You may already have heard that belly dancing is one of the best forms of exercise you can do, in addition to being a beautiful and sensual form of dance. But why is it so good for your health? Just what does it do for your body?
Health benefits of belly dancing
Belly dancing as a type of exercise is low-impact but high-calorie burning. It works your muscles vigorously, but without the impact of many forms of aerobic exercise. It targets the belly and strengthens your core, which is a great benefit for overall health. By strengthening your belly, it also strengthens your back. It burns a surprising 300 calories an hour – that’s a lot! Just an hour a day, five days a week, will burn 1500 calories. If you keep the same diet you’re on now, but incorporate belly dancing, you’re sure to lose weight.
And you don’t need to be in good shape already to learn belly dancing. It’s actually a very good type of exercise for people who are in fairly poor shape, because the low impact means you can’t hurt yourself as you’re learning the movements (which is not so true in, say, kickboxing). Like other forms of dance, belly dancing can also increase your sense of well-being: it can alleviate depression and stress, increase confidence and poise, and add considerably enjoyment to your life. Because it is such a beautiful, sensual dance, you can just revel in the sense that you are part of something beautiful and graceful.
Belly Dancing: it’s for men, too
Do men belly dance? Yes, they do – even professionally. If you’re a man who wants to lose weight, get in shape, or just have fun, you shouldn’t let gender stereotyping stop you from trying belly dance.
How to start
There may be classes in your area. If there aren’t, or if you’re too shy to start out in a class, you can rent or buy DVDs that teach you how to belly dance. There are also instructional sites and videos online. The DVDs cover quite a range: some focus on belly dance for fitness, others look at the dance as mind and body therapy.
What to wear
Belly dancers wear fantastic costumes, and some dancers in a class will likely have their own costumes. You don’t need a full costume, but an instructor will be better able to tell if you’re doing moves correctly if you wear clothing that exposes your midriff. Low-rise workout pants and a sports bra would be fine for women, for example. Men should be able to find short tank tops or t-shirts. Even if you’re dancing alone at home, you may find you need an exposed midriff and a mirror to see whether you’re performing the moves the way they look in your instructional video.
