Here’s something you don’t see every day!
Dr. Coco Cabrel – a.k.a. the Flamenco-dancing M.D. – is the founder of Coco’sFlameFit. She’s basically a Flamenco-teaching doctor with a very unique approach as she draws from her three decades of work in anatomy, physiology and dance (and her own victories over bulimia, a back injury and having her 3rd and 4th babies at 40+), to help moms with birth and beyond. It’s a unique approach to body confidence that can benefit many women both physically and mentally. Sound too good to be true? Try it our for yourself!
We asked Dr. Cabrel to single out four of her favorite Flamenco moves, how to do them and their benefits.
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Doctor-Developed, Flamenco-Inspired Dance Moves For Birth And Beyond
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Flamenco Bullfighter
"Here a mom is wearing her three-month-old and learning her super-grounding Flamenco bullfighter pose with her two-and-a-half-year-old." How to do it: "Start with feet together and knees a little bent. Extend one foot to the side and press the pinky toe into the floor to feel grounded in your body. As you raise your arms overhead, feel the security rise into your mind, heart and spirit, too. Hold this position for one deep breath in and out. Lower your arms and repeat on the other side. This is incredibly beneficial for both baby, who will feel your sense of strength, and a toddler or preschooler, who will take on your centering." -
Seated Flamenco Flowers
"With two months to go with her second child this mom learns seated Flamenco flowers, a wrist and hand movement that helps prevent carpal tunnel symptoms that can be debilitating for women in the second half of pregnancy as excess fluid collects in the tissues of the hands and arms." How to do it: "Raise your arms overhead to help with fluid drainage, stretch the fingers and thumbs and make six circles with the wrists. Then, switch circle directions and make six more to help move excess fluid out of the hands. Notice the hands start the movement with open palms and finish the circles with the fingers in a flower position."
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Flamenco-Proud Posture
"Here is a mom at 21 weeks with her sixth child using Flamenco-proud posture to lift her ribcage off of her baby and belly." How to do it: "Roll your shoulders in a circle, starting forward and then up toward your ears, with a big breath in (as big as you can manage with a big uterus). Then push your breath out as you roll your shoulders behind you, and then, most importantly, feel your shoulder blades roll to the bottom of the circle as you finish the outward breath. Keep a little puff of air under your armpits and elbows for an extra touch of flair as you do three full circles with three luxurious breaths." -
Flamenco Palmas
"Here, a mom and her 1-year-old daughter both learn Flamenco palmas, a rhythmic clapping." How to do it: "With one foot a little in front of the other, lift up that front heel, and do six medium-depth knee bends while clapping with your baby. Switch feet and repeat. Keep going as long as baby is happy."
