A look at the science of ‘twerking’
Posted August 28, 2013 8:58 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Everybody has been slamming Miley Cyrus for her tongue and twerk-filled performance at the MTV Video Awards this week.
But what she did was actually difficult (Maybe that’s why she was sticking her tongue out — in concentration?).
In fact, twerking is such a complex and technical move, we had to find a Ph.D. researcher to explain how the body does what it does to make it happen. Dr. Michele Olson is a professor of exercise science at Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, and a big fan of twerking.
She says when you take a wide stance with your legs turned out at “10 and 2” so your hips are externally rotated and then pulse up and down as you thrust the pelvis bone forward and back, it’s a real workout.
“It’s a really fun dance and involves a lot of muscles, particularly from the waist down. You get into a semi-squat-like move with a really wide stance so you’ve got your quads involved, your hamstrings, your ‘glutes,’ your low back muscles, your abs and a lot of your core. For anyone who’s done it, they’ll tell you it’s a fun dance to do and you definitely get a lot of your body parts and a lot of major muscles moving and grooving and going,” she tells News1130.
But be careful; you can over-twerk it!
“I think if you’re older, like anything, if you jump out on the ski slope after 20 years or you’ve had a knee or hip replacement and you’re going to town and not paying attention, there’s the potential that you could overdo it,” says Olson.
“If your knees are creaking and you’re hips are popping you’re going to realize you probably need to learn how to do this and build up to it and not think you’re 15 again,” she laughs.
Her advice to older twerkers? Warm up!
“Just start out moving slowly and as the music picks up, the rhythm picks up, just ease on into more and deepen your squats and pick up your repetitions,” she suggests.
And sorry kids, it seems twerking is now officially doctor-approved.
“Have fun with it. It’s great that there are dances that are popular that use all these muscle groups. I am all for it. Everybody really rock out!”
Twerk on, professor. Twerk on.
