Discover Your Abdominal Muscles IN SEARCH OF A BETTER BELLY

Romantically and internally, the belly is the core of a woman’s being, her femininity, and her centre of power. Historically, a soft, round womanly shape was considered beautiful, and a curving belly symbolized both wealth and position. It seems most men still prefer a woman with those curves, but modern society has influenced the opinion of most women. In the Western world, the least favorite part for most women is the lower abdominal, affectionately referred to as the belly. True, it is natural for girls and young women to have lower abs that form a lovely flat surface. But with age, regardless of the endurance of pregnancy, women’s bellies tend to become larger and rounder. The result: most women give their bellies the evil eye, especially when they are in front of the mirror.

Let’s take a closer look at what muscles make up the belly, how it works, and what we can do to make us look and feel more satisfied with its size and shape. The belly itself is actually made up of four (yes, four!) layers of muscles. They wrap the entire abdomen in vertical, horizontal and diagonal directions. The connection between the abdomen and the back is a close and vital one because these muscles work together to support the column of the spine. If either one sags forward because of weak muscles and/or improper alignment, the spine is pulled too far forward in the small of the back. The spine curves there naturally, but it should form only a slight curve. The short, deep curve that occurs without proper support is called swayback. Merely by slightly lengthening your spine and shortening the lower torso between your hips and your waist, keeping your pelvic level, you will be able to change the shape of your midsection from formless to more defined and slender.

As your lower back lengthens, its curve will become shallower, allowing your belly to flatten back against your spine instead of sagging forward. Think about pulling in the lower abdominal muscles as if you could pull them against the inside of the small of your back while your pelvic adjusts upward a bit. Be sure not to lock your knees in the process nor exaggerate any lift or tuck. Proper alignment and posture is a key element for every dancer. It sounds simple enough, but will take conscious effort on your part until it becomes a habit.
Awareness of your belly and its proper alignment is only the first step towards a “better” belly. To make it look beautiful, you have to do two things: 1) remove excess fat which lies over the belly and 2) strengthen the abdominals and lower back to show muscle tone and to provide the control it takes to do all the wonderful belly movements found in belly dance. Removing fat means reducing the amount of chocolate and other goodies you consume, as well as adding aerobic exercise to burn up what fat is already there.
Belly rolls are controlled by three sets of muscles in your abdomen. There is the diaphragm, which is between the navel and the rib cage, the pelvic muscles, which are below the navel, and the oblique’s which run vertically on each side from the pelvis to just below the breast.
The first thing you need to do is build a relationship with all three sets of muscles, and get all three sets of muscles comfortable with the idea of moving when you tell them to. Put some soft, undulating mood music on your stereo system and try doing these exercises:

Exercise #1: Educate Your Abdomen To Respond To You, And Learn To Relax!

Stand comfortably, in good belly dance posture.

Put your hands anywhere comfortable where they can relax--I always demonstrate with my hands stretched out to the side, but their exact placement isn't crucial.

Now, suck in your gut as far as you can possibly suck it in. Got it as far as it'll go? Now try to pull it in just a little farther!

Hold it as long as you comfortably can.

Next, relax it thoroughly. Relax it so much that your stomach area sticks as far forward as it could possibly want to.

Repeat this exercise several times each day. Try to do about 4 repetitions where you hold it in as long as you possibly can, then let it out for an equal length of time. Then try to do 8-12 (or more) repetitions where you repetitively pull it in for a second or two, then relax it for a second or two, and keep going. Be sure to breathe normally while doing this.

Exercise #2: Build Strength In Those Muscles!
You already know how to do crunches.
Do as many crunches each day as your abdominal muscles will tolerate. Try to do a minimum of 10 or 15 at first, and try to work up to 25 or 30--or more! The stronger your abdominal muscles, the better your belly rolls

Exercise #3: Build a Relationship with Your Diaphragm
When learning to do belly rolls, make your diaphragm your best friend. Consciously think about it.
An excellent time to do this exercise is while you are behind the wheel of your car or sitting at a computer keyboard.

Hunch your shoulders forward over the steering wheel or keyboard, so that your abdominal area is somewhat compressed by the posture. If you never drive a car and never sit at a computer keyboard, then just sit in a normal chair and lean forward with your shoulders hunched as described.

Now, tug inward ever so slightly just below the rib cage, above the navel. You won't be able to pull it in very far in this posture, but the point here is to discover where that muscle is, and how to isolate control over it. You should feel a muscle rubbing gently against the bottom edge of your rib cage. That is your diaphragm. If you can tug it in even a small amount, you've accomplished the point of this exercise.

Now, rhythmically pull that muscle in, then let it relax, then pull it in again.

Do this exercise as often as you can discipline yourself to do it--once you build a close friendship with your diaphragm, you'll be able to do not only belly rolls, but also beautiful stomach flutters! Breathe normally while you do this.

Exercise #4: Isolate Your Pelvic Muscles from Your Diaphragm
This is the advanced version of Exercise #1. Warm up using Exercise #1. Then transition to this one.

Suck in the diaphragm while letting the pelvic muscles relax. Then relax the diaphragm while sucking in the pelvic muscles. Repeat, over and over and over.

Don't forget to breathe normally!

Exercise #5: 1/2 Roll
This is the advanced version of Exercise #3.

Hunch over a desk or car steering wheel as described for Exercise #3. Pull in your diaphragm as described for Exercise #3.

Holding it in, now pull in your navel, then your upper pelvic muscles. That is half of a top-to-bottom roll, which means that the movement originates at the top, at the diaphragm.

Now, to get out of this position, let your pelvic muscles out first, then your navel, then your diaphragm. That is half of a different roll, the bottom to top, which means that the movement originates with the pelvic muscles at the base of the abdomen.

Do this exercise 8 times per sitting to develop control over each of the two half rolls.
Belly dance wouldn’t be belly dance without belly movements. As you work to improve your dance technique, take special time to develop your abdominal muscles. Not only will your dance technique improve, but you’ll love how your belly looks and will dramatically improve your long-term health. Go ahead, search for that better belly. It’s only a win-win situation. You might find that you are a goddess!