| If you want flat abs but you're tired of sit-ups and can't | | | | rhythm. |
| bear to do another crunch, there are other ways | | | | Hip circle |
| besides traditional core exercises. Are you willing to | | | | Now to get into the serious belly dancing action, stand |
| shake your booty and have a little fun? Then you | | | | with feet hip-width apart and let your arms hang and |
| should try to strengthen your core with a belly dance | | | | move naturally at your sides. Start circling your hips |
| lesson. | | | | almost as if you were trying to keep a hula hoop in |
| There's a reason belly dancers don't mind showing off | | | | motion, going from the front to the left, back, right and |
| their stomachs. Every time they dance they're not only | | | | around again. After a few reps in one direction, |
| getting cardio calorie blasting benefits, they're doing a | | | | reverse your motion. |
| core exercise of sorts by holding their abs steady to | | | | Figure eight |
| shimmy, shake and rock their hips in ways that amaze | | | | Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms out to |
| us all. Give it a try, remembering to stabilize your core, | | | | your sides lifted away from your body at a 45-degree |
| keeping your abs tight as you perform these easy | | | | angle. Rock to the right side, lifting your right hip and |
| belly dance tricks. | | | | heel. Drop them both to return to center. Then reverse |
| Rib slide | | | | the motion, rocking to the left. Keep rocking smoothly |
| Begin standing with your feet together and hands on | | | | side-to-side as if you were drawing a figure eight with |
| your hips. Isolate your ribs, moving them and only them | | | | your belly button. |
| to the left, back to center, to the right and back to | | | | Belly roll |
| center. Get into the rhythm and keep moving back and | | | | Finish by pulling out all the stops. Stand feet hip-width |
| forth. | | | | apart with your arms slightly behind you. Now you're |
| Chest lift | | | | going to roll your belly from top to bottom and back. |
| Similar to the rib slide, stand with your feet together | | | | Inhale and pull in your lower abs, then relax your lower |
| and hands on your hips. Isolate your chest to lift it up | | | | abs and pull in your upper abs. Continue alternating |
| and then back down. Repeating several time in a | | | | between the two to create the rolling effect. |