Bellydance Exercise - Fitness for Life

'Bellydance Exercise' is mind-body fitness for a Lifetime!

There is more to 'health' than the appearance of our bodies. It's how we feel that's most important.

If you have fun while you get in shape and stay fit, it never becomes a chore. Fitness must be creative if it will last a lifetime.

None-the-less, you also want to see results. It feels good to get stronger, shapely and fit.

(photo courtesy of garryknight)

Dancing 'Diet'

Healthy eating habits are essential for a 'Dancing Lifestyle'. Food can be a sensual pleasure without making you heavy or ill.

Natural foods give you health, vitality and longevity. They keep the sparkle in your strong curves!

The Cretan Bowl Diet - is an easy weight loss diet based on the healthy Cretan and Mediterranean Diets. It’s a simple and easy to follow no-fad slimming diet to help you lose weight quickly and safely, and will improve general health and promote long life too!

Bellydance Exercise is about:

Strong Curves
Supple Strength
Endurance
Having FUN with your body

'The Beauty of the Bellydance Artist' by Ann-Marie Freeman

The Wisdom of Bellydance says:

It feels good to be strong and flexible.
It feels good to sweat.

Even when it's not pretty, nature is always beautiful
- and so then are you.
It's not what you have, but what you do with what you have.
Click here to develop your Home Practice, and turn your fitness session into an Art

The secret of Bellydance-Fitness Unveiled

Use the Sacred Shapes in building endurance and weight training
Make Creative Challenges like deeper stretches, longer spins and shimmies.
Dance to Sweat
Arouse the Senses of sight, smell and touch

bellydance exercise

photo courtesy of Toast to Life

Instead of using our muscles to make straight lines, we draw circles, waves and vibrations.
Instead of 'measuring' progress through counting repetitions, we do what we can in the time we have.
And instead of motivating ourselves by what we weigh, and how we look, we get inspired by our increasing ability and how good we feel.

If you are pregnant, please click here for special considerations and inspiration.

You Can Do It - Cardio

It's time for action!
Put on some music that makes you want to dance.

Wiggle, walk, warm-up.

Move every body part.

Move in flowing circles and curvy waves.

Shake your booty.

(photo at right courtesy of ChrisB in SEA)

mature bellydancer fun

photo courtesy of allegr0

Do it so it feels good.
Do it 'til you sweat.
Do it for as long as you can.

For more 'aerobic' ideas to bring on the sweat,
check out "Improvisational Gateways" here (click).

Bellydance Exercises - for Supple Strength

Pick a traditional exercise
like push-ups, sit-ups, squats, leg lifts or lunges.

Get a timer (digital oven timers work great, and they're cheap).
Set it for one minute.

Now, instead of making lines (up/down action).
Make round circles, undulating waves, or shimmy shakes.

You can do it to music.
Do it for one minute.

How do you feel?
Was there enough challenge?

Choose more movements.
Do what feels good in the time you have.

(photo courtesy of Allan Reyes)

Click here to see an example of a "program" for building strong curves.

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