Understanding Nia Fitness ….

1. Understanding Nia Fitness …. In 1983 when Debbie and Carlos Rosas introduced their American-born movement form called Nia, the course of fitness changed forever. Nia became the catalyst to reducing the impact in aerobics. The result is a softer, low-impact style of fitness. Still unparalleled, Nia's unique blend of the mind and the emotions with movement provides a fitness program that is efficient, exciting and safe. Drawing upon a diversity of cultures, Nia incorporates their movement concepts, energy theories, native music and unique movement forms to create a global blend of East and West. Nia's personalized approach to mind[body[spirit fitness takes America's science, sports medicine, and technology, and blends it with the art and craft of Eastern disciplines, bridging the gap between fitness and wellness. The music, eclectic and culturally diverse, pulses and vibrates. Movements and emotions ride on many rhythms and speeds. Using texture, melody and various instrumental sounds and combinations, music becomes a healing and energy force, guiding and supporting spirits in feeling motion. Ease and comfort replace struggle and effort. The body in balanced relationship to time and space creates safety, harmony and peace within each action. Relaxation is used as a tool and is elegantly infused into every movement, helping each person to ground, connect, and move from a place of center, regardless of the speed or the intensity. Imagery is used to promote natural, individualized, whole body motion, setting up the most important one-on-one relationship, self to self. This relationship guides each person into a space of hyper-sensitivity, where each person begins to create their own resilient and flexible boundaries. Pleasure replaces punishment, guiding the spirit and the physical body to seek out sensations of comfort, harmony, balance, joy, excitation, and love. The "Pleasure Principle" is the foundation for growth, supporting an ongoing atmosphere where each person is in the constant state of pleasuring themselves, continually preparing to more fully enjoy each movement and moment in life. The movement transcends from the slow dance of tai-chi, into the precision of tae-kwon-do, utilizing the excitement, fun and showmanship of jazz, incorporating the free spirit of Duncan dance and the creative play between shapes, space and balance of Modern dance. Integrating the conscious alignment and posturing of Yoga along with the harmonious, spherical dance of Aikido Nia's choreography is novel and fascinating. The objective of this class is to share with you Nia's mind[body[spirit approach to fitness and to stimulate your creativity and thinking so that you begin to see all of the possibilities available to you as a fitness student. Your responsibility is to be open-minded and open-bodied so that you can fully experience what Nia has to share. So empty your mind and be here now so that you can feel and express as much of yourself as possible. Nia is designed to be done barefoot, but listen to your feet - they might not be ready for it now. Nia fitness classes and intensive trainings are offered throughout the country. Several video and audio tapes along with a nationally published book provide support and instruction. To receive a full brochure, information on classes, trainings, workshops, and products call 503.245.9886, or 1-800-762-5762, or visit the Nia Technique web site at www.nia-nia.com.

2. Nia - Mind-Body Fitness Nia - Non-Impact Aerobics Nia - NeuroMuscular Integrative Action Nia - Swahili: “purpose” Nia - Persian: “truth” Nia: for Your Body[Mind[Spirit The Feet - The Hands that Touch the Earth Oftentimes, students who are new to Nia are concerned about dancing in bare feet. Nia is designed to be done barefoot, but listen to your feet - they might not be ready for it now. The Three Body Weights - Head, Chest And Pelvis In Nia, the three main body weights are the head, chest and pelvis. By generating your movements from the center of the body, you will begin to move in a way that will leave your spine lengthened and mobile. Your abdominal muscles will continuously be activated as will the muscles of your entire trunk. Sinking, Shifting & Rising Vs Jumping Through the shifting of body weight an integral cardiovascular workout that is limitless in its degrees of intensity is safely achieved without jogging or jumping. Stances To Express Power And Grounding When using stances you stabilize and isolate the lower portion of your body keeping your heart rate elevated by using emotion in the core of your body, your arms and hands and by changing movement dynamics. Systemic Motion As A Way To Express Your Whole Body In Nia In Nia, a systemic approach is used, applying functional, natural movements so the whole body becomes involved, stimulating and developing balance and sensory awareness. Moving Through Three Planes And Three Levels To Honour Our Bodies Moving through three planes improves coordination, balances intrinsic and extrinsic muscle groups, increases range of motion, coordinates mental and physical alertness, develops kinesthetic awareness, and blends the body and mind. Three levels of every movement provide choice, promote mind/body interest, create texture, and add variety to every single movement. This allows everyone to get as much or as little as they want from each class. Movement Qualities Focus on various movement qualities such as hard and soft, slow and fast, big and small, linear and circular, and you will change the feeling and expression of a motion, helping you tap into many new expressive parts of your personality as well as your physical body.