Thread: Exercise ruining my shimmy?

It seems that now that I have recently started an exercise program (January) my shimmy is not as good - I can't quite get that juicy jello shimmy to stay for more than 30 seconds. I have been doing the yoga booty ballet, eliptical trainer and regular bellydance alternating days. My legs are stronger but I seem to go straight into a vibration shimmy from my jello shimmy - this has never happen before. Is my body changing?..c::

Perhaps your muscles are tighter by default and you need some stretching or massage?

I know when I dance a lot I get what I refer to as "concrete butt" and my shimmy dies. Massage brings it back.

Your muscles are getting tighter around the hip region and in your thighs so the range of motion is suffering from the exercise. Your muscles may be too fatigued once you are finished working out that they aren't able to sustain a relaxed wobbly shimmy but rather go into a vibration...

Stretch your hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, quads and inside of thighs really well after your workouts. A great way to stretch and get more range of motion is to think of doing a Maya/figure 8 up when you step on the elliptical machine.... it engages more muscles and gives a gentle lengthening of the sides of the body... (push hip down with the leg going down, pull hip up with the leg coming up - both at simultaneously). Of course, this limits the speed you can ellipticalize at...but it's effective even if done at the end of your workout.

DaVid

Another recommendation here to Do Your Stretching. *Especially* at the end of your exercise sessions, to allow your muscles to relax back to their resting length. This will benefit your exercise as much as your dancing.

Sounds like you are tightening up - you get it to start with but lose it. The secret to a good shimmy is to use as little muscle as possible to generate it and relax everything else. Maybe your gym program is getting you into the habit of recruiting more muscle than you need. Lightly, lightly does it. (Over using muscle for any activity is unnecessary)

I've also started doing the elliptical. Can anyone recommend some good stretches for the hip flexors, quads and hamstrings? I know that I know how to strettch that area, but my mind always seems to go blank at the gym.

Originally Posted by rachelw

I've also started doing the elliptical. Can anyone recommend some good stretches for the hip flexors, quads and hamstrings? I know that I know how to strettch that area, but my mind always seems to go blank at the gym.

Hip flexors - best one is if you can lie on araised surface. Butt right on the edge. Bend and hug one leg to your chest - let the other one hang down. Alternatively, kneel on one knee - both legs bent at right angles, pelvis in neutral, now move the pelvis forward of the midline.

Quads, stand on one leg. The other one bent behind, grasp it at the ankle and pull into the butt - again pelvis must be in neutral.

Hamstrings - you can only stretch them if you are not using the leg to support yourself - so "toe touching" is not a hamstring stretch. Lie on the floor, bend and hug one leg to the chest, then straighten hold behind the thigh and gently pull towards chest.

In all cases - at least 15 minutes CV first, and only pull until you just feel it. Then as the muscle relaxes increase the tension - and thus the stretch.

That happened to me when I was doing constant exercise. I'm doing Suhaila's Bellydance Fitness Fusion Yoga, and the stretches and such in that has been helping my shimmy alot. I can't describe the technique because I can't really use proper terminology, so if anyone else knows what I'm talking about who can, that'd be great.

BDF

Wow, I thought it was just me with this problem! Between sitting at a desk all day and then working out at the gym 4 days a week, my muscles have gotten so tight that I can't get a good shimmy going anymore. Feels like all I can do is vibrate. I'm definately going to start stretching my legs out before I leave the gym each time!

Originally Posted by Reinaa

It seems that now that I have recently started an exercise program (January) my shimmy is not as good - I can't quite get that juicy jello shimmy to stay for more than 30 seconds. I have been doing the yoga booty ballet, eliptical trainer and regular bellydance alternating days. My legs are stronger but I seem to go straight into a vibration shimmy from my jello shimmy - this has never happen before. Is my body changing?..c::

I'm so glad you asked this. I've been doing some serious yoga & training, and the exact same thing is happening to me.

Yes, I think I am going to start working on a hip shimmy instead - I will stretch though. I though the yoga was good enough stretching but I guess not. Now if I can only tighten up those abs!

I had this very experience at an Aradia workshop last month. Everything was going fine until we came to the shimmy -- I could not shimmy AT ALL. It came out all wombly and uneven and only lasted a few seconds. I was shocked, and embarrassed.

I'd been playing racquetball with my son all week, and I'm sure my muscles were tight.

Some yoga classes offer deep stretching, some offer more of a workout for the muscles. But although exercise scientists have mixed test results, I personally think stretching is needed immediately after exercise to keep the muscles long and loose. I don't think a yoga class a day or two later is the same as stretching immediately.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Some yoga classes offer deep stretching, some offer more of a workout for the muscles. But although exercise scientists have mixed test results, I personally think stretching is needed immediately after exercise to keep the muscles long and loose. I don't think a yoga class a day or two later is the same as stretching immediately.

I have to agree with that. I'm actually going to reverse my training from more intensive exercise and then yoga (more stretch in this one). I've been doing vice versa and it's starting to take a toll.


BDF