires. So even the women with a six pack can benefit from the unique muscle techniques required to belly dance. The muscle control and technique required while implementing the very deliberate moves (yeah it’s so much more than just trusting your pelvic bone around), will make you admire the graceful moves displayed by belly dancing performers. Even if you do not plan on gracing the stage to move your “lovely lady lumps”, it is an activity every woman should try at least once in a life time.
We are westerners and in our mind belly dancing is still exotic and sensual and to be able to move with grace and sensuality makes us all little more confident in our femininity. And because it is a dance that can be done no matter what shape, size or scale number you represent, it is just the thing to help you love the skin you are in.
Mubarakah Ibrahim CPT is an AFAA certified personal trainer and owner of BALANCE fitness Studio for women in New Haven, CT. She offers 1 on 1 personal training service for women, on-line personal training, outdoor boot camps, and group fitness classes, including belly dancing. She also lectures, promotes and conducts workshops on health and fitness through out the northeast. She can be contacted by visiting her website http://www.BalanceCT.com or e-mailed at balanceCT@hotmail.com © BALANCE fitness. Article may be reprinted without permission only in its entirety including author bio and contact information.
