A belly dance workout is a great way to burn calories and tone your core. With the increased popularity of belly dancing as a fitness routine, it's easy to find dance studios and fitness centers offering classes. Include your friends and take a class together for great bonding and accountability. Don't be intimidated by belly dancing. Women of all shapes, sizes and nationalities love this workout and are finding fun and results all in one great class.

Belly dancing is a full body workout. You'll be working your entire core, which includes your abs and hips. Your arms, shoulders and chest will be engaged. As you learn more advanced moves, you'll work on balance also. Your upper body will be utilized in the arms movements that come with belly dancing, as well as slow, deliberate movements that keep the arms engaged for a longer period of time than a single rep.

Since belly dancing focuses on the hip and abs area with small movements, your smaller core muscles are better able to be engaged than if you were using traditional ab exercises. Utilizing the smaller core muscles allows for overall core strength building which brings better balance and better posture. As you move through the arm movements of belly dancing, you'll also notice a fuller range of motion in your upper body than standard exercises. This full range of motion utilizes smaller muscles in your arms and back for better muscle toning all over.

Because belly dancing is such a controlled method movement, you'll learn how to control every muscle, down to the small ones you didn't know you had. You'll learn about isolation and how controlling your separate core muscle groups will help stabilize the core leading to a stronger core. Your core strength aids in good posture, how you walk, the strength of your spine and can help prevent joint problems. Your core should always be engaged for proper movement and to maximize your results. "Engage" your core by keeping your belly button sucked into your spine.

Because a belly dance workout keeps you in constant motion, your heart rate stays up which puts you in a constant state of cardio burn. The longer a period of time your heart rate stays elevated, the longer you'll burn calories even after the workout is over. When consistent cardio is combined with consistent muscle strengthening, your body continues to burn calories and fat long after the workout is over.

A belly dance workout is a great addition to your everyday fitness routine. If you're looking for a fitness routine and don't already have one, try a belly dancing class. It's fun and working out with other people tends to make you workout just a little harder. Include your friends and you'll have a great time working out, toning and conditioning your body.