| Fitness For Life: An Exercise Guide for Dancers | | | | overhead and arch your back in a nice long stretch. |
| (This is targeted to Belly Dancing but works for all | | | | Tops of shoulders & Neck: Stretch arms up |
| exercise forms) | | | | overhead, release head back. |
| By Jana E. Beeman | | | | If you consistently have muscle pain during workouts, |
| Exercise Basics: | | | | try taking an antioxidant supplement with selinium, |
| **Before you get started, be sure you've discussed | | | | chromium, calcium, magnesium and zinc. This helps with |
| your exercise plans with your doctor. | | | | muscle recovery and also helps alleviate muscle |
| Always be sure to drink enough water throughout the | | | | cramps at night. |
| day, and especially during your workout. A minimum | | | | As you're doing your workout, start slow for the |
| should be 8 8 oz. glasses of water per day, and | | | | warm-up, but put energy into it so your muscles warm |
| depending on your weight and training schedule, you | | | | and you start breathing deeper pretty much from the |
| may want to drink more than that. A good rule of | | | | beginning. As you start to feel your muscles relax, |
| thumb is 8 oz. per 20 pounds of body weight for | | | | extend further into all the movements. In my |
| starters. | | | | Intermediate warm ups, we'll start looking at perfect |
| Dress warm during the warm-up (but no socks - they | | | | body positions in each stretch and how to get more |
| slip!) and take off layers as you warm up. It is not a | | | | from each movement, but for starters, just breathe |
| bad thing to be a little too warm during the warm-up. It | | | | deeply as you move, and reach out with your |
| will help your muscles loosen up to better support your | | | | fingertips. |
| workout. Do not wear a hip scarf or belt during the | | | | As you move into the isolations section, be sure to |
| warm up. You want to feel free to move in every | | | | breathe all the way down into the abdominal area - |
| way, and your clothing should stretch easily with you. | | | | don't breathe from your chest, breathe from your |
| You may feel mild to fairly intense muscle soreness | | | | stomach. Chest breathing is too shallow to support the |
| and fatigue when you start a new exercise program | | | | work you're doing. You want to fill your body with air, |
| or when you start to take it up a notch if you're | | | | and release. When you first start with isolations, you'll |
| already active. You have two choices when this is the | | | | have some you just don't feel like you can do. Relax. It |
| case: ease into it slowly, or go for it, knowing you'll be | | | | takes a few sessions to get your muscles sorted out. |
| sore for a few days. While most people use the slow | | | | What will happen is that after you do your first session, |
| method, I don't think there is any problem with jumping | | | | you'll work a lot of the details out in your sleep. Your |
| in, as long as you're not pushing TOO hard. You'll have | | | | body and mind communicate while you're resting, and |
| more muscle fatigue and soreness, but if you continue | | | | next time, they'll have a better plan how to make your |
| to work through it, you can get up to speed quickly | | | | body do what you're asking. Every session gets |
| and get the 'burning in' part behind you. A good method | | | | easier, until you forget about the struggle. Allow your |
| can be alternating push and no-push workouts, so your | | | | body to work it out, and it will be fine. Oh, yes, you |
| muscles have a little more time to recoop, but not | | | | absolutely TRY to do the move, but know it will get |
| enough time to lose the work you've put in. | | | | easier without you getting it perfect the first time. |
| Keep in mind that belly dancing is going to be an | | | | Belly dance is a progressive style of exercise. First |
| entirely different kind of workout than what you've | | | | you stretch and start the limbering and strengthening |
| done before, UNLESS you've belly danced! It uses the | | | | process, start the basic isolations, then the body gets |
| delicate muscles that run down your ribcage, upper | | | | looser and stronger, the isolations get easier, we add |
| and lower abs, pectoral muscles, scapula | | | | more to them. Then you work at a higher level to |
| muscles….basically, belly dance uses all your | | | | stretch and strengthen, learn more complex |
| muscles, but in a much different way than your typical | | | | movements, focus on cleaning up the movements, |
| gym workout. If you've had other kinds of dance | | | | making them stronger and faster. Fast, however, does |
| before, you'll have some similarities, but belly dance is | | | | not mean proficient. I'm going to tell you a secret that |
| all about isolation, then combining movements back | | | | most dancers never think about: Only REALLY good |
| together, and working the muscles against each other. | | | | dancers can dance well SLOW. |
| That will create an entirely different dynamic in your | | | | What? Slow? |
| body than what you may be used to. | | | | Yep. It's a hundred times harder to do a movement |
| There are certain areas in the body that work hard in | | | | slowly and clean that it is to push through fast move |
| belly dance, and you may need to work up some | | | | after fast move. No kidding. Newer dancers, or those |
| strength before the moves really start coming | | | | who just aren't too good, will always choose fast |
| together. You might take a look at my body | | | | numbers because it covers up a host of problems, |
| conditioning video if you really feel you need to get up | | | | such as body weakness, sloppy |
| to speed faster. Honestly, just do the workout clean | | | | moves…momentum carries the moves. How |
| and ALWAYS warm up - never go straight to the | | | | can you tell if a dancer doing a fast number is doing it |
| moves. The warm-up is designed to prepare and | | | | to cheat? Watch the moves you've learned. Does the |
| strengthen your body. | | | | umy come up as it moves across the front? Is the |
| BE CONSISTANT in doing your program. Once a | | | | hipwork clean and countable? Are the arms up or |
| week at the very minimum, more if you have the time. | | | | down? If down, probably a beginner. Not always, but |
| The more you do the moves, the faster they get into | | | | often. My perfect test: ¾ shimmy. If you can't |
| muscle memory and become much easier to do. Keep | | | | count the hips going 123 123 123 123, it's sloppy. |
| in mind that since this dance uses muscles you may | | | | If you really want to become an excellent dancer, |
| not normally use, you will find areas in your body that | | | | WORK IT SLOW! Every time. Then speed it up too |
| refuse to move. Don't give up or get frustrated, just be | | | | so you have that, but always start your moves slow, |
| patient and take it slow. | | | | focusing on making them big, clean, pretty and strong. |
| If you are working upper body and your hips keep | | | | Put TENSION into the moves, using muscle to resist |
| moving too, try this: | | | | the movement a bit - that creates so much interest. |
| 1. Really bend your knees. | | | | Now, as you speed them up, don't lose the range of |
| Tuck the pelvis under, pulling your tailbone down. | | | | movement, strength or cleanness. Just release a bit of |
| Tighten your glut muscles (top of back thighs) and | | | | the tension to allow the moves to work faster. |
| lower abdominals (under navel) | | | | As you get into the drilling part of the workout, really |
| 1. Try doing the movements sitting in a straight chair | | | | breathe deep into your abdomen. Check your tuck, |
| where your feet are comfortably flat on the floor. | | | | keep your energy up. ENJOY the music! Once you're |
| Keep your 'sit bones' pressed down on the chair seat, | | | | sure you're doing the moves correctly, focus on fullest |
| and do your upper body moves. | | | | range of motion, then allow yourself to play with the |
| 2. Kneel on the floor with your heels under your gluts, | | | | moves a bit. There is no such thing as a bad move - |
| with your toes out behind you. You can separate your | | | | just one that may or may not look good and work for |
| legs a couple of inches to give you more stability if you | | | | the dance. In choreography, that's a different case, as |
| need it. Do your ribcage work here, and the hips are | | | | you're going for conformity, but when drilling or dancing |
| also well anchored. Make sure you're not getting any | | | | freeform, experimentation is great. |
| hip sway - a few people don't get enough stability in | | | | When you're done with the session, I really suggest |
| this position so it doesn't work well for them, but it | | | | you do a cool out stretch session. There isn't time on |
| does work for most people so is worth mentioning. | | | | the DVD's for me to do one without increasing the |
| When working hips and the ribcage keeps moving: | | | | cost of the product, but you can make up a stretch |
| Find a normal inside doorway. | | | | out on your own, or repeat the first few minutes of |
| Bring your arms up until your elbows are even with | | | | the warm-up. I also have a great cool-down on my |
| your shoulders and hands are up. | | | | body conditioning video. |
| Walk yourself into the doorway so the arms become | | | | Cover up again immediately following your workout - |
| 'locked' into position by the doorway. Make sure your | | | | do not wait for your body to 'cool off' or you may |
| knees are bent before you lock in. | | | | have muscle contraction that could lead to injury or |
| Check your tuck - make sure the tailbone is pulled | | | | unnecessary stiffness. Try to continue to stretch a bit |
| down and your lower back is nice and flat. | | | | as you cool down - it will really help with muscle |
| Now you can work the hips without worrying about | | | | recovery. If possible, take a hot shower or bath after |
| upper body. | | | | your workout, especially when you're just getting |
| You can also use this if you feel you have too much | | | | started with belly dance, to reduce soreness. Putting |
| shoulder involvement either with hips or ribcage work. If | | | | some epsom salts into your bath water is a great |
| working ribcage, keep in mind you are anchored, and | | | | way to relax out the muscle fatigue. You should not |
| will not get the same range of movement you would if | | | | have any PAIN, but muscle fatigue and some |
| you were not locked into position, so do not push into | | | | soreness is to be expected while you're learning any |
| your movements. Pay attention to your body and you'll | | | | new form of exercise. |
| be fine. | | | | If you have any body issues - old injuries, strained |
| During your workout, if your muscles get 'crampy' | | | | muscles, weak spots - feel free to email me for some |
| feeling, stretch them out a bit before continuing. Also | | | | tips on how to slightly revise movements to work |
| be sure to drink enough water. | | | | better for you. |
| For knees: Pull foot back and grab with same side | | | | Just remember to relax, have fun with it, and know it |
| hand, pulling back behind you. | | | | will take about 6 weeks of consistent work to feel like |
| Calves: Step foot forward (2-3 feet), put your weight | | | | you're getting the moves. The more you practice, the |
| forward and bend front knee, pushing back heel to the | | | | easier it will get. |
| floor. | | | | This article is the property of Jana E. Beeman, |
| To stretch hamstrings, stay in same position but bend | | | | copyright 2006, all rights reserved. |
| back knee. | | | | You may share or print this article as long as it is sent |
| Back: Cat stretch your back - clasp hands in front of | | | | in it's entirety without making any alterations, including |
| you at chest level, pull your back into a C curve pulling | | | | this section and contact information. |
| away from your hands, then extend arms up | | | | Jana E. |