blissful fitness

Cat Stance – Technique Tips
- balancing on one foot
- the lifted foot can be at any height
- the standing foot has the whole foot in contact with the floor
- the joints of the standing leg are “soft” and “spring-loaded”
- the standing foot is relaaaaaaxed, toes are “long”

For more on the 52 Moves, check out the Nia Technique Book, available at Amazon or NiaNow.com!

Bow Stance – Technique Tips
- feet are approximately A Stance width (barely wider than shoulders)
- one foot is further back than the other (6 or more inches)
- the front foot has the whole foot in contact with the floor
- the back foot has the ball of the foot in contact with the floor (heel is lifted)
- joints are “soft” and “spring-loaded”

For more on the 52 Moves, check out the Nia Technique Book, available at Amazon or NiaNow.com!

Sumo Stance – Technique Tips
- feet are parallel, a little wider than A Stance
- weight is balanced on right and left feet
- the whole foot supports the stance
- joints are “soft” and “spring-loaded”
- feet are relaaaaaaxed, toes are “long”

For more on the 52 Moves, check out the Nia Technique Book, available at Amazon or NiaNow.com!

A Stance – Technique Tips
- feet are parallel, barely wider than the shoulders
- weight is balanced on right and left feet
- the whole foot supports the stance
- joints are “soft” and “spring-loaded”
- feet are relaaaaaaxed, toes are “long”

For more on the 52 Moves, check out the Nia Technique Book, available at Amazon or NiaNow.com!

Open Stance – Technique Tips
- feet are parallel, hip-socket (center of back pocket) distance apart
- weight is balanced on right and left feet
- the whole foot supports the stance
- joints are “soft” and “spring-loaded”
- feet are relaaaaaaxed, toes are “long”

For more on the 52 Moves, check out the Nia Technique Book, available at Amazon or NiaNow.com!

Closed Stance – Technique Tips
- the inside of the big toes touch
- heels are slightly apart (slightly ‘pigeon-toed’)
- weight is balanced on right and left feet
- the whole foot supports the stance
- joints are “soft” and “spring-loaded”
- feet are relaaaaaaxed, toes are “long”

For more on the 52 Moves, check out the Nia Technique Book, available at Amazon or NiaNow.com!

Hello! This morning, let’s spend a little quality time with our Base, shall we?

The Base of the Body
In Nia, the “base” refers to our feet, ankle joints, lower legs (shinbones), knee joints, upper legs (thighbones), and hip joints (basically, our feet and legs). Our base is our foundation. At any moment we might have a wobbly foundation, a hesitant foundation, a tired foundation, a stable foundation, a grounded foundation, etc. So today, let’s really notice the foundation we create with our feet and legs.

Why
How we step, stand, and kick with our feet and legs greatly impacts the safety, comfort, and conditioning of our base. We therefore want to pay attention to our base in order to keep our feet and legs happy and healthy! read more

Today we will continue our focus on sensing our “stances.” We will…

1. sense it – notice the pause
2. ground it – sense our feet plugging into the earth
3. dance it – bring the stance to life through energizing the base, core, and upper extremities!

Just for a moment, sense what it is like to “stand” in your body. Sense your feet… your leg muscles… your spine… your fingertips… your shoulders and neck… your jaw… the crown of your head… Is your weight even on both feet? Are your feet parallel? Do your toes turn in or out? Is your pelvis tilted forward, back, or to one side? read more