Core Bridges in Prone Position
Lying down on your back with bent knees , foam block between knees , and feet on the ground - Bridge body and lift hips while keeping foam block between knees . Move your spine and pelvis and isolate your abdominal muscles . Gently lower body back to prone position with bent knees with foam block between knees . and your right arm moves between your legs . Focus on your oblique muscles elevating and rotating your trunk . For a more dynamic exercise , maintain the oblique lift , but move your arms from the first position to the high fifth above your head . Be sure your anchor your pelvis to the floor as you rotate your upper body .
Leg Extensions
Core Strengthening Torso Curls
Lying down on your back with bent knees , foam block between knees , and feet on the ground - Interlock fingers with hands behind your neck with arms and elbows resting out to the side . Engage the core and curl up towards the knees while squeezing the foam block as in performing a sit-up , but just curling the torso up . Then , slowly lower and return to resting position at the start with arms behind the head and elbows resting out to the side .
Core Rotations with Upper Body
Lying prone on your back with foam block held between bent knees - Hold hands clasped behind the neck , then while squeezing the foam block between knees , slowly extend legs out until heels touch the mat . Then , slowly retract the legs , bending the knees while squeezing the foam block until reaching resting position with knees bent . A slightly different method of performing leg extensions moves the bent knees to a straight-up position before lowering down and hovering over the ground then touching the mat . Be sure to move very slowly to avoid moving the pelvis and to better grip the foam block or ball between your knees .
Lying down on your back with a foam block or ball between your knees and feet on the ground - Place arms in the basic first position ( as in holding a ball above your chest ). Curl your trunk rotating at your waist . Lengthen the spine , open through the shoulders and chest . Allow your left arm to move along the outside of your left thigh
These Core Strengthening Floor Exercises may be used during rehabilitation post-surgery even with arms or feet immobilized and healing in a cast . Since they are not weight-bearing exercises they offer the perfect way to speed healing by continuing to exercise safely to maintain optimal health .
MA * SHUQA MIRA MURJAN & CARL SERMON
Ma * Shuqa Mira Murjan is a professional performer and instructor ; and has an MPH degree and health education experience in both patient education and university teaching . She teaches her Ma * Shuqa Method in her Los Gatos , CA Ma * Shuqa School of Dance studio and includes performance posture in her instruction . She specializes in coaching to develop unique dance signatures in her students . Contact her at MaShuqaDancer @ gmail with questions about dance movement adaptations for your personal dance style . www . MaShuqa . com Her husband , Carl Sermon , is well-known for his festival and performance photography of Oriental dancers . Ma * Shuqa and Carl work together to provide artistic direction and performance photography for photo sessions with Oriental dancers . See their work in The Belly Dance Chronicles magazine , The GildedSerpent . com E-zine , and www . CarlSermonPhotography . Zenfolio . com
38 The Belly Dance Chronicles � September 2021