Floorwork

Elfie

Elfie

New member
Hello all!

I've been working on floor work for a good while now, and while I can see my progress coming along - and slowly at that - I have trouble with one particular aspect of it.

Getting back up off the darned floor LOL!

I'm not saying I can't get back up, because I can. But doing so with grace? Not so much.

I have learned that if I'm going back to standing, it helps to do some torso moves and arm movements to detract from my less than graceful return to an upright and standing position, but it feels like a trick rather than what I should be doing.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

~Elfie
 
shiradotnet

shiradotnet

Well-known member
Elfie said:
I have trouble with one particular aspect of it.

Getting back up off the darned floor LOL!

I'm not saying I can't get back up, because I can. But doing so with grace? Not so much.
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My tip: lift from the perineum area (the pelvic floor). A lot of strength and power can come from there.
 
Shanazel

Shanazel

Moderator
Floor jacks work good. Having two handsome totally ripped young men lift you up is good, too, but more expensive since they usually expect to be paid.
 
Kashmir

Kashmir

New member
It is likely to be lack of ab (or quad) strength. Crunches - without engaging the hip flexors - and bridges may help. This is the final prod for me to write a nice clear explantion and stick it on my site. I'll be back :D
 
Elfie

Elfie

New member
Kashmir said:
It is likely to be lack of ab (or quad) strength. Crunches - without engaging the hip flexors - and bridges may help. This is the final prod for me to write a nice clear explantion and stick it on my site. I'll be back :D
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:D I look forward to reading it.

Shana, two hunky monkey guys would sure do it. But just for practice, I guess I should try to get up of my own volition. Hiring two hunks every day might get a tad expensive. ;)

Shira, I'm not sure how using my pelvic floor will help me get from my knees to a standing position. Can you explain?
 
goddessyasaman

goddessyasaman

New member
Elfie said:
Hello all!

I've been working on floor work for a good while now, and while I can see my progress coming along - and slowly at that - I have trouble with one particular aspect of it.

Getting back up off the darned floor LOL!

I'm not saying I can't get back up, because I can. But doing so with grace? Not so much.

I have learned that if I'm going back to standing, it helps to do some torso moves and arm movements to detract from my less than graceful return to an upright and standing position, but it feels like a trick rather than what I should be doing.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

~Elfie
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Hey there ~Elfie, I have a video I did on getting up from the floor for beginners, just the basics, It's how I teach my students to get up and it works well for beginners I will post the link below here if you would like a tip on how to get up it's just a youtube link.


 
Shanazel

Shanazel

Moderator
A set of bad knees ended my floor work about fifteen years ago, which is just as well since most people do not want to see a lady of my age and dignity undulating at ankle height.

Before that, though, I did a lot of wall sitting to strengthen my legs (back against the wall, legs bent so you are in a sitting position; hold until you collapse; repeat daily). Running and distance walking helped, too, as did good old basic plies from ballet.

(Story alert: all those who hate "I remember when" tales stop reading now)

A few years ago I had a couple of new students in my class who thought my suggestion of long distance running and/or walking as part of a dance program absurd. Heck, if an old person like me could dance for a whole two hour class, hot chicks like them wouldn't even break a sweat. So I put on a good old fashioned 25 minute AmCab routine from the seventies and instructed the class follow my bouncing butt. My older students knew what was coming and paced themselves. The two new gals collapsed during the floorwork and couldn't get up. (Hee hee hee.) Fortunately they had great senses of humor and are still my students.
 
Amanda (was Aziyade)

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
Didn't we just have a pretty good thread about this subject a few months ago? I can't puzzle out where it is from the search though. Anybody?
 
Maysoon

Maysoon

New member
Hi Elfie,

you may want to try Pilates, (if you haven't already :) they have amazing floorwork exercises to tone and strengthen the legs, buns, thighs, and it will be easier for you to ascend from the floor. I love floorwork!! :D it was one of my early stages in BD that I learned. here's a youtube vid you may want to checkout. Remember Pilates is all about slow and controlled movement that will give you long term results.
Best Regards!

Pilates workout to tone the butt and thighs - YouTube
 
Kashmir

Kashmir

New member
I'd second Pilates. Make sure you have a well trained teacher and seriously consider a couple of one on one sessions before joining a class. (Correct technique is important to get good results - this may include the instructor feeling your muscles)
 
Zorba

Zorba

"The Veiled Male"
Shanazel said:
Floor jacks work good. Having two handsome totally ripped young men lift you up is good, too, but more expensive since they usually expect to be paid.
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Where do I sign up for a couple of hot Amazon babes to lift my sorry @$$ off the floor?

I could justify the expense by having them carry me onstage in my palanquin! :lol:
 
Darshiva

Darshiva

Moderator
I'd pay to watch that one Zorba, and I am very much NOT a fan of floorwork. (long story, ask privately if curious)
 
Elfie

Elfie

New member
I already do simple pilates (you know the kind that you get on DVD ;) )and yoga both. I run three times a week and do extensive workouts everyday, always varied so that my body never gets too used to any one thing.

My main problem is that I'm clumsy. Very clumsy. When we first moved into our new apartment, I was heading out for a run. I don't run miles or anything, just a few laps around my block. Anyhow, as I was going down the stairs to our front door, I fell down the last five or six stairs, landing with all my body weight on my left ankle. It turned hard enough to dislocate it, of sorts anyhow, and within minutes my ankle was the size of two softballs. I couldn't walk or exercise for three or four weeks. My whole body is a plethora of bruises, most of which I have no idea of how I got them. I'm clumsy as all get out. It's not even funny. Strangely enough, I'm not dangerously clumsy. I've only broken two or three bones. But small injury? Sprains, pulled muscles, cuts, bruises, torn tendons and the like... that's me. Constantly.
 
Amanda (was Aziyade)

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
I don't actually perform floorwork, because it's not part of my chosen aesthetic, but I'm seriously considering trying to study it seriously after the baby is born, just to get back into shape and build strength.

The dvd Amulya recommended is AWESOME! But my gosh, it's hard stuff. She starts with a Pilates-based strengthening program, and you really need to work on that stuff for a few months before moving on to the actual dance stuff.

Ruby's a FABULOUS dancer, but she makes it look easy, so don't be fooled! LOL. She's also an excellent teacher. I would recommend her dvd to anybody wanting to develop their floorwork skills, or even just to develop that core and lower body strength that is so hard to develop with traditional exercises.


Amulya said:
This is a DVD for floorwork:
Flawless Floorwork :: Belly Dance Floorwork :: DVDs by Category :: Cheeky Girls Productions

I love their DVDs, highly recommend them :)
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