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