Staying Fit in the Summer
Summer is the time of year for short-shorts and tank-tops, but it’s also a time of barbeques, pina coladas and dehydration. It’s not always easy to stay fit when the weather is hot, but Shimmy Belly Dance has got some tips to make sure that the temperature doesn’t keep you from achieving your wellness goals.
Choose low-intensity, high-technique workouts:
As belly dance was created in HOT countries like Egypt, Turkey and Morocco, it is the perfect exercise for summer. In hot weather, avoid workouts with lots of jumping and fast movements. Instead, use this time to work on your technique. Try Episode 2: From Cairo to Istanbul to work on slow, sultry movements like the ‘Egyptian Figure Eight‘ and ‘Hip Circles’. How about trying Episode 14: Shimmying Circles featuring smooth and sexy ‘chest circles’ and ‘liquid arms’? Perfect moves for hot summer nights.
Stay hydrated:
Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. Drinking water will not only keep you cool, it will stop you from overindulging in soft-drinks, ice-cream, and other summer-time treats. Get excited about H2O by becoming a water connoisseur! Next time you’re at the supermarket pick up different brands of sparkling water and mineral water. Can you so taste the difference? Which ones do you prefer? Try adding sliced of lemon, lime, or even cucumber to inspire your taste buds.
Work on flexibility:
Since your muscles are already warm from the external heat, why not use that to your advantage to work on flexibility? Take inspiration from ultra-flexible Karen with the warm up in Episode 18: The Camel’s Garden. You’ll see that moves that demand flexibility like the “Ripple”, ‘Chest Camel’ and the ‘full camel’ (all featured in Episode 23: Rippling Round) are easier and look even sexier with your muscles already warm.
Use common sense:
In normal weather, your skin, blood vessels and perspiration levels adjust to the heat while exercising; unfortunately, these natural cooling systems can fail in high temperatures. Pay attention to your body’s warning signs like cramps, nausea, weakness, excessive sweating, and light-headedness. Use common sense. If you are feeling too hot, take it down a notch. Try just practicing the warm-up and teaching section of Shimmy Belly Dance and have a cool glass of water before moving on the performance section.
No matter what your fitness goals are, you can stay fit and confident this summer with Shimmy Belly Dance. Download individual belly dance episodes, get tips and tricks on difficult moves, or buy the full Shimmy Belly Dance fitness system on DVD.
