Chest lifts

alosha

New member
so i have gotten a comment on youtube about chest lifts being done with only the pec muscles....here is the comment

"I guess sometimes it's all pec muscle driven though, as I've seen a few dancers isolate one of their chest muscles at a time without doing the classic 'diaphragm move'. Seems like they get about the same movement. Though it seems that's rare."

as a new studen i have heard of no such thing, as far as i know. does it look different? is this a move i should learn?
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Chest lift

so i have gotten a comment on youtube about chest lifts being done with only the pec muscles....here is the comment

"I guess sometimes it's all pec muscle driven though, as I've seen a few dancers isolate one of their chest muscles at a time without doing the classic 'diaphragm move'. Seems like they get about the same movement. Though it seems that's rare."

as a new studen i have heard of no such thing, as far as i know. does it look different? is this a move i should learn?


Dear Alosha,
What style of belly dance are you working on? Nearly as I have been able to tell, that will influence how you move your upper body. Also tempo of music and/or melody will influence it. If we know sort of what you are aiming for, we can give you better clues.
I could be wrong here, but are you talking about lifting one side of your ribcage at a time?
Regards,
A'isha
 

Kashmir

New member
I think what they are comparing is lifting the ribs with pectoralis minor (and levatores costarum) which is a small movement of the upper ribs and the larger movement from the diaphragm.

I think the former is smaller, cleaner (no abs) and would be what Denise Enan uses as an Egyptian hiccup. The latter is what most Western dancers do (I think) when lifting the rib cage - larger, softer move with visible belly movement.

If you want a small tight contraction you could add the former to your dance book to work on - but otherwise the latter will do for a few years. :cool:
 

alosha

New member
Dear Alosha,
What style of belly dance are you working on? Nearly as I have been able to tell, that will influence how you move your upper body. Also tempo of music and/or melody will influence it. If we know sort of what you are aiming for, we can give you better clues.
I could be wrong here, but are you talking about lifting one side of your ribcage at a time?
Regards,
A'isha


my style, i actually have no idea. i am learning basics from a friend of mine who teaches here, and i've never actually asked her what her style is. guess i should figure that out, huh?

the quote is from someone else. the person commented on one of my bellyblogs. i mainly use my diaphragm to lift, and only just recently started trying to use my upper back and pecs. just was curious if there was a move i was missing, etc.
 

alosha

New member
I think what they are comparing is lifting the ribs with pectoralis minor (and levatores costarum) which is a small movement of the upper ribs and the larger movement from the diaphragm.

I think the former is smaller, cleaner (no abs) and would be what Denise Enan uses as an Egyptian hiccup. The latter is what most Western dancers do (I think) when lifting the rib cage - larger, softer move with visible belly movement.

If you want a small tight contraction you could add the former to your dance book to work on - but otherwise the latter will do for a few years. :cool:


how exactly does one do that? do you know of a video clip?
 

Kashmir

New member
how exactly does one do that? do you know of a video clip?
Sorry, no. I learnt it at a workshop with Denise. But you can try it by placing your hand on your pecs and lifting while relaxing the diaphragm. What you are after is a short sharp movement of the upper chest.
 

Shanazel

Moderator
I am familiar with two versions of a chest lift, the first using pectoral muscles and the back muscles between the shoulders, and the second using a rib cage lift. As a general rule, I prefer the first for its subtle nature and save the second for when I do undulations and want a bigger movement. I don't care to see a dancer toss her chest upward with such force that she darn near hits herself in the face with her boobs, but I do like the look of a smooth, sexy little lift. (Egyptian hiccup, you say? Cool.) I also like to see an AmCab chest circle done with the pec and back muscles rather than with the full rib cage lift- much more subtle.
 
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Phoebedances

New member
I nearly always use back/pec muscles for lifts and then lock with my upper abs if a want a sharp drop, but I hadn't heard of the one using just pectoralis minor and small rib muscles, I'll have to work on that. :D
 

alosha

New member
so glad i asked! i am finding it quite hard to not use my diaphragm. it's coming along though. woo hoo!
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Chest lift

so glad i asked! i am finding it quite hard to not use my diaphragm. it's coming along though. woo hoo!


Dear Alosha,
I am still not sure exactly what kind of lift you a re looking for, but if you want a lift that can be used to appear to be lifting one side of the ribcage or both, it is a lot about envisioning what you are moving.
For example, to lift straight up, first put your fingers on your lowest front ribs and find them, the ones next to your waist. Lift UPWARD, not forward, keeping shoulders relaxed. Now you know where you are going to lift from. Then stand as you would be standing during the dance and lift from those lower ribs front ribs. You should feel the lift there, and you will also feel your upper chest above your breast sort of open up.
Now, to lift one side envision moving again from that bottom rib on,say, the left side and imagine filling just one lung with air. You will get a one-sided lift. ( This is very effective done slowly and is a very nice layering tool.)
Regards,
A'isha
 

alosha

New member
i had never thought of lifting only one side until i got that comment. i was just trying to figure out the correct way to do a lift. this has turned out to be a wonderful learning environment. thank you all SO much
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Learning, etc.

i had never thought of lifting only one side until i got that comment. i was just trying to figure out the correct way to do a lift. this has turned out to be a wonderful learning environment. thank you all SO much


Dear Alosha,
If you are ever up Spokane way, I live there. I would love to meet for coffee.
Regards,
A'isha
 
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