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Belly roll, how long till?

topic posted Tue, September 29, 2009 - 12:25 PM by  Soleil 		Share/Save/Bookmark
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I realize this may be unanswerable.
Realistically how long till I see improvement if I practice every day, starting today?
When I started belly dance 3 years ago I weighed 25 lbs more. Now my belly roll is not as noticeable.
I've been practicing laying down for 6 weeks. At first nothing, now it's fabulous.
Yesterday I started practicing standing, it barely shows.
6 weeks?
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Soleil
offline Soleil
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  • Lady...
    Lady Zahira
    offline 43

    Re: Belly roll, how long till?

    Tue, September 29, 2009 - 7:36 PM
    Can you flip a quarter while laying down?
    I took a workshop with Helena Vlahos (she's amazing!) specifically for flipping quarters. The turning point for me was being able to make a crease in my abs to tuck the quarter into, then realease/ bend/ straighten/ roll my abs to make the quarter move. My muscles burned! We were at it for almost an hour before my brain & abs were cooperating. When I could finally see my belly roll and flip the quarter (the term flip is used loosley) I had way more muscles working than ever before. It was hard, but it did finally sink in.Then I sat up & tried the roll without the quarter. It was like night & day.

    Good luck; you will get there! (says the 100-lb jingle bunny in the corner)
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    • Mahin
      Mahin
      offline 263

      Re: Belly roll, how long till?

      Mon, November 23, 2009 - 8:46 PM
      Quarters are a great learning tool for belly rolls - in fact when Helena tells the story of how she got started doing it she says she was using quarters to practice because her belly rolls weren't that good - imagine that!! It was after she started playing with them that she realized she had a good gimmick and then did more and different patterns.

      One of the reasons it works is because it becomes a tool for neuromuscular coordination. When you can see and feel the quarter on your stomach, it's easier for your brain to target the muscles. As you contract and see the quarter move it gives you obvious feedback too.

      Good luck!

      Mahin
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  • Soleil
    Soleil
    offline 7

    Re: Belly roll, how long till?

    Tue, November 24, 2009 - 1:02 PM
    Thanks ladies!
    Yeah I don't know why it's easier laying down. But I can isolate better that way and at least that starts the muscle memory. I dunno, I guess more "thinking" is involved in standing than I realized. Balance may be part of the equation. I know when I first started practicing laying down, the isolating of my abs made me giggle uncontrollably. It tickled SO much. Not so much now, but it was an indicator as to how deep the move was.
    I have not been as disciplined practicing standing, as I was laying down. But when I show my friends they say they can see them, even if I can't.
    I will say, that in a pic from Tribal Alchemy in Ft Worth, my abs really showed. I didn't know I had any until then. Lol!

    Believe me, I will add the quarter, just the thought of it laying on my stomach makes my abs quiver!
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    • Mahin
      Mahin
      offline 263

      Re: Belly roll, how long till?

      Tue, November 24, 2009 - 9:09 PM
      Another thing I remembered.... you may need to use a half dollar, silver dollar or other coin depending on how the folds in yours stomach are spaced. Lay down and then prop yourself up on your elbows a bit. The muscle that runs down the front of the abdomen (rectus abdominus) has three (some people have 4) bands that run across them (the tendinous intersections). This is what gives people a 6-pack. If the sections are longer on your body, you may need a larger coin to flip.

      Mahin
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