Abdominal Muscles - Does it adversely affect belly dancing?

AngelaJP

New member
One of my fellow belly dancing enthusiasts said that having very firm ab muscles can restrict the smooth flow and adversely affects the grace and fluidity of belly dancing movements like undulations, belly rolls, etc. Is this true?
 

jenc

New member
What do you thnk you use to do bellyrolls etc!!

if you don't have a certain amount of fat over the muscles - eg if you train too hard and are too thin for your weight it doesn't show as much, but otherwis you will develop these muscles in bellydance
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Firm muscles are not necessarily the same thing as tight muscles. Tight muscles can adversely affect stomach work. Muscles that are nicely toned and exercised are an asset. My abdominal undulations were definitely impacted by surgery that required the muscles to be cut and restitched. I never have regained my original flexibility in a distinct band just below the belly button though practice has improved it somewhat.
 

khanjar

New member
It is natural to have fat over muscles, it is what keeps them warm and ready for use. Tight muscles say to me, unrelaxed, perhaps relaxing will unwind tight muscles.

Thinking about it, a person with a body of well defined tight muscles must be like an insect with an exoskeleton of armour.
 

Artemocion Malta

New member
Belly roll

What do you thnk you use to do bellyrolls etc!!

if you don't have a certain amount of fat over the muscles - eg if you train too hard and are too thin for your weight it doesn't show as much, but otherwis you will develop these muscles in bellydance

:shok:;)
Maybe its not with everyone. I mean i got a normal girls tummy but my boyfriend trains alot and he has a really nice flat tummy with well formed muscles...and he can roll his belly. i thought him how to roll it and it shows alot
And here is a guy who has very toned muscles and can belly roll great;);)
YouTube - New Sideways Belly Roll!!!

rachel brice has a very thin body and can belly roll so well.
who really wants to belly roll well will do it in any body i think
 

belly_dancer

New member
the video talks for me
YouTube - New Sideways Belly Roll!!!




some ppl do like to think that fat will help them. Look at that guy and look at rachel brice s tummy. its muscle memory , strength and flexibility .

that's actually a yoga move....(not even "new".... & not even sideways... if you notice... his movement is coming from his rib cage slide.... not his belly) to see a belly dancer.. look up Delilah.... or better yet.... is it Fatiem (Fateim???/fatima???) in southern CA..... her belly work is PHENOMENAL ....

surely someone out there knows of whom I speak & can link us up!!...

however you are correct... it IS all muscle= memory/strength/ flexibility... and no fat will not "help".... but to a degree, it does not hurt either....(a nice "layer" on top... like icing on a cake.. if you will)
 

khanjar

New member
I once saw one of those lame world's strongest man type competitions as just something to watch on tv. There was a guy that was well ripped with muscles, all on the surface with no fat. There were also men who were just big, their muscles not apparent, I just thought slobs. How interesting it was when the slobs beat the well defined guys, thus indicating the undefined muscle men did have it, but it was covered with a healthy layer of fat. The reason they beat the defined guys was because the defined guys muscles tired too quickly, they got cramp and had to quit.

When I saw I like fat over muscles, as is natural, then a thin layer as protection, not a spare tyre. Someone who is fit and well, they may have a thin layer of fat, but their body shape indicates they are fit and well, their posture and movement.
 

adiemus

New member
Tight muscles are about the length and strength of the muscle not the overlay of fatty tissue - tight muscles will make it reasonably difficult to stretch in the opposite direction. So what we're aiming for are muscles that are of middling length, good strength and excellent control. Whatever movements we practice a lot (and remember that most girls are taught to 'hold your tummies in' which makes even diaphragmatic breathing difficult!) will shorten and strengthen muscles. We need to be able to both shorten and tighten our muscles AND lengthen and relax our muscles in order to do good belly rolls and flutters. And a layer of fat over the top won't change the actual muscle use but it might disguise when and how we are using our muscles, and make the movements more or less visible.
 

khanjar

New member
Aw, I forget, your physiology is different from ours.


But aside from dance women with fat over muscle is it for me, the look of nature, reality.
 

Lydia

New member
its good to have toned muscles,for sure you will be able to flutter better for example and to bellyroll nicely...but i see that when dancers are to muscelair they have to work very hard to get nice shymmys done and keep them smooth for a while,because its all just to ,,tite,, and they have a problem to nicley relax the area...just try to remember when you see dancers when they are to musculair how the shymy,s look? and if its nice relaxed and how long can they stick it or after 20 seconds the party is over,...so muscles is nice but dont overdo....its nice for somethings not nice for other things....
 

Artemocion Malta

New member
Belly roll ...

that's actually a yoga move....(not even "new".... & not even sideways... if you notice... his movement is coming from his rib cage slide.... not his belly) to see a belly dancer.. look up Delilah.... or better yet.... is it Fatiem (Fateim???/fatima???) in southern CA..... her belly work is PHENOMENAL ....

surely someone out there knows of whom I speak & can link us up!!...

however you are correct... it IS all muscle= memory/strength/ flexibility... and no fat will not "help".... but to a degree, it does not hurt either....(a nice "layer" on top... like icing on a cake.. if you will)

I am not sure if u watched all the video... But at some point after the freaky thing he does that looks like he is rolling from the sides , then he does the belly roll, as in the up till down belly roll of belly dance..like the one of rachel brice .Of course his looks different , i mean not everyone 's belly is the same so usually one belly when it rolls will be different from another. I think the guy named it "new" belly roll just because it was new to him, as in "a new video" i think. Well no fat doesn't help a belly roll and doesn't hinder it either which is a plus because everyone can do it like that :)

whatever that guy is doing with the sides..it looks a bit freaky but soo special .
 

AngelaJP

New member
Thank you BD siblings for all the info! I wish my belly movements will be more pronounced. Is daily practice necessary? Tips please? :D
 

maylynn

New member
Hinde Angela, I think if you have well developed abdominals the scope (certainly the strength) is there to learn to control them and do great belly work. That being said, I hardly ever do belly rolls in performance and so am not a good belly roller for lack of practice!

One thing I had to work hard at though in the abdominal area, after years of martial arts/weight training/running/etc., was to really relax during some movements, especially shimmies. At first I hardly got any movement because of muscle tension in my abdominals and obliques - but with focus and practice I managed to relax more and get bigger, more regular shimmies.
 

AngelaJP

New member
One thing I had to work hard at though in the abdominal area, after years of martial arts/weight training/running/etc., was to really relax during some movements, especially shimmies. At first I hardly got any movement because of muscle tension in my abdominals and obliques - but with focus and practice I managed to relax more and get bigger, more regular shimmies.

Wohooow, Maylynn, you perform already. Way to go, girl! :clap:

We're the same. I've also been into competitive sports for many years, mostly outdoor and I was amazed at my stiffness when I started belly dancing, hahaha! I am doing only belly dancing now and I'm ecstatic to have seen improvement,albeit a little. So if I go back to running and weights, it won't affect the belly dancing, right? How often do you practice?

I'll take your advice - practice, practice, practice!

Salamat, Maylynn! :D
 

Kashmir

New member
Hinde Angela, I think if you have well developed abdominals the scope (certainly the strength) is there to learn to control them and do great belly work. That being said, I hardly ever do belly rolls in performance and so am not a good belly roller for lack of practice!
I'm not sure why anyone does belly rolls in performance! Is it because they think the name is "belly dance" so that is what should move? :think:
 

adiemus

New member
I don't like them!! And I don't like belly flutters either! Has anyone see the Egyptian dancers do them, or is it more of a western influence?
 
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