Webbed Spaces
Posted by terrepruitt on August 6, 2013
In Nia we use specific hand techniques. There are seven moves considered “Hand” moves in the Nia 52 Moves. There are eight moves that are “Finger” moves. So fifteen moves in all out of 52 that are specifically hand/finger moves. You can read about “Spear Finger” and “Balance Finger” in previous posts. The hands are such a large part of our lives. In addition to the many things they do they help us communicate. Whether we are using them to make gestures as we speak, using them in place of speaking (in the case of sign language or something as elementary as “the finger”), or using them to comfort by touching. They are very powerful. Nia does not neglect that hands. All fifteen of the 52 Nia moves that have to do with the hands/fingers assist in moving energy. It could be moving the energy within our bodies or outside of our bodies. Some of the hand/finger moves can be done both with positive tension or in a relaxed state. When done with tension the muscles in the hands and arms maybe felt more readily. While done with a relaxing flow they might allow us to sense the outside energy. One of the hand moves is called Webbed Spaces.
Webbed Spaces is where your open you hand spreading your fingers wide. I imagine it is called Webbed Spaces because it shows the “webs” between each finger. I have also thought it is called Webbed Spaces because I imagine my fingers being spider webs. I actually don’t know why it is called Webbed Spaces, but those are the things I think about when doing and talking about Webbed Spaces.
After you have already opened your hand and spread your fingers wide. The Nia Technique book says to practice extending each finger and creating even more space in them. Usually in a Nia Class we are moving our arms with our hands in Webbed Spaces. Sometimes we keep our fingers extended while moving our arms or we relax them and move into Webbed Spaces. Either way it is a great way to keep flexibility in the hands.
Do this: put one hand in the Webbed Spaces position, flex and extend your fingers. Put your arm out in a gesture of, “STOP!” Allow the flexing sensation to travel all the way up your arm. Take your other hand and feel the muscles. Then keeping the tension, point your fingers to the ground . . . feel the muscles in your forearm move. Then do the same stop motion and fingers-pointing-to-the-earth move while your hand is not in Webbed Spaces position. Feel the difference. In both cases with Webbed Spaces the muscles are working differently than doing the same wrist movement without Webbed Spaces.
Webbed Spaces is just another way that Nia engages the entire body. This move is also comparable to Jazz Hands so I think of it as showy and dramatic. It can be a great emotional move allowing you to express what you FEEL. It is another way to add fun and pizzazz into our cardio workout.
What do you feel when you do the little exercise stated above? What do you sense when you do this move?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
Let me hear it. What have you got to say about this post?