Shake What Your Mama Gave Ya: A Comprehensive Guide to Twerking

Twerking. The dance that’s sparked conversations, ignited dance floors, and become a staple in pop culture. While it might look like just shaking your booty, there’s actually a technique to it. This guide is for anyone curious about learning to twerk, from absolute beginners to those looking to refine their skills. We’ll break it down step by step, focusing on safety, building confidence, and of course, having fun!

What is Twerking, Really?

At its core, twerking is a dance that involves thrusting or shaking the hips and buttocks in a rhythmic, often sexually suggestive way. It’s a descendant of traditional African dances, particularly those from West Africa, that emphasize movements of the hips and lower back. Over time, twerking has evolved, incorporating influences from various dance styles and becoming a popular form of expression in modern music and dance.

It’s important to understand that twerking is more than just moving your butt. It requires core strength, flexibility, and coordination. It’s a full-body workout that can be surprisingly challenging. Think of it as a rhythmic muscle activation rather than just ‘wiggling’. The movements should be controlled and intentional, allowing for a smooth and dynamic flow. With practice, you’ll be able to find your own unique style and rhythm, making it your own personal expression.

Before You Start: Preparation is Key

Before you even think about shaking anything, let’s get you prepped:

1. Warm-up: Just like any workout, a good warm-up is crucial to prevent injury. Spend 5-10 minutes doing light cardio such as jogging in place or jumping jacks. Follow this with dynamic stretches focusing on your hips, lower back, and legs. Here are some ideas:
   • Hip Circles: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips, and rotate your hips in a circular motion, both clockwise and counterclockwise.
   • Leg Swings: Hold onto a wall or chair for balance and swing one leg forward and backward, then side to side. Repeat on the other leg.
   • Torso Twists: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms bent at 90 degrees, and twist your upper body gently from side to side, keeping your hips facing forward.
   • Cat-Cow Stretch: On your hands and knees, alternate between arching your back (cat pose) and dipping your back (cow pose).
2. Choose the Right Space: Find a space with enough room to move comfortably. A clear floor with a mirror is ideal, so you can see your form and make adjustments. Make sure the surface is not too slippery and avoid any potential hazards like sharp objects or uneven surfaces.
3. Dress Comfortably: Wear clothes that allow for a full range of motion. Athletic shorts, leggings, or sweatpants are good options. Avoid tight clothing that restricts your movement. A supportive sports bra is also recommended.
4. Set the Mood: Turn on some music with a strong beat. Twerking is all about rhythm, so having a good beat to follow is essential. Think hip-hop, R&B, or any genre with a heavy bass line.
5. Hydration: Keep a water bottle handy. Twerking can be surprisingly tiring, so it’s important to stay hydrated.

The Foundational Moves: Step-by-Step Guide

Now for the fun part! We’ll start with the basic movements and gradually build up to more advanced techniques. Remember to take it slow, focus on your form, and don’t be afraid to practice. It’s all about muscle memory and building up that connection between your brain and your body.

1. The Basic Bounce (The Foundation)

This is the starting point for most twerk moves. It focuses on engaging your glutes and lower abs to create the rhythmic up-and-down motion.

1. Stance: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, or slightly wider if that’s more comfortable for you. Bend your knees slightly. Think of an athletic stance like you’re ready to spring into action.
2. The Dip: Bend your knees deeper, lowering your hips towards the floor. Keep your back relatively straight and engage your core muscles to prevent any strain on your lower back.
3. The Bounce: Quickly and powerfully contract your glutes (butt muscles) and push your hips upwards. It’s not about moving your back but rather thrusting your hips using the power of your glutes and core. It should be a short and sharp movement, like you’re quickly releasing tension in your glutes. Think ‘squeeze-release’.
4. Repeat: Continuously dip and bounce, creating an up-and-down motion with your hips. Keep your knees bent throughout the movement. The movement shouldn’t be big to start with, focus on that controlled bounce first.
5. Practice: Start slow and gradually increase the speed as you get comfortable. Focus on maintaining that glute engagement, and make sure you are not using your back for this movement. Remember it’s hips and glutes doing the work. Imagine you are drawing a vertical line with your tailbone up and down.

Common Mistakes and Tips:

• Using Your Back: Avoid arching your back too much. This will put strain on your lower back. Engage your core to support your back and focus on moving your hips only.
• Not Using Glutes: If you’re not feeling it in your glutes, you’re probably not engaging them enough. Think about squeezing your butt muscles as you bounce your hips up.
• Stiff Knees: Don’t lock your knees. Keep them bent to absorb the impact and protect your joints.
• Practice in the mirror: This will help you see where you are going wrong. This is the most important part, make sure you have good posture and engaging the correct muscles.

2. The Hip Roll (Adding Circular Motion)

Once you’ve mastered the basic bounce, you can add a hip roll to introduce a circular motion to your twerk. This move is all about smooth, controlled movements of the hips, creating a fluid and sensual look.

1. Stance: Start in the same stance as the basic bounce – feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
2. The Forward Push: Begin by pushing your hips forward, contracting your glutes like in the basic bounce. Keep your upper body stable and core engaged.
3. Side Push: Now, shift your hips to one side, maintaining the engaged core and slightly bent knees. Imagine drawing an arc with your hips to the right.
4. The Back Push: Move your hips to the back, keeping your back relatively straight and core tight. Think about keeping this area in line with your back and don’t move it up.
5. Side Push (Other Side): Shift your hips to the other side, completing the circle. Again, keeping core engaged and maintaining a slightly bent knees posture.
6. Continuous Circle: Smoothly connect all of these movements to create a circular motion with your hips. It’s like you’re tracing a circle with your hips. Don’t focus on making the circle bigger, try making it controlled first.
7. Practice: Start slowly and focus on smooth transitions between each movement. Once comfortable you can speed this up. Practice going both clockwise and counterclockwise.

Common Mistakes and Tips:

• Jerky Motions: Avoid jerky or abrupt movements. Focus on making the circle smooth and continuous.
• Not Engaging Core: Remember to engage your core muscles throughout the movement. This will help you control your hip movements and prevent back strain.
• Rushing the Circle: Start slow to make sure the circle is a nice round shape, not just a wobbly side to side movement.
• Visualize the Circle: Try to imagine drawing the circle with your hips. This can help you get a feel for the movement.

3. The Side-to-Side Shake (Adding Lateral Movement)

The side-to-side shake adds a new dimension to your twerk. This movement involves moving your hips from one side to the other, creating a playful and dynamic motion.

1. Stance: Start with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. You can keep a more athletic stance for this move.
2. Shift Right: Shift your weight to your right foot, allowing your right hip to move outward to the right. Your left hip will move inwards slightly.
3. Shift Left: Quickly shift your weight to your left foot, pushing your left hip outward to the left. The right hip will move inwards slightly. Think of this as like a pendulum swinging from one side to another.
4. Repeat: Continue alternating from side to side. The motion should be controlled and rhythmic. Maintain an upright back posture.
5. Practice: Start slowly and focus on engaging your core to keep the movement controlled. As you get comfortable, you can increase the speed and intensity of the side-to-side motion.

Common Mistakes and Tips:

• Leaning Too Much: Avoid leaning too much to either side. Keep your upper body relatively still and focus the movement on your hips.
• Not Engaging Core: Remember to engage your core to control your hip movements and prevent back strain.
• Stiff Hips: Try to relax your hips and allow them to move naturally from side to side. If you’re tense it will look very stiff.
• Speed Progression: Start slow, then slowly build the speed and intensity to control the movement.

4. Adding Variations: The Figure 8 and the Coin Drop

Once you’re comfortable with the basic moves, you can start experimenting with variations. Two popular options are the Figure 8 and the Coin Drop. These moves add more complexity and style to your twerk.

The Figure 8:

This variation combines the hip roll and side-to-side movements to create a figure-eight pattern with your hips. It’s a bit more complex but it can be incredibly rewarding to master this move!

1. Start with a Hip Roll: Begin with a circular hip roll, like the second move we discussed.
2. Transition to Side-to-Side: As you complete the circle, transition into a side-to-side motion, moving your hips from left to right. Think of drawing a diagonal line with your hips.
3. Combine Movements: Seamlessly combine the hip roll and side-to-side movements to create a figure-eight pattern. When transitioning from the front to one of the sides, instead of completing a circle, slightly push the hip backwards to join in to the side to side shake.
4. Practice: Keep practicing the movement until it flows smoothly. Make sure you are controlling the movement and it’s not just a random wiggling.

The Coin Drop:

This move involves quickly dropping your hips down towards the ground and then bouncing back up. It can be a powerful and eye-catching move when done right.

1. Stance: Start with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
2. The Drop: Quickly drop your hips down towards the ground, pushing your hips back. Make sure to engage your core to protect your lower back. Keep the knees bent throughout the movement.
3. The Bounce Back: Immediately bounce your hips back up, using your glutes and core. The movement should be a short, sharp, and controlled motion.
4. Repeat: Continuously drop and bounce, creating a rhythmic and powerful movement. Keep that core engaged the entire time and do not use your back to create the movement.
5. Practice: Start slow, and focus on the controlled drop and bounce. As you become more comfortable, you can increase the speed and intensity of this movement.

Putting It All Together: Creating a Twerk Routine

Now that you know the basic moves, you can start putting them together into a routine. Here are a few tips to help you create your own twerk routine:

1. Start Simple: Begin with a few basic moves, like the bounce and side-to-side shake. As you get more comfortable, you can add in more complex movements. Start with a bounce then a hip roll then side to side then maybe a figure 8 and then incorporate the coin drop.
2. Mix and Match: Don’t be afraid to mix and match different movements to create your own style. There is no specific routine you have to follow. Experiment with combining the moves to form a personalized dance routine.
3. Listen to the Music: Pay attention to the rhythm of the music and let it guide your movements. Try to match your moves to the beat for a more dynamic and engaging routine.
4. Practice Regularly: The more you practice, the better you’ll get. Consistency is key to mastering any dance move. Try to practice for 15-30 minutes several times a week.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment: Twerking is all about self-expression. Don’t be afraid to try new things and see what works for you.
6. Record Yourself: This will help you see what you can improve on and to track your progress.

Safety First: Important Considerations

While twerking is a fun and expressive form of dance, it’s important to keep safety in mind:

• Listen to Your Body: If you feel any pain, stop immediately. Don’t push yourself too hard, especially when you’re just starting out. The most important thing to keep in mind is to stop when you feel pain, if something doesn’t feel right then reevaluate before pushing further.
• Proper Form: Pay attention to your posture and the way you move. Always engage your core and keep your back relatively straight to avoid strain. Poor posture can cause back problems so ensure to take note of where your back and core muscles are while you are practicing.
• Avoid Overexertion: Take breaks when you need them and don’t try to do too much too soon. Build your stamina gradually.
• Consult a Professional: If you have any pre-existing back or joint problems, consult a physical therapist or dance instructor before you start twerking. They can provide guidance and ensure that you are not putting yourself at risk.
• Proper Footwear: Practice twerking barefoot or with shoes that allow you to grip the floor safely and prevent slippage. Socks will most likely make you slip if you are not careful.

Tips for Improving Your Twerk Skills

Here are some additional tips to help you improve your twerk skills:

• Watch Twerk Tutorials: Watching experienced twerkers can provide inspiration and help you learn new moves and variations. There are plenty of tutorials available on YouTube and other platforms.
• Practice in Front of a Mirror: This will help you see your form and make adjustments.
• Take a Twerk Class: Consider taking a class with a qualified instructor. They can provide personalized feedback and guidance.
• Be Patient: Learning to twerk takes time and practice. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Be patient, persistent, and don’t give up on yourself.
• Have Fun: Twerking is meant to be fun. Don’t take it too seriously, and enjoy the process of learning a new dance form.

Embracing Your Confidence

Twerking is not just about the moves; it’s also about embracing your confidence and body positivity. It’s a dance that celebrates the movement of the body and allows you to freely express yourself without inhibitions. As you improve your twerk skills, your confidence will naturally grow. Don’t be afraid to let loose, have fun, and express yourself through dance. Remember, twerking is for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a total beginner, you can learn to twerk and enjoy the process.

Final Thoughts

Twerking is a dynamic and empowering dance that can be enjoyed by anyone. With patience, practice, and a bit of confidence, you can master the basic moves and begin creating your own twerk routines. Remember to start slow, focus on your form, listen to your body, and most importantly, have fun! Whether you’re shaking it at home, at a club, or anywhere in between, twerking is a fun way to express yourself and connect with your body.