Posted by terrepruitt on January 8, 2013
There is a stance in Nia called the Riding Stance. It is part of Nia’s 52 Moves. I actually think of it as the Sumo Stance. It is called both. I bet if I actually were to really let my body doing the thinking, my riding stance would be taller than my sumo stance. Stop and think about it. Do you picture a rider with legs straddling a horse and sitting up tall? And a sumo wrestler as legs wider than a horse with his body lower to the ground? A sumo wrestler is still upright and “tall”, but he is closer to the ground. with a wider stance than a horse Ha! I love that. As I am typing and thinking, this is what I come up with. An insight. That is what I love about Nia. Even though there is an ideal there is still the way a body does it. And sometimes a body does it the way the mind thinks about it. My body translates sumo stance as low to the ground. I am going to go to class and use the different terms and see what my student’s bodies do! The Nia Technique states the Riding stance is as if you are riding a horse.
As I stated, riding a horse – to me is at a higher level than a sumo wrestler. So, I actually do this stance much lower and that is because I THINK of it as a sumo stance. I am going to practice this stance as a RIDING stance and see where my body goes.
The book says: “your knees slightly bent and your feet apart, as if you were riding a horse”. I think I have always had a really wide horse! Whether the horse is wide or not, the feet are parallel.
Again, to be clear, the Riding Stance in the Nia 52 Moves is with the knees slightly bent and the feet apart. The feet are as far apart as if you are riding a horse. As I recently posted the sound to make while doing this stance is “ha!”
I think that it would be fun to say, “Yehaw!”
This stance is a great way to condition the legs. It is fun to play with this stance and try different levels. By levels I mean both the planes and levels of intensity. A level/intensity 1 would be a high plane. Then a level/intensity 2, could be the middle plane. And the level/intensity 3 could be the low plane and maybe more of what I think of as a sumo stance. With all moves in Nia the key is pleasure. So the move is not meant to be painful. If you are sensing pain in any part of the leg adjust your stance. If you sense pain in the knees, check your feet, are your toes facing forward? Are you evenly distributing your weight over your whole foot (feet)? Ankle pain? Are your legs/feet too wide apart? So it is important to not always go as low or as wide as you CAN, but to go as low and as wide as is reasonably comfortable.
I love that as I write I learn. That is one of the reasons I am writing a blog. It is so helpful to put things in writing. It is helpful to stop and examine what you already know, right? Sometimes you see things differently.
Either way . . . . Riding or sumo stance, the stance is with knees bent, feet apart and parallel. Everyone’s stance, every BODY’s stance is different. Got it? Horse riding. Ride ’em cowboy.
I am fortunate enough to have wonderful students that are willing to pose. Here are the “riders” of the group.
Are you ready to ride?
Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: levels of intensity, Nia, Nia class, Nia students, Nia Teacher, Nia's 52 Moves, Riding Stance, straddling a horse, Sumo Stance, sumo wrestler, The Nia Technique | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 5, 2013
There are a few posts on my blog about sounding in Nia. I even have a separate category for it. See over there to the left under categories, under Nia? Sounding is what we call making noise in a Nia class. Sounding is great for many reasons. Sounding is a release. It can help release tension, emotions, spirit . . . whatever needs “releasing”. Sounding is fun. Sounding can assist in the stabilization of the torso. Sounding can help ground you . . . physically, emotionally, and your spirit. Often times when I am doing Nia both when I am teaching and when I am a student, my spirit just makes a sound. I don’t plan it, I don’t think about it, a noise just comes out. I “woo” a lot. But sometimes other sounds comes out. Sometimes the sound I make makes me laugh because I really don’t think about the sound, something just comes out. I could be thinking of something, for example, maybe the move we are doing reminds me of a swirling skirt, so then the sound could be a “whosh” as in the sound of a skirt, or it could be a giggle of a girl twirling in a skirt. I don’t always think about the sound I just let it out. Sometimes I do think of the sound. Sounding can be purposeful. The noise can have a purpose. I have posted about healing sounds and sounds associated with the chakras. This post is about the sounds that are associated with Nia stances, which are part of Nia’s 52 moves.
The
picture in this post is an approximation of how MY feet would be placed in the various stances. Remember that your stances would probably be slightly different. The width would be according to YOUR body and your body’s way. The picture is just to give you an idea and maybe help remind you of the various stances. At this time I have a post associated with four of the six stances.
In Nia’s closed stance the sound is the vowel sound “o”. The sound is made to “create volume in your chest cavity”.
In Nia’s open stance the sound is (to say) “balance” or “ground”. Saying the word “balance” can assist you in your balance. The word “ground” can assist with allowing you to feel grounded and sense balance.
The sound for Nia’s “A” stance is “aaaaahh!”. You say it on an exhale. Letting out all your breath until you are ready to inhale.
Sumo stance or riding stance (feet as wide apart as if you were riding a horse) has an explosive sound. Say “ha!” To me this helps with stabilization.
The bow stance has a sound of “u”. The bow stance is done with either foot in front, not just with the left foot in front as shown in the example.
The cat stance (standing on one foot, with the other foot pressed against the standing leg) has the sound “wooooooo” associated with it. This is done on the exhale. This stance is also done on the other foot and not just the left one as in the example.
So as you are practicing the Nia stances you can use the sounds associated with them for added benefit and fun. It is just fun to make noise. To me it adds to the experience. In my classes I encourage people to make any noise they want. I also like to play with the noises, sounds, and words associated with the move.
Do you attend a dance exercise class or exercise that encourages you to make noise?
Information regarding the sounds made with the Nia stances can be found in The Nia Technique book written by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas (NKA, Carlos AyaRosas). The book can be purchased from Amazon.
Posted in Nia, Sounding | Tagged: A Stance, Amazon, Bow Stance, Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, Cat Stance, closed stance, core stabilization, Debbie Rosas, making noise is fun, Nia, Nia class, Nia Sounds, Nia Stances, Nia Teacher, Nia teaching, open stance, Riding Stance, sounding, Sumo Stance, The Nia Technique book | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 3, 2013
I have been getting a lot of use out of my blender. I use it almost every day. There are additional lessons I have learned in the time I have been using it. The blender shows how many times I have used it, according to the blender I have used it 168 times. I have tested it and the cleaning of the jar that I do after I use it does not get added to the count. There might be a few extra counts because I’ve blended somethings twice, so the second blend might be added to that, but I haven’t done that often. Some of the lessons I have learned are really additions to some of the things I have already shared.
In my first post about what I had learned I stated that kale in a smoothie is really bitter. I thought about this every time I made a smoothie with kale. It was so bitter. I didn’t add more than two fruits because I didn’t want that much fruit in a smoothie, but I did put at least two, plus avocado and cucumber, but it still didn’t cut down on the bitter. I kept thinking about how bitter it was. I couldn’t understand why it was SO much less bitter when cooked, because when I cook it I don’t cook it THAT much. I usually just kind of wilt it. Well, after thinking and thinking all I could come up with was salt. When I cook kale I cook it with salt and I believe that salt helps with any bitter flavor. So I tried it in a kale smoothie and voila! That did it. By salt, I mean not even a whole shake, just like a little tip of the salt shaker. I bet that I could count the grains that go into the smoothie. I am not trying to add flavor but just take a little bitter out. It works great. I was so excited to figure this out because I like the idea of being able to “eat” a lot of kale. I really couldn’t EAT as much kale as I can drink and kale is a great green to add to my diet.
Since I mentioned frozen banana and ice in my first post about lessons I do have some follow up information. While a cold smoothie is better than a room temperature one sometimes adding FROZEN banana AND ice makes it way too cold. Drinking freezing cold smoothies in the winter is not that great. Using a banana that has not been frozen and ice is fine, but using both is sometimes too cold.
Beet greens make a smoothie red. I used the leafy green part AND the entire stem and the smoothie came out red. It was rather pretty. I think it was actually perfect for the Christmas season. That is when I learned this fact.
While I have not tried freezing a smoothie and then letting it defrost a bit and drinking it, I have let one sit a bit before drinking it, and I have let one sit in the fridge overnight and they do not taste as fresh. I am sure that is a no brainer, but since I am sharing I thought I would mention it. The smoothies that have sat out for a bit or in the fridge overnight were still good and totally drinkable, it was just not as fresh tasting!
So there you have it. A few more things I have learned. You? Have you anything to add?
Posted in Smoothies | Tagged: beet greens, Christmas, Christmas season, cold green smoothie, frozen banana, green smoothies, High speed blender, Kale, lessons learned | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 1, 2013
I have already posted about one of the awesome gifts I received for Christmas. I received another one that makes me so happy when I use them I just wanted to share. You might remember I bought a speaker for my iPhone awhile back. I was so impressed with it I wanted to share about it because it is great to have a portable audio source, just in case. It is really helpful when you are teaching a dance exercise class like Nia. Well, more like it came up on Woot. My hubby looks at Woot and he knows how much I love my other speaker so he asked me if I wanted what they were selling on Woot. I glanced at it and said yes because it was LESS than I paid for my other speaker AND it was TWO speakers!
They are REALLY cool. When my hubby showed me I hadn’t even read all the cool features! First of all as I said, they cost less than my ONE speaker I originally bought. They are black but when they are in use and they are open they glow blue! These little guys are so cool.
They have their own bag, I love things that have their own storage. They fit together and stick with magnets. They have a volume control. They have an audio in cord and a connection cord. One speaker has the audio in cord. The other speaker has the cord that connects them. So you can just use one if you want. BOTH cords retract back into their respective speakers. How cool is that? I had just been telling someone over Christmas that I think every electronic device that has a cord (whether optional or not) should have a place that the cord can be stored ON/IN the device. But that is just me because I have what seems like a million cords and I don’t know all the devices they belong to. So every time I put these speakers away I am so impressed because I just pull gently and the cord goes right in. They are great sound for such little devices.
This particular pair came with a “BONUS! USB wall adapter” which the package claims is usually an extra $19.95. The speakers on Woot didn’t even cost that much AND it came with the additional adapter. I loved them so much I looked online to see if we could get more. We can, but at more than twice the cost and without the “BONUS”. I don’t NEED them so I’m not going to spend it. I just really like them and since the places I teach Nia at for the city of San Jose do not always have sound systems I was thinking I could keep a pair in my car.
The iHome/first speaker I bought does not have an electrical adapter. It only charges off a USB. So when I use it at a venue I am teaching at I have to make certain it is charged. But these speakers I just got, I could leave in the car and not have to worry about them being charged because in a pinch I could plug them in and use them. Also the iHome speaker does not have a volume control. Which is fine, because the device it is used with does. But I found out that it is really cool to have two options of volume control!
Of course these speakers would work with iPhones, iPads, iPods, MP3 players, MP4 players, and laptops!
Yeah, no post about goals and resolutions, just an excited post about something that makes me happy. I hope you enjoyed your New Year’s Eve. I wish for you to enjoy 2013.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: awesome gift, Christmas gift, City of San Jose, iHome, iPads, iphone, iPods, laptops, MP3 players, MP4 players, New Year's Goals, New Year's Resolutions, Nia, Nia class, Nia Teacher, retractable cords, small speakers, USB wall adapter, Woot | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 31, 2012
WOW! The last day. The last day of 2012. The last day of the 2012 December 30 Minute Movement Challenge! So much excitement, who can handle it?
How do you feel? Do you feel good having done a month worth of moving for at least 30 minutes? Do you think you can continue? Do you need to check in? Talk to me.
I am teaching Nia this morning. We will see if I get an additional 30 minutes in! I don’t know that I will, but I do know that I will make certain to get in at least 30 minutes on New Year’s Day. There is a Nia class . . . . maybe I will go to that?
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I wish you a spectacular 2013. I look forward to seeing you back here next year!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, Happy New Year, last day of 2012, Nia, Nia class, teaching Nia | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 30, 2012
So it is almost the new year. 2013. Wow, huh? Only today and tomorrow left of both 2012 and the December 30 Minute Movement Challenge. How did you do? Do you feel it is nice to have a challenge to encourage you? I do. As I commented about Christmas Day, I wouldn’t have moved off the couch if it weren’t for my challenge. I guess I would be entitled to one day, but still . . . .
I think moving is really important and I liked our little deal to help us move!
I’ll be back to let you know I did at least 30 minutes on this Sunday!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Christmas, Christmas Day, Day #30, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge, New Year 2013 | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 29, 2012
I always forget about the last post of the year. I mean, I know that I am writing one because it is eventually going to happen, but I don’t think of it as being special. I know a couple of years my hubby has suggested a “blog review” or something and I know I have done that before. But to do that every year is tiring I think. I do love the Holidays and the decorations and I am sad when they have to come down. A lot of people have certain dates and/or days on which they take theirs down. I like to wait until after the first of January and then the exact day usually just depends on timing. When is my hubby going to be around to help me with all of the boxes? When we will have the most time? When do we really want it all to go away? If he is not going to be around when I want it done, then I just do it myself. So I am not stuck on any particular day. Sometimes it depends on the tree. In 2011 our tree had to come down because it was the worst tree we had ever had in terms of dry. We only turned the lights on it on two days and then I was too afraid to have that heat on it. I remember trying to shut the curtain so the sun wouldn’t shine on it and dry it out any more. I didn’t want the house heat on – afraid that would speed the decay. 
The day after Christmas I was “undecorating” it and I put it outside. That tree scared me. This year the tree is better. Much better. It will make it until New Year’s Day at least. It is also smaller than our trees we have had in the past so the disruption of furniture and traffic has not been so great so it is not that much of a bother. There is one decoration that I remember I left up for a long time after Christmas last year and that was our Christmas cards. When we receive a card I usually leave it on the counter for my husband to read, then it gets taped on the wall. By the end of the season we usually have a wall decorated with cards. I remember last year I didn’t take them down for weeks.
I also save some from year to year. Some of the cards we receive are so beautiful or so cute I just don’t want to throw them away. I consider them a Christmas decoration. I have one that has plastic jewels on it. Glitter ones almost always get saved. I have some that are actually pictures. Now I am not talking about the picture postcard cards. Those always get saved. I keep those and when the Christmas boxes come down I look through them. It is fun to see how families grow and age. But I some friends who are professional photographers, they take pictures for their Christmas cards, I save those. 
Frilly ones and puffy ones, usually get saved, as do blue ones and ones with sparkles. Homemade ones also get put on the wall year after year. I keep the ones from years past on a separate wall because for some reason people used to walk in and say, “You got all those cards!?!?” And I would explain that this wall — pointing to the current card wall — was different from that wall — pointing to the years past wall.
I write the date on the card and put it in the box with the decorations and voila I have a jeweled or glittery or sparkly or fuzzy or puffy or frilly or homemade decoration for next year. (Sometimes the card might be glittery AND sparkly AND fuzzy AND frilly and homemade . . . ahhhhh!) I am sure that eventually I will have to throw some of them away. A few are looking a little worn and might be on their last year of decorating, but at least I have enjoyed it for more than just one season. And you might be familiar with my Christmas decoration scheme/theme and that is to SEE “Christmas” wherever you look so this gives me a few extra “decorations” that don’t take up a lot of room to store. They are very pretty.
Plus it is fun to read some of the notes and comments from years past. I have already picked out at least 5 that we received this year that are going to go on the wall next year.
What do you think? You have to admit that you receive at least one card a season that is too pretty to just throw away? Right?
Well, Happy New Year. Make it a great one!
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Christmas, Christmas cards, Christmas decorations, Happy New Year, Holidays decorations, re-using Christmas cards, recycle | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 29, 2012
THREE DAYS LEFT! Then 2012 will be over! And so will our 31 day challenge. What should we do in January 2013? Do you have an idea for another challenge? I like the idea of dancing everyday . . . . . . what do you think?
I’ll be back to check in.
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: dance challenge, Day #29, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 28, 2012
So glad you are back. We are almost through the entire year of 2012. Can you believe it? Amazing. Every year’s passing is amazing. I hope that you are finishing it out feeling good about doing 30 minutes of exercise/movement for 31 days! Yes?
This is what my calendar looks like. What about yours?
I’ll be back to check in myself!
Posted in December 2012 30 Minute Movement Challenge | Tagged: Day #28, December 2012, December 30 Minute Movement Challenge | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 27, 2012
Principle #7 of the Nia Blue Belt is “Nia Class Format” with the tagline of “Delivering the Promise”. Before starting to write this post I opened my Blue Belt Manual and started reading what it said about principle #7 and for a moment I couldn’t remember learning anything about the principle in the training. In the manual there is six and a half page table comparing a “Body/Mind/Spirit Teaching Style” to a “Traditional Teaching Style”. I found myself thinking, “well, not any longer”. As in the traditional style is really “old school”. A lot of classes now adopt the formula that has ALWAYS been a part of a Nia class. Nia is different from many other workouts. I believe in the almost 30 years that Nia has been around fitness classes have changed a lot and Nia is not the only one that incorporates a more mind-body approach. Although I say that Nia is more a body-mind approach because Nia actually STARTS in the body. So . . . hmmmm? If other classes are now doing what Nia has always done it goes a long way in showing that it is the better way.
Here is an example of the table, this is copied directly from The Nia Technique – Blue Belt Manual, August 2006, V4.0, page 132:
| Class Element: |
Body/Mind/Spirit Teaching Style: |
Traditional Teaching Style: |
| Use of Language |
Uses healing phrases, words, and
visualizations that foster a positive self image. |
Often times makes negative comments in humorous ways
that devalue the human spirit and lessen a positive
self-image of the human being. |
| Individuality |
Stresses the importance of individuality. |
Stresses conformity. |
These are just two examples, as I said there are six and a half pages. And, this table is not saying that every class that is not Nia does the things listed under Traditional Teaching Style. It is just a sample of what some styles are like.
I like the table in the manual. I feel it is a great tool. I can see that sometimes I am using the Traditional Teaching Style (neither of the ones previously mentioned) and that is exactly why I wanted to participate in the Nia Blue Belt Intensive. I wanted to work more on “delivering the (Nia) promise”. I had been taught to exercise via the traditional way so that is what I know or knew. I like the reminder of the Body/Mind/Spirit Teaching Style. I also need the reminder because other people have been taught the other way too so that is what they respond best too. It really is up to me to show them the alternative. It is up to me to deliver Nia with the Nia class formula so that they can see that there is another way to workout.
This principle is about Body, Mind and Emotion, and Spirit. Nia Blue Belt Principle #3 will assist me with this principle. They are all connected.
Two things I want to mention to help clarify, when Nia talks about spirit, it is not in the religious sense, it is comparable to spirit as in “class spirit” or “spirit week”. Ya know, like they do in high schools? It is about the inner “you”, your enthusiasm, what drives you, your “spirit”, not something related to religion.
And the other thing, I believe that Nia is working on re-writing, adjusting, and updating the training material. Nia is always working to remain up-to-date. The trainers were working off of slides that were not even final.
Are you curious enough yet about Nia to find a Nia class in your area? Do you prefer a Body/Mind/Spirit Teaching Style or a Traditional Teaching Style when you take a class?
Posted in Blue Belt, Nia | Tagged: and Spirit", Blue Belt Manual, body, Body/Mind/Spirit Teaching Style, Delivering the Promise, fitness classes, Mind and Emotion, Nia, Nia Blue Belt Intensive, Nia Blue Belt Principle #3, Nia class, Nia Class Format, Nia trainers, old school workout class, Principle #7 of the Nia Blue Belt, Traditional Teaching Style | Leave a Comment »
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