suhaila's buns fitness dvd

[Kashmir]

As stated above - it is practice - slow and fully aware. A large part of dance training is learning to tone down your reflexes on demand - such as tensing groups of muscles rather than isolated ones.

If at first you need to also use your thighs to get the movement - fine. Then work on doing it without. At first you might do a much smaller movement. With this you build up strength and control - a bit like learning to do situps with your abs instead of hip flexors. And teh longer you have been doing it wrong, the longer it takes to correct.

 

[Ahava_Melantha]

okay, thanx so much.

I didn't even know that you could do sit ups with your hips. anyways. that makes a lot of sense. I'll just keep at it. thanx so much.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

My problem with Suhaila's method isn't the jumping booty---I can do that easily standing up. The problem is I can't do the splits. No way, no how, not happening. -_- I'm not even sure I could EVER work up to doing the splits at my age, anyway. I wish I could, but I don't think I'll ever be that flexible. *glares at her Suhaila DVD's*

 

[Aniseteph]

I could do it once, but it would not be good for my matronly dignity these days to try. And I can think of few movements that are less relevant to the belly dance styles I like. Or does being able to do it make you able to hone some other muscle to perfection?

Ranya Renee ties people's knees together with bits of lycra as a reminder to keep 'em close, and that's good enough for me.

 

[Ahava_Melantha]

I only have fitness buns dvds of suhailas so haven't seen her do the splits. don't think I'll ever be able to do them.

I'm still working on the jumping bu muscles lol. its hard. much easier for me to do with my legs closed on my stomach or back lol

but I can feel them get stronger. am working on it.

 

[Shanazel]

I can still do the splits (though not nearly as comfortably as in the past) and I can do the glute thing, but I have, alas, completely lost my ability to do smooth undulation with my stomach and abdominal muscles. One too many surgical insults, I fear. Sigh. I also don't practice as much as I used to, though that has got to change starting today.​

 

[Farasha Hanem]

I only have fitness buns dvds of suhailas so haven't seen her do the splits. don't think I'll ever be able to do them.

I'm still working on the jumping bu muscles lol. its hard. much easier for me to do with my legs closed on my stomach or back lol

but I can feel them get stronger. am working on it.

I'm no sure which of Suhaila's DVD's you have, but the exercise you describe is done by doing the splits horizontally, leaning forward, THEN making the glutes jump. I can't do the splits, let alone lean forward while in that position. At my age, I'm not so sure it would be a good thing to try to learn how to do the splits, and like others here, I'm not sure if it's beneficial to the style I'm learning.

 

[Ahava_Melantha]

I know what you mean now. I can do them lying down, but strengthening the booty is good regardless. but I do know what you mean. I think its more conducive to my style when you practise tightening your butt standing up for like hip ups and hip downs type of a thing

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

I have never been able to do the splits and I am defiantly not going to learn them now. Same with any floor work, I cannot stay on my knees long enough.

However, the glute thing does look good when you incorporate when doing other dance steps.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

Yeah, I can do the booty jump exercise standing up, and practice it regularly. At my age, gravity does some bad things to the booty.

 

[Ahava_Melantha]

Funny, I was thinking the booty jump exercise wasn't necessary . . . until I saw it on 2 other bd dvds, so now I'm sticking with it. I practise it when I read on my stomach lol.

its must look funny to my kidz or husband, but its multi-tasking at its best hehe

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

I'm no sure which of Suhaila's DVD's you have, but the exercise you describe is done by doing the splits horizontally, leaning forward, THEN making the glutes jump. I can't do the splits, let alone lean forward while in that position. At my age, I'm not so sure it would be a good thing to try to learn how to do the splits, and like others here, I'm not sure if it's beneficial to the style I'm learning.

NO NO NO!!!! She specifically does NOT want you to do what is commonly referred to as the front splits in this exercise. That is working an entirely different muscle group.

What they're doing here (and what should be acknowledged on the dvd but isn't) is simply spreading their legs in a V and leaning forward. You can actually do the same exercise with your legs together, or even laying on your back.

The laying forward with the legs apart allows you to roll forward and relax the glutes completely, as well as allowing you to feel the thighs and make sure they are relaxed. But you are NOT looking for a real "split" position for this exercise.

Most trained dancers (in other fields) find the "straddle" position comfortable, but I understand that it doesn't feel good on a lot of people. You have to have very open hip flexors as well, so it's a challenging position for some people. But absolutely NOT necessary for the exercise!!

 

[Farasha Hanem]

NO NO NO!!!! She specifically does NOT want you to do what is commonly referred to as the front splits in this exercise. That is working an entirely different muscle group.

What they're doing here (and what should be acknowledged on the dvd but isn't) is simply spreading their legs in a V and leaning forward. You can actually do the same exercise with your legs together, or even laying on your back.

The laying forward with the legs apart allows you to roll forward and relax the glutes completely, as well as allowing you to feel the thighs and make sure they are relaxed. But you are NOT looking for a real "split" position for this exercise.

Most trained dancers (in other fields) find the "straddle" position comfortable, but I understand that it doesn't feel good on a lot of people. You have to have very open hip flexors as well, so it's a challenging position for some people. But absolutely NOT necessary for the exercise!!

She's not doing the horizontal splits?? oO But she sure looks like she is! @__@ All I know is that even the UNIVERSE couldn't get my legs that far apart! My flexibility in that area is just PFFFFFFFFT. Guess I'll stick to doing this exercise standing behind the register.

 

[Ahava_Melantha]

okay, now I know what I can't isolate my glutes in this position - I have VERY tight hamstrings that I am trying very hard to loosen up, so I'll just do them on my stomach. thanx.

 

[gisela]

On Michelle Joyce's dvd drills drills drills, she does them standing up, with one leg relaxed behind the other, squeezing the bun that is not on the weightbearing side.

 

[Ahava_Melantha]

yeah I have this dvd and can actually do them in this position. I am slowly being able to feel the muscle pump more, but can only do it slow lol

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

She's not doing the horizontal splits?? oO But she sure looks like she is! @__@ All I know is that even the UNIVERSE couldn't get my legs that far apart! My flexibility in that area is just PFFFFFFFFT. Guess I'll stick to doing this exercise standing behind the register.

Okay, let me rephrase this -- Suhaila's dancers are all pretty flexible. They are all sitting in what we call a straddle sit, which is where you have your legs out LIKE a split, but the difference is that no matter how flexible you are, you do NOT try to actually focus on performing a split. That will actually contract the same muscles you need to have relaxed.

If you're flexible enough in the hips, you can have your legs pretty much open to almost 180 degrees without tensing the thighs and glutes. If you are NOT flexible, you need to adjust that movement so that you can take the weight and tension off the glutes and thighs, For some, this means just bringing the legs closer together. For others, you have to modify the exercise a lot. Michelle's is a great modification-- thanks for posting it!