Dance fitness for males ?

[khanjar]

After the weekend and attending Tarik's shabbi introduction at Celebrating Dance in Torquay, I have come to the conclusion the reason why I am not good with the arms and shimmies, is because of muscles, they aren't either strong enough, or just not toned.

So, I ask of the male dancers here, what exercises can be done to strengthen these areas. I ask male dancers, because I understand male physiology is different from female physiology, men use muscles and women use joints. I may be totally wrong in my understanding, that I accept, but still, if anyone can offere some suggestions on effective exercise that will help the dance movements, I will be very appreciative.

I understand also, any enhanced physical exercicise is going to be good for health in general, not just success in dancing.

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Many people suggest Yoga for suppleness and stretching and this applies to both sexes.

Have you done yoga before?

 

[Tarik Sultan]

There's no magic bullet, you just have to use the muscles. Start by doing the movement the way I showed you. Don't put a time limit on it. Just for a few mins each day, do the shimmy using your hamstring muscles the way I showed you. By doing that, you are actually strengthening and toning the very muscles you need. After a period of time, (weeks to a month), try to see if you can do it a bit faster while maintaining your form and breathing comfortably. You will gradually build up the speed and coordination.

As for arms, same thing, use of the muscles makes them stronger. When they hurt, stop and shake them out, then go back to it. You will notice that one day, they don't hurt anymore. Its all just a matter of proper use and time.

By the way, women have the same muscles that men do and they use them in the exact same ways. The notion that women are weak etc don't have muscle strength is left over Victorian age quakery. Women can lift weights, wrestle, fight, run and do everything with their muscles that men do. Its the brain washing as to what a proper woman should or shouldn't do and the lack of usage of those muscles that creates the illusion they are weak.

 

[Kharis]

After the weekend and attending Tarik's shabbi introduction at Celebrating Dance in Torquay, I have come to the conclusion the reason why I am not good with the arms and shimmies, is because of muscles, they aren't either strong enough, or just not toned.

.

In this dance, strength is not a requirement. What is important is training the muscles with muscle memory. The power of muscle memory cannot be underestimated in dance. So, repetitive use of a certain move instils muscle memory into the muscle, which remembers and kicks in without interaction with too much thinking about a move. If a muscle is toned, it does help, but it's not necessary for execution of the move. A bodybuilder would still struggle with shimmies, if the muscle memory was not there in the first place.

 

[Zorba]

What Tarik said.

 

[Pirika Repun]

In our daily life we don't shimmy, or undulation while walking, talking, eating or frame our body with arms when we sitting on the chair. So, in daily life we do not use hamstrings to shimmy or biceps and triceps to control and frame our body. Of course it takes little while to get used to using them, because we never use these musles this way.

Like Tarik and Kharis say, muscles memory and tone by practice. When you get used to it, you can focus on more shape up using hands and arm for graceful way.

Try to shimmy or frame your body by arms or moving your hands while you make phone call and talk to your buddy, watching TV, walking around your room, cooking or whatever you are doing. :lol: Good thing about live in NYC, while I'm waiting subway, or ride on the subway, I can practice shimmy, undulation, air finger cymbal without looking strange. (Well... maybe I look very strange :shok

I think I have pretty strong muscle for small woman (abut 152cm or 5Ft) I can carry pretty heavy stuff (but try not to avoid my back pain) I think it's not how strong the muscle is, but if you know HOW TO USE them correctly, then you are fine. In the class Tarik says "Strong arms" but it doesn't mean strong and powerful muscle. Just how you control them to keep in position and frame the body. Before I was terrible to use both arm and hands, but Tarik torture me for long time, now I can control muscle and keep in position. I don't go to gym or take any Yoga classes, just take dance class 3-4 times a week and pay attention to muscle control until I get comfortable with it. Now, my arms don't get tired like before, and I guess I found some techniques to keep arms strong without burn my arms.

Now you know what to do with your arms, and I know you want to be good, but key is patient and practice. Good luck my dear! :dance:

 

[khanjar]

Thank you for the advice, it seems to me then, just practice, practice and practice, simple as that.

In answer to Caroline, yes, I have done Yoga, the Iyengar variety, I know this style is very good, in fact the best I have tried and stayed with for a while, but guess what, I hate it, for it is too rigid for me, and it hurts. Iyengar is also a pretty dangerous one, as some of the asanas are very demanding and can be damaging if done incorrectly.

I wasm before I started belly dance hoping to continue with Iyengar, to become good enough to do this ;

YouTube - ashtanga yoga demo

But, now I have belly dance, and that fits what I want to do.

 

[justonemorebill]

Interesting topic. For myself, I think hip work was the easiest.

Not sure if applicable, but

1) Slow work works for almost any endeavor. Making sure the form is right before adding speed.

2) One of the things they recommend for weight lifting is not to do the same routine every day. Allow the muscles time to have a chance to build. For example, if planning to practice every day, might focus on the lower body one day and the upper body the next.

(Now if they just had a dance style that used the muscles acquired with using a keyboard and mouse. : ) )

Have Fun

 

[Tarik Sultan]

Interesting topic. For myself, I think hip work was the easiest.

Not sure if applicable, but

1) Slow work works for almost any endeavor. Making sure the form is right before adding speed.

Bingo! My number one rule is get your form right first and then build up in speed. This is especially true for things like shimmies.

2) One of the things they recommend for weight lifting is not to do the same routine every day. Allow the muscles time to have a chance to build. For example, if planning to practice every day, might focus on the lower body one day and the upper body the next.

Very true when it comes to weight training, but since in this case the objective is to gain control of the muscle rather than increasing the sizer, I don't think it matters much. I would say just don't over do it. A few minutes a day is all you need when working the kinks out of performing certain movements.

(Now if they just had a dance style that used the muscles acquired with using a keyboard and mouse. : ) )

Have Fun

 

[Caroline_afifi]

Thank you for the advice, it seems to me then, just practice, practice and practice, simple as that.

In answer to Caroline, yes, I have done Yoga, the Iyengar variety, I know this style is very good, in fact the best I have tried and stayed with for a while, but guess what, I hate it, for it is too rigid for me, and it hurts. Iyengar is also a pretty dangerous one, as some of the asanas are very demanding and can be damaging if done incorrectly.

I wasm before I started belly dance hoping to continue with Iyengar, to become good enough to do this ;

YouTube - ashtanga yoga demo

But, now I have belly dance, and that fits what I want to do.

I used to do Ashtanga yoga as I wanted to do something to bolster my dance and increase strength and flexibility. It worked for me as I wanted to increase my exercise but wanted something to compliment the movement I do.

These days, I am trying to work on cardiovascular exersice as this has always been my major weakness.

My moto has always been 'why run when you can walk and why sit if you can lie down?' :lol:

 

[justonemorebill]

Very true when it comes to weight training, but since in this case the objective is to gain control of the muscle rather than increasing the sizer, I don't think it matters much. I would say just don't over do it. A few minutes a day is all you need when working the kinks out of performing certain movements.

Thank you. Realized after posting that might be an unfair comparison. Almost more stretching for fluidity than rigid 'abs of steel'.

(But wonder what Nautilus or the like might do. Can see a lifter now saying. "Hey, I can push 50 lbs on the shoulder shimmy machine." )

Have Fun

 

[Tarik Sultan]

Very true when it comes to weight training, but since in this case the objective is to gain control of the muscle rather than increasing the sizer, I don't think it matters much. I would say just don't over do it. A few minutes a day is all you need when working the kinks out of performing certain movements.

Thank you. Realized after posting that might be an unfair comparison. Almost more stretching for fluidity than rigid 'abs of steel'.

(But wonder what Nautilus or the like might do. Can see a lifter now saying. "Hey, I can push 50 lbs on the shoulder shimmy machine." )

Have Fun

:lol:! Seriously though. I have and do use weight training to help me with certain things. I've found that doing high reps with light weights helps to strengthen the muscles around my knees allowing me to do things requiring squats. I've always had weak knees.

Now in thinking about it further, you can use weight training to help tone the muscles if they are weak. However, you will still need to just keep trying to gain muscle memory and coordination.

Because I'm a performer, I do need to keep my body looking toned to a certain degree, (no easy task for someone who inherited the muscle tone the consistency of butter!). But apart from learning dance moves, there are other benefits to weight training. Increased energy for one and especially for women, increased bone density and strength. The belief that building muscle tone will inhibit the ability to do movements though is a myth. As long as you stretch and use your muscles for dance, they will remain flexible. Its only extremely muscle bound guys who look stiff because they are so big. But regular athletically built people don't have this problem.

 

[khanjar]

Weight training as such, you know lifting weights for the hell of it, has never been my thing, plus I am kind of worrisome about free weights and where they fall when I drop them. What I do do, from time to time, and something which is more creeping into my practice, is isometric training, using one of those ancient bullworker devices , which I have had for over twenty years, it gets dragged out now and again.

 

[Tarik Sultan]

Weight training as such, you know lifting weights for the hell of it, has never been my thing, plus I am kind of worrisome about free weights and where they fall when I drop them. What I do do, from time to time, and something which is more creeping into my practice, is isometric training, using one of those ancient bullworker devices , which I have had for over twenty years, it gets dragged out now and again.

Isometrics are great, but weight training doesn't have to be with free weights. You can also use the machines. Less chance of injury.

 

[Greek Bonfire]

What Tarik said is true - repetition does increase strength. But in my own personal experience I have also found that yoga helps in flexibility which allows me to extend the use of my muscles as well as increase in their strength.

Of course, I'm sure this has been said and reiterated - just my two cents worth.