This isn’t a magic belly fat workout for spot-reducing your waistline. It is, however, a routine guaranteed to pump your heart rate and activate your core.
Oh, and it’s a ton of fun. We’d hesitate to call it a belly dancing “workout.”
You don’t need to know how to belly dance, either. All you need is a timer (20-second intervals), a cute outfit (optional), and some space.
Ready to groove? The perfect track for this 10-minute routine is available on your favorite streaming platform below:
Double Hip Sway
What’s the number one belly dancing move? A good hip sway, of course!
But here’s a golden belly dancing tip: Practice sways and hip circles first to release the built-up tension.
How to perform:
- Get in a wide stance with your hands on your hips.
- Bend your left knee slightly.
- Engage your core and swing your left hip.
- Before you return to center, thrust your hip even further. Imagine you’re pulling up from your obliques.
- Repeat, alternating sides.
Side Sway Step + Arms
Get those hands off your hips. Now that your body is all nice and warmed up, we’re going for something a teeny bit more complex: A hip sway and an arm push.
Your goal for the next 20 seconds? Sync those two movements to the beat.
How to perform:
- Set your arms out to the side.
- Shift your weight into your left leg and bend your knee.
- Start taking a big sway to the left and drop down slightly as you do it. You want to end with a scoop up!
- Halfway through your sway, you should take a side step. Bring your right leg next to your left.
- Repeat on the other side, but get your hands involved this time. Bend your right elbow and imagine you’re pushing a wave with your palm.
- Alternate sides as you go.
Arms Up + Side Hip Sway
We’re not done swaying just yet. The beat demands some extended sways.
How to perform:
- Hold your hands high above your head.
- Turn your body halfway to the left side.
- As you do that, lift your left heel off the floor and bend your knee to brace yourself for a thrust. It’s okay to let your left leg come to the front.
- Thrust that hip up towards the sky and hold it in place using your core.
- Send your hip back without dropping it. Visualize yourself drawing a curve in the air with your hip.
- Once your imaginary hip curve goes beyond your heel, you can drop it.
- Switch sides and repeat.
Chest & Hip Pump + Arms
There’s no harm in adding a bit of hip-hop to the mix, right? So, let’s go for core-driven pumps.
How to perform:
- Start with your elbows bent, stomach sucked into your spine, and hands in front of your body.
- As you bring your arms back, pump out your rib cage, and drop your shoulders.
- Reverse the movements as you sway to the beat.
- Once your arms are in front of you again, pump out your butt.
- Repeat.
Side Jumps + Hip Pumps
What does two jumps and four pumps add up to? Quite a bit of burned fat, apparently.
So, get ready for explosive waist dance moves!
How to perform:
- Start in a wide stance.
- Pick a side—any side. Now extend that arm out as you take a lateral skip.
- Jump in place once.
- Drop your arm. Raise the other and pull yourself to the side in one smooth side jump/skip.
- Jump in place once again.
- Return to center and pump that booty just like you did for the last move.
- Repeat.
Arms Up & Down + Cross Feet
For the next 20 seconds, we want you to picture a clothes line way above your head. You’ll pick a sock with each hand and toss it to the ground like it’s made of lava.
Where’s the core activation in that? You’ll do a sort of half curtsy lunge and use your core for stability.
How to perform:
- Reach up with your arms and close your fists at the top.
- As you lower your fists, lift one leg and bring it behind the other in a semi-lunge.
- Reverse and repeat.
Lady Hips Walk
You’ll need a bit of space for this one. But we promise, the energy kick you’ll get out of it is worth it!
How to perform:
- Bend both knees slightly.
- As you take a step, start straightening your leg. This should tilt your hip up towards your rib cage.
- Bend and extend your leg again to do one more flick.
- Repeat on each leg as you pace around the room.
Hip Sway
We’ll let you in on a secret: The key to the perfect sway is the knees!
How to perform:
- Stand in a wide stance with both knees bent.
- Engage your core and don’t send your booty back too much.
- Extend one knee to thrust the hip up.
- If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, you can either set them over your head or go for a fun lasso moment.
Step Forward + Clean Chest
This next move is simple, but it’ll pump up your heart rate.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Take a step forward with one leg. Simultaneously, move the opposite hand in a “wipe” motion over your chest.
- Return and keep alternating sides.
Side Steps + Shoulder Circles
How about we get some more steps in before wrapping up this workout?
How to perform:
- Stand upright with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Take a side step with your right foot.
- As you lift your foot to take the lateral step, turn your upper body to the side so that your chest is facing left.
- Raise your shoulder and draw a curve in the air with it.
- Reverse, alternate sides, and repeat.
Groove!
Let loose and go for any Zumba dance workouts, ballet-inspired exercises, or belly dance moves your heart desires. Just move your body to the beat for a bit.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
