The benefits of belly dance are both mental and physical. Dancing provides a good cardiovascular workout and helps increase both flexibility and strength, focusing on the torso or "core muscles", although it also builds leg strength. Many belly dance styles emphasize muscular "isolations", teaching the ability to move various muscles or muscle groups independently. Veil work can also build arm, shoulder, and general upper-body strength, and playing the zils can build strength and independence of the fingers. Belly dance is suitable for all ages and body types, and can be as physical as the participant chooses.
Belly dancing tones the arms, strengthens and tightens the abs and oblique's, and improves flexibility. As a form of exercise, it can burn as many calories as jogging, swimming or riding a bike. Belly dance is less strenuous on the body than weight lifting and more entertaining than sitting on a bike at the gym. Most importantly, belly dance was specifically developed for the female body and is an art that has been perfected for thousands of years.
Most of the basic steps and techniques used in belly dance are circular motions isolated in one part of the body; for example, a circle parallel to the floor isolated in the hips or shoulders. Accents using "pop and lock" where a dancer either shimmies or makes a striking motion in her shoulders or hips are common, as are feats of flexibility, rolling one's belly muscles, balancing various props like baskets, swords or canes, and dancing with chiffon or silk veils. 