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Belly dance as
a workout
This is the perfect way to workout for sexy, but not so active Latinas. Imagine a workout that is fun and easy and you actually look forward to do. It sounds almost impossible, but it is true with belly dance.
All cultures have some form of belly dance because it is a dance of fertility. Our hips are our weapons and the source of our femininity. This dance is great because it helps not only at a physical level, but it can also help us to be more self-assured and more uninhibited.
Belly dance is not only from the Middle East; in Europe the gypsies have been belly dancing forever. In the Pacific islands, we know the dances of Hawaii have many elements of belly dancing. In India as well as in other cultures, there are many
other forms of belly dance.
Benefits of belly dance as a workout
 It isolates parts of body helping to tone and strength specific muscle groups
If you dance energetically, it is great cardio exercise
It strengthens the abdominal muscles; therefore, helping to have a better posture
It is a great break from the everyday gym routine
It is fun, really fun! And I say this because I do it
Everyone can practice it, independently of our body size or dance ability
It is great for Latinas who love to dance, because they already have some dance ritmo, but really, every one can do it.
It is a very feminine dance that makes you feel feminine and happy with your body; so it helps build a positive body image.
It does not require great coordination. If you dance flamenco, you better be coordinated. If you are in a choreographed aerobic workout, you also need some coordination so you do not feel as the worse in the pack. In belly dancing, you can follow your own ritmo.
Who should practice belly dance?
It is ideal for all physical levels. For women used to workouts, it provides a lighter form of exercise and an escape when we do not feel like going to the gym to pump iron. For beginners, it offers an entertaining workout that will help them create a routine and look for a more strenuous form of exercise. It is really good for people who have not worked out in a long time because it is demanding without being intimidating.
Who should avoid it?
Belly dance can be very tough on your knees; so if you have bad knees, you may want to try it, but be careful and consult a doctor first. Obviously if your health is not perfect, you need to consult your doctor.
If you are looking for a strenuous workout that will change your body and you are ready for it, do not belly dance. You need weight training and probably high intensity cardio.
What do you need?
Just the wish to practice and a class or a video. It does not require anything else, but if you want a belly dance costume you could wear it to make you feel better. You can use a scarf on your hips if you already have something at home or you can order a belly dance costume complete with a scarf at many online shopping websites. Most belly dance costumes are very affordable.
Where do you learn it?
Many continuing education programs as well as some gyms offer belly dancing classes. You do not need to take belly dance classes as a work out necessarily; you can simply take the dance lessons and you will get the same result.
En la casa
It is very easy to practice at home. With the growing popularity of belly dance as a workout, there are many good videos that you can buy at Amazon and many other online shopping websites. If you practice at home we suggest
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