blissful fitness

Good morning! Today I invite you to emerge from the chrysalis and experience the deliciousness of the new Nia routine, Butterfly!

Butterfly
Choreographed by Nia Co-Founder, Debbie Rosas Stewart, this routine is designed to take us on an extraordinary journey of flight. The focus of Butterfly is on awakening your imagination and integrating your beautiful butterfly wings (arms, hands, and fingers) while you dance. As we dance our feet, we will be folding and unfolding our wings in a variety of ways that energize the muscles of the core and arms, and encourage systemic (whole-body integrated) flow. By activating systemic flow, we feel integrated, graceful, and powerful as we dance, all the while receiving a great total body workout. It’s time to be airborne! Fly, baby, fly!

read more about today’s focus

Good morning! Today our focus is all about seeking p~l~e~a~s~u~r~e as we move.

Stop exercising. Start moving. Follow the pleasure principle. If it feels good do it, if it doesn’t stop. ~Debbie Rosas and Carlos AyaRosas, Nia Co-Founders

In psychology there is something called the Pleasure Principle. It basically is about how our bodies have a positive feedback mechanism that motivates future actions. This mechanism is often connected to basic biological drives that contribute to survival (e.g., eating, sex, exercise, avoiding hot stoves, etc.). Pleasure = we want more. Pain = we want to avoid it.

We can experience this same feedback mechanism as we dance in class (and through life). We want to dance and kick and punch and twirl… and then, to hear the feedback our body gives us, we want to listen… we want to pay attention to our body sensations…

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Good morning! Today our journey is an exploration of empowerment.

Now I Am = Awareness
We begin by adding on from yesterday… click here to read yesterday’s post about Awareness

Awareness = Choices
The more aware we are of what we sense, think, and feel, the easier it becomes to make conscious decisions that support our health and well-being of our body, mind, emotions, and spirit. The more aware we are of the now, the easier it is for us to create the moment (hour… life…) we desire. read more about today’s focus

Nia (pronounced ‘knee – uh’) has been associated with many acronyms… When Debbie and Carlos first kicked of their shoes and stopped jumping (~1983), the name of the class was actually titled “Non-Impact Aerobics” (NIA). Over the years, as Nia continued to transform and became more sophisticated in it’s mind-body approach, the name evolved into “Neuromuscular Integrative Action” (NIA). Now a days, as a body-mind-emotions-spirit fitness and lifestyle practice, Nia stands on it’s own two (bare)feet! Nia is simply… Nia!

Another acronym I love that is often associated with Nia (just for fun) is “Now I Am…” This is quite fitting as Nia is all about being in the NOW… staying present… being aware… being conscious moment to moment. It’s as though we could repeat this mantra over and over all class long… “Now I am stepping with my heel…” “Now I am sensing my upper back…” “Now I am exploring the low plane…” “Now I am dancing my elbows…” “Now I am sensing Joy…” “Now I am in Bow Stance…” “Now I am sad…” Now I am confident…” “Now I am energized…” “Now I am tired…” “Now I am tense…” “Now I am relaxed…”

It’s about being here… Now.  read more about today’s focus

Good morning! Today we are going to be focusing on dancing with our three intensity levels!

Three Intensity Levels ~ 1, 2, 3

Level 1 is dancing with a small range of motion (size of movement), with limbs close to the core. This level is like dancing in a small bubble and requires the least amount of exertion. This is a great level to play with in order to explore precise, detailed movement as well as to rest, recover, heal, or find a gentler dance.

Level 2 is dancing with a larger range of motion, allowing the arms and feet to reach out a little more. This level is like dancing in a medium bubble and requires a bit more exertion (compared to level one). This is a great level for cardiovascular conditioning – the heart rate is elevated, yet the movement is sustainable for long periods.

Level 3 is dancing with a full range of motion, as big as you can go. This level is like dancing in a gigantic bubble (or perhaps breaking free of a bubble altogether) and requires the most exertion. This is a great level for exploring your limits, challenging your fitness, and experiencing an exhilarating burst of going “all out” (while still seeking comfort, of course). This level is not meant to be sustainable for very long. After a bit of Level 3, it is important to go back to Level 2 or 1 in order to recover, catch your breath, etc.

read more about why and tips for exploring the intensity levels