Posts Tagged ‘Nia class’
Posted by terrepruitt on October 18, 2013
I forgot to post to my blog last night. That is the second Thursday this month. I got home from teaching my Nia class rather early since all I did afterwards was run in to pick up some spinach. Then I got busy planning firming up the routine for my Gentle Yoga class, yet, I still didn’t work on the post. As I was getting ready to leave I started typing one up. When I got back from class I was interested in getting dinner on the table. The evening just flew by. I remembered I didn’t post at about 15 minutes AFTER midnight! Oh well.
Here is my #34 Good Jar check in. It is my hope that even though you are not commenting on the check-in you are still participating in recognizing and jotting down the Good Things. There are only two and half more months to go.
I can’t wait to read them all at the end of the year.
So how is your jar going?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: gentle yoga, good things jar, Goodie Jar check in, Nia, Nia class, Nia Teacher, teach Nia | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 15, 2013
If you have read any of my recipe posts you probably know I love leftovers. It just makes a lot of sense to me to cook once and have some of the meal left over for a quick meal later on. This is really a great help for people who are busy or who’s schedule does not allow for cooking every night. This week I am going to be busy three nights in a row. Two nights I am subbing Nia for Hot Hula and the third night I have Gentle Yoga. So Monday I did some cooking. Monday I actually prepared dinner that will be our dinner for a couple of nights, but I also prepared a lasagna. I froze it and I will put in the oven before I go to class one night this week, so it will be done around the time I get home. I will use time bake for that so we will see. But last night we had Crockpot Balsamic Pork.
I modified a chicken recipe I had seen on Facebook. First of all I used pork instead of chicken. I love chicken and I have been “missing” it. We haven’t had any for a while. Then the people-getting-sick-from-chicken thing came up and I was happy we hadn’t purchased any. Then I found some in our freezer hiding behind something and I was happy. It was purchased way before the latest issue and we had eaten the other chicken from the batch so I was so glad to have found it. So we had just had chicken and I didn’t feel comfortable buying any so I bought pork. I know that I like pork and balsamic so I thought it would work.
I rarely use my crockpot. Something about cooking meat for HOURS, just doesn’t sound good to me. This recipe called for FOUR hours on high. Well, I figured that pork would NOT need FOUR hours so I decided to try it for two and see how it looked.
The recipe also calls for dried basil, but for some reason I thought fresh would be better. Not sure why and not sure that it was.
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Crock Pot Balsamic Pork
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 heaping tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 heaping tsps dried minced onion
1/2 cup of fresh chopped basil
5 garlic cloves, pressed with garlic press
2 tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
7 thick cut boneless pork chops
chopped parsley for the top
Combine the first four ingredients in a small bowl, then spread over one side of pork, saving half for the other side. Use half the basil piling a little on each piece. Let the pork stand a bit. Then flip the pork over and use the rest of the dry ingredients and basil to coat the pork.
Use the garlic and the oil to coat the pot of the crockpot. Then place the pork inside. Pour the vinegar over.
Set to high and cook for about two hours.
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An hour and 45 minutes later I turned my pot down to low so that I could keep preparing my salad for dinner and my lasagna for later. I think I will cook it less next time. I think turning it off at an hour and 45 minutes would have been better. Although our pork was not overcooked, we just prefer it a little less cooked.
I know the thing that people think is so great about crockpots is you put it on and forget it. Even though this is not hours and hours of “forgetting” it is still at least an hour and 45 minutes. I would think it could be the four hours on low.
This was good. My husband and I love garlic and that was a primary flavor . . . so I think if I want the balsamic to stand out more I will use less garlic. If I had used dried basil – as the original recipe calls for – this would have been a super simple meal. Adding the basil (washing and chopping) dropped it down to a simple meal.
It was good. I can see me making this again. And one day I will even try it with chicken. Last night we had it with a spinach salad and my favorite Smashed Potatoes! I did not take pictures of the finished product. I was doing too many things at the time!
Do you use a slow cooker/crockpot? What is your favorite thing to cook in the crockpot? Does meat you cook in a crockpot come out well done?
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: balsamic chicken, balsamic pork, boneless pork, chicken, crockpot, easy dinner recipe, gentle yoga, Hot Hula, lasagna, left overs, Nia, Nia class, pork chops, slow cooker recipe, teaching Nia | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 12, 2013
I took dance lessons when I was young. I cannot remember a time when I didn’t know the Jazz Square. Of course there had to be a time because one is not born knowing what a Jazz Square is much less how to do one. But I don’t remember not knowing how to do it. So I actually must have learned it prior to my dance lessons, because I was young when I took my lessons but not THAT young. Whatever the case . . . . unfortunately it was all too long ago for me to truly know . . . I knew what a Jazz Square was when I entered my first Nia Class and when I took the Nia White Belt Intensive. While the Jazz Square is not included as one of Nia’s 52 Moves it is something we do a lot in our routines. It could be considered part of the Jazz Dance that is one of the Nine Movement forms that make up Nia. Well, not everyone has had dance lessons or knows how to do a Jazz Square. So we can use the clock to help them.
Nia has a core set of moves called Nia’s 52 Moves. Three of them actually have “clock” in their names. One is Rock Around the Clock, another is Slow Clock, and another is Fast Clock. So it makes sense that with those moves we would use a clock image to do the move and/or help explain and instruct the move. I have posted before about how we use the clock to help direct other moves. Well, the Jazz Square is one of them. While it is called a square it sometimes might be more of a rectangle, but the idea is to use the four corners.
First thing to know is that the Jazz Square is just four steps. So often I will just have my students march or step four counts. Sometimes we will get the dance going with that and then move to the square. Some people stay with the marching and that is fine. Another VERY important thing to know AND DO is to weight each step. As in, put all your weight onto each step you take. When you are learning the jazz square this is of the utmost importance. This will ensure that you are taking a left, right, left, right (or right, left, right, left) approach and not trying to use the same foot – as in left, left, right, left – and just getting tangled up.
Let’s do a Jazz Square left-over-right. So we will be starting with our left foot and having it cross over the right foot to the right side. The left foot comes over to the right and lands on 2 o’clock, the right foot comes back to the back right corner and lands on 4 o’clock. Then the left foot steps back to the back left corner – 8 o’clock, then the right foot steps over to the upper left corner – 10 o’clock. That is one jazz square. To keep going the left foot swings around the right foot to the upper right corner – 2 o’clock and you continue on.
So right-over-left is: right foot to upper left corner (10 o’clock), left foot to back left corner (8 o’clock), right foot to back right corner (4 o’clock), left foot to upper right corner (2 o’clock). To keep going the right foot must swing around the left foot back up to the upper left corner (10 o’clock).
Sometimes when we are doing a fast jazz square my square turns into a diamond with step one being more at 1 and the corners a little askew. But I have corners!
As with many things sometimes it is easier for a person to do it one way than the other. So it might be easy to do left foot over right foot, but when you switch it is not as easy. Sometimes that is when a student will march. Or they will do the jazz square but not the hand or body movement that we pair with it. Continuing to move is the key so whatever they do is great. Eventually with practice, the can do it!
Perhaps this will help.
Key things to remember:
- FOUR steps
- Put your weight on every step
- Step to 2, 4, 8, 10 – left, right, left, right or
- Step to 10, 8, 4, 2 – right, left, right, left
- Marching is an option
- Have fun
Do you do the Jazz Square? Does this help? Can you do the Jazz Square and a shimmy? Both ways?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: core moves, dance class, dance lessons, dance moves, Jazz Dance, jazz square, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia Intensive, Nia routine, Nia White Belt, Nia's 52 Moves, Nine Movement Forms, rock around the clock | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 10, 2013
Just this week I was cooking dinner and my husband walked in the house and asked what smelled so good. I had cooked some pasta for dinner a few days or so earlier. Having been in a rush I didn’t measure or think, I just dumped the remainder of the pasta into the pot and cooked it. I ended up with a lot of pasta! We have been eating it for days! For a couple of the meals I added meat and vegetables. But one day I hadn’t defrosted any meat so I needed something. You know how I like to have something quick to cook after teaching a class whether it is Nia or Gentle Yoga. I often pair up beans and rice — as you know my favorite recipe is Red Beans and Rice. But I had never put beans with pasta, but I thought, “Why not?” So I added a bell pepper and some garbanzo beans to the pasta. When cooking my primary spices are onions and garlic, I decided since we had been eating pasta for days I needed to change up the flavor a bit. I normally save thyme for marinades and the aforementioned recipe. By “save” I don’t really mean I keep it just for those things, I really mean I don’t even think about it except when making those things. I use it when a recipe calls for it, but I don’t think to just put it in what I am cooking. So, I think what my husband was smelling was the thyme. It was a different type of yummy aroma. Of course, I wanted to learn more about thyme.
According to Wiki the Greeks thought it was a source of courage. And the Egyptians used it for embalming. Also, Wiki states it is thought that the Romans were responsible for the spread of thyme throughout Europe by using it “to purify their rooms and to ‘give an aromatic flavor to cheese and liqueurs’.”
I think of it as being “twiggy” or leaves so recently when I received some ground I was surprised. I know the leaves, especially fresh, are more flavorful, but I sometimes do not like to have the leaves in my food. So I was happy to have the ground thyme to include in my pasta dish. I just put the past in a pan to warm it up, added the garbanzo beans, cheese, and some green bell pepper. As it was warming I sprinkled on some thyme and salt. I was actually surprised at the flavor. It was really good. Whenever I learn something or get surprised I think to post about it. I mean, I didn’t know. I never thought to just put thyme in my pasta. I also never thought to put garbanzo beans with my pasta. I know many people use thyme frequently and with confidence, but I hadn’t until now!
If you consume thyme by the tablespoon you’ll receive a good dose of vitamin K and iron. Per tablespoon 30% of the Daily Value and about 9.5% of the DV respectively.
Turns out that thyme oil or at least a component of it is an antiseptic and it is used in mouthwashes. It also has antibiotic properties and helps fight fungal infections.
The leaves can be made into a tea to help with coughs and bronchitis.
The World’s Healthiest Foods’ website says there are “about sixty different varieties including French (common) thyme, lemon thyme, orange thyme and silver thyme”. Seems like I need to get to using thyme more so that I work my way through all the varieties.
How about you? Do you cook with thyme often? Did you know there were so many varieties?
Posted in Food | Tagged: beans and pasts, French thyme, Garbanzo beans, lemon thyme, Nia class, pasta for dinner, Red Beans and Rice, silver thyme, tasty dinner, thyme, Wiki, Yoga class | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 1, 2013
I am playing a game on my iPad that is a hidden object kind of game. I like games where I don’t have to concentrate a lot, ya know, think too much – a little is good, but I like it to be fun. I have other things I have to think about so my games I want to be brainless and easy. This is kind of like that. Just look at pictures and pick out the objects. To me it is cool because it is not the same as the hidden objects games of my youth where the object is drawn into the scene. This game is tricky because the object are not necessarily hidden. Yeah, I know, they are right there in plain sight sometimes and it is still a challenge to see them. I find that really funny. I actually employ a theory of my husband’s about a phenomenon to play this game. It makes me laugh whenever I think of it. Especially when it works. My husband’s theory is: You can’t see what is not there.
That sounds obvious right? And it is, in reality you cannot see what is not there, but what he means when he says that is “I can’t see what I THINK is not there.” But the belief is so strong — it (the object you seek) is not there. So we don’t even bother with the “think” we just say, “I can’t see it because it is not there.” Because no matter what, once you believe it is not there it might as well not be.
My husband will often look for something then say, “Honey, can you look for the XXX (whatever) because I have been looking and it is not there.” Then I walk over without even looking and pick it up and give it to him. He says, “See? Sorry.” I say, “That’s ok. I get it.” Once you think it is not there — IT IS NOT THERE!
When I told him I was going to post about this he said it wasn’t originally his theory. He can’t remember whose it is. He kinda thinks it might have come from Sonny. Yeah, Sonny as in Sonny and Cher. But he can’t remember.
When you are looking for something that might truly not be there then this theory is difficult to get around. But in my game I can easily get around it. I know that the object on the list is there. So I have found myself thinking, “I will never find it.” Then I remember I can’t see things that aren’t there and I can’t see things if I think I can’t see them. So I take a breath and remind myself it is there and I can find it, and usually I find the object. I know it might sound silly to post about applying a theory to a game, but ya know, most of the time thinking is just a practice so if I practice it in a game situation, I can learn to practice it in real life. I just think it is funny because I believe the theory to be true so I work to counteract it in the game.
Also with the game I am not sure what the object will look like. So it is a good practice for opening my ideals of what things look like. Again, just a practice. As an example the object list might say bell. What did you picture? Bells can look a lot of different ways. As I typed this I thought of one of those bells that one used to ding for service. But it could be a bell like the liberty bell, or a school bell. You don’t always know. So in addition to letting go of not being able to see it because I THINK it is not there or I can never find it, I have to be open to recognizing what it might actually look like.
Ha. Just had a thought . . . just right now as I am typing . . . these ideas can be tied to Nia. Nia is not familiar to a lot of people so some think they will not get a good workout in a Nia class. Well, if that is what you think . . . then that is what you will get. If you walk in knowing it is a good workout then you will be able to participate fully. Also, when the participate releases the idea of what a workout “SHOULD” look like, they will be surprised that our skipping, moving, bending, dancing, etc. is great exercise.
So yeah, the theory can be applied to a lot of things so in some cases, when you don’t have a spouse to “see” it for you, you can be aware of the phenomenon and work to counteract it for yourself.
So are you aware of this phenomenon? Do you feel like this happens to you?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: dance exercise, Dance Workout, exercise, find object, game on iPad, Gardens of Time, Hidden Object, iPad, Nia, Nia class, Sony and Cher, workout | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 27, 2013
I remembered the Goodie Jar check in! Yay! How about you? Are you remembering to put good things in that jar? I know that some weeks are easier to find good things than others, but that is part of this — to find good things to focus on even in the midst of the things that bring us down or try to keep that smiling from surfacing.
My birthday was last week so I received a few cards. As I was pulling the cards out of the envelopes to display — yes, I put up my cards — I realized what great goodie note paper the envelopes would make. As you may know not only am I filling my goodie jar, but I like to use colorful paper to document my good things. I like different shapes and sizes and textures. So to me it was a good thing to realize I could use the envelopes as paper for my jar. Yay! Now I will have bright pink, red, and yellow to add to the jar! And do some recycling!
Fun stuff.
One of the good things I have added to my jar is my Nia students — again! I know, huh? — this week the traffic was stopped as I tried to make my way to my Nia class. When I looked on the freeway as I was getting on I thought it was just slowed for a bit because there were signs that said, “Shoulder work”. The actually direction I need to travel is not visible from where I make the turn on to the entrance ramp. When I made the turn onto the actual road to enter, it was stopped. So I just got right back off. But every single street I drove on had construction. So at times two lanes were reduced to one lane. Every time I was near a freeway entrance I thought I would get on the freeway there, but, nope, the traffic was backed up. So I slowly made my way all the way across town via city streets. I kept thinking I would make it to class on time or really close to it, so I didn’t pull over to call. But finally I stopped to call and tell them I was on my way even though I was already late! I finally made it, I was twenty minutes late! And guess what? My students were still there! WOW! I was so humbled and grateful it was JUST what a person needs after spending over an hour on the road to make a 20 minute trip. My annoyance and embarrassment at being late was washed away by my understanding and eager-to-dance students. They said, “That’s ok. Let’s dance it away.” And we did. So grateful. Definitely a GOOD THING for my goodie jar.
I hope that you use this check in as a reminder to take a moment and think of the good things that you have experienced this week and make a note.
Well, how many were you able to think of?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: birthday, good things jar, Goodie Jar, Goodie Jar – Check In #31, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia students, re-use, recycle, reduce, September birthday, traffic jam | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 26, 2013
Today after Nia Class a Nia White Belt and I were talking. We were talking Nia over coffee and a friend from her past happened by. So she joined us. She was coming from Jazzercise and so, of course the conversation turned to us sharing some information about Nia with her. She sounded as if she was willing to try it but also as if she was never going to move away from Jazzercise. I love that she is moving. I think it is important that people exercise and one of the ,best ways to ensure that is to find something you like or better yet — love. I appreciate that there is so much out there for people to participate in. Of course, I would love for you to come to my Nia class. I would love for you to love Nia. I think it is great because it addresses the BMES, but not everyone likes that in their exercise. In the course of our conversation she said she tried Zumba, but it didn’t work for her that well. She had already mentioned that she takes it easy on her knee so I felt justified in recommending the correct type of shoe. I often hear people don’t like Zumba because it hurts their knees and it often has to do with the shoes they are wearing. In Nia we dance bare foot. We do not twist on our foot or scoot, we pick our feet up off the ground. When doing a dance exercise or a fitness class, like Zumba the need for shoes is apparent. In Zumba there is a lot of twisting, shuffling, and sliding. You need the right shoe for that.
Exercise sneakers, tennis shoes, cross trainers, and running shoes are not the correct shoe for doing Zumba or any type of dance that requires shoes for that matter. An exercise sneaker or tennis shoe has what you want in regards to cushion, construction and support. A cross trainer has even more support in the shoe because with cross training you are moving forward, backward, side to side, and even up and down. So the shoe itself is made to support your foot and keep it secured in the shoe. And running shoes are great for the cushion. They cushion your step and help absorb the shock of your foot landing on the earth. So these types of shoes are great, the “upper”, because they are built for impact and moving in different directions, but it is the sole you do not want to dance on. These shoes are made for traction. They are made to stop you from twisting and sliding. When you are playing tennis, doing cross training, or running you don’t want to be slipping, sliding, and twisting around. So the soles are made to keep that from happen. I mean, have you seen some of those soles? They look like tire treads. Great for outdoors.
Now a dance shoe, say a jazz shoe or a ballet slipper is perfect for dance. Without all of the cushion and support that is an athletic shoe they are usually light and easy to lift and move in. The bottom of the shoe has material that allows you to slide and glide, spin, turn, and twirl on the dance floor. Perfect for moving to the music and getting your groove on. And THAT is the kind of sole you want. Something you can twist in. Something you can slide in. Something that won’t stop you foot dead as you dance across the floor. But then again, those shoes have the SOLES you want, but not the support. Since you are doing cross training type of motion (forward, backward, side to side, and even up and down) you want that type of support. And it would be nice to have some cushion too, huh?
Well, do your knees a favor and do not do Zumba in tennis shoes, cross trainers, and running shoes. And do your feet a favor and do not do Zumba in a jazz shoe or a ballet slipper. What you need is a dance sneaker. Someone, somewhere – I don’t know the origin of them – decided to combine the two. Brilliant. Someone added the support, cushion, and comfort of an athletic shoe to a sole that can slide and glide. Whew! This is genius. This will help save your knees and other joints!
I know Zumba has a brand of shoe that has a great dance sole, I don’t know about the cushion and support of the shoe. I bought Capezios because they don’t have a sole over the arch so they allow for the foot to really move.
Since you are investing in your health and wellness by going to a dance exercise class, please take it a one step further and splurge for those dance sneakers. They don’t have to cost more than $50.00, and you will be saving yourself so much more in the long run. You will be allowing your body to move with greater comfort on the dance floor.
What do you think? Do you think a shoe that allows you to slide a bit is better for dancing? Doesn’t it make sense to have a dance sneaker?
Posted in Zumba | Tagged: athletic shoe, BMES, Capezio Dances shoes, correct type of dance shoe, cross trainers, dance exercise, dance fitness, dance shoes, dance soles, exercise class, exercise sneakers, fitness class, Jazzercise, Jazzercise class, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia White Belt, running shoes, tennis, tennis shoes, What type of shoe to wear for Zumba, Zumba, Zumba class, Zumba shoes | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 24, 2013
I have stated in previous posts that we do moves in Nia that are not exclusive to Nia. Since Nia is three different arts; Martial Arts, Dances Arts, and Healing Arts, with three different movement forms in each art there is a large possibility that you have experienced the move before if you have participated in any of the movement forms. The nine basic Nia movement forms are T’ai chi, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Jazz Dance, Modern Dance, Duncan Dance, Feldenkrais, the Alexander Technique, and Yoga. Even if you have not practiced any of the movement forms you still might have found yourself doing the cha-cha, a jazz square, a side kick, or sitting cross legged. Nia does however have moves that are a part of Nia, say the core movements. We call them the 52 Moves of Nia or Nia’s 52 Moves. Two of the 52 moves are crosses. There is the Cross Front and the Cross Behind. The action of the cross is done with the feet.
The Cross Front is where you step across your body to the other side. Some what like taking a diagonal step forward. To practice this you can stand in an open stance and use one leg to step in a forward and diagonal direction. The ideal of the Cross Front is with a heel lead. Practice is done with arms and hands swinging freely.
The Nia Technique book states that benefits from this move is the strengthen of your inner thigh muscles.
This is a great practice in stability. Especially since often when we are doing the cross front it is combined with another move. We do not normally cross front continually from a standing still open position. So the cross front often takes on a personality of its own. Knowing how to do it in it simplest form allows for the energy and playfulness that it is normally supplied while dancing to come out. This is often a move used to play with agility because in the dance we are moving and there is a start and a stop as we cross front.
The Cross Behind, like all moves, even the one mentioned above, has its proper way to be done. To practice the cross behind start in an open stance then step with one foot back/behind on the diagonal so the moving foot comes behind and to the side of the stationary foot. The moving foot lands on “ball of foot“. The end result is the ankles look like an “x” is being made. With this further practice can be done to allow for you to sink into a lower position . . . just a little bend in the knees. But you keep the foot that crossed behind on the ball of foot. Further practice has you rising on BOTH feet onto the ball of your foot. This move helps with mobility and stability in the legs.
Again, that is the way to do it in practice. While moving, practicing, and playing with all the moves. There are routines that call for the movement to be done exactly like stated. We have our ankles crossed in the X and we are on ball of foot. That is a true cross behind. But in dancing it is often adjusted into looking a little different.
It could be that the ankles do not land that close together as we start to sense the music and dance it in our own bodies way. Could be we land on whole foot. There are many ways to dance and find this move adjusted. But as with many things, it is important to learn the base, the correct way to do it and then play from there.
So as you can tell we do a lot of moves in Nia that are familiar. I would not be surprised at all if you have done these on the dance floor at a club or a wedding reception. Maybe not exactly as we do in Nia when executing them with precision to allow us the flexibility, agility, mobility, strength, and stability available, but in a way that would make doing it in a Nia class familiar.
So where have you done the Cross Front? And the Cross Behind? Are you a grocery store dancer?
Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: Aikido, Ball of foot, core moves, Duncan Dance, Feldenkrais, Jazz Dance, modern dance, Nia, Nia class, Nia routine, Tae kwon do, Tai Chi, the Alexander Technique, Yoga | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 20, 2013
EEEEKKKK! I cannot believe I forgot two check ins a row! Wow! My Thursdays got a little busier with the addition of the morning Nia class. Definitely a good thing, but my schedule got a bit off. Even though it has been almost a month since the first class, I need to work on my schedule a bit more.
This is a reminder about the Good Things Jar! Ya know where we put notes of good things that have happened throughout the week? Are you putting things in yours? The reason we are doing this is to keep the good things at the forefront in our minds, in our hearts, and in our lives. Yes, there are things that we can easily let bring us down . . . . believe me, I know, but that is when it is most important to remember the positive.
I am not a believer that you have to be positive all the time. I believe that it is important to feel your feelings. If you are sad go ahead be sad. If you are angry go ahead be angry. If you are frustrated go ahead be frustrated. Experience all the emotions that you have. BUT . . . . my point is don’t deny the good. Don’t let all the things that CAN bring you down, bring you down and KEEP you so low that you don’t recognize the good stuff.
It could even be a matter of having to look at your Goodie Jar . . . . look how full it is and realize that there are a lot of good things that have happened. Maybe you are struggling to find a good thing NOW, but that jar is full of good things . . . . and that in itself is a good thing, right?
Well . . . . . even though I forgot to remind you, are you still filling up that Goodie Jar?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: good things, good things jar, Goodie Jar, morning workout, negative feelings, Nia, Nia class, positive experiences, positive feelings, Thursday morning Nia | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 5, 2013
When I typed in the word practice this is what came up in Google:
prac·tice /ˈpraktəs/
noun
1. the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use.
2. repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
verb
1. perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency.
2. carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly.
Nia is a practice. Yoga is a practice. Playing a musical instrument takes practice. One does not just step into a Nia class and do it exactly right the first time. One does not move into a yoga pose and get it exactly right the first time. One does not start to play a song and do it exactly right the first time. It all takes practice. With Nia the emphasis is on the body’s way. I have said it before, but I will say it again, there is a right way to do the moves, the body’s way, the way the body was designed to move. But every body is different. Some bodies do not move the way they were designed. Some bodies never will, but some just need time. Yoga is a little different in that the positions are a bit more exact, but still, if your body does not move or bend that way do not force it. It could be that your body needs to work toward that pose, it needs to practice or it could be that the actual structure of your body will not allow for the exact post to be attained. Either way it is a practice.
Nia is more forgiving. Since it is a dance there is a lot of room for freedom. With yoga people expect there to be one way to do the pose but again, not exactly true. The individual’s body needs to be taken into account. Some bodies will just not bend or fold certain ways. They might be able to bend more or fold more than the first time a yoga asana is attempted, but it might never look exactly like that magazine picture. Most pictures of people in yoga positions are just like that of high fashion and/or make up models. They are the exception not the norm. They are showing an example of what the pose in its absolute perfection is supposed to look like. They should be required to disclose how many years that person has been doing yoga or how long they were actually in that pose. JUST like people are telling young girls to give up the idea of looking like the women in magazines, some people need to go a little easier on themselves when it comes to yoga poses.
The idea is not “to look like the picture” but to be better and more comfortable at doing the pose as time goes on. In the picture the person might have their elbows on the ground and when you start you can barely touch the floor. Well, the proper way to learn (at least one way . . . another is props, but for this example we are using progression) is to practice until you can touch the floor. Practice with good form. Then practice until you can stay touching the floor – with good form. Then practice until you can stay longer each time at touching the floor – with good form. Don’t injure yourself trying to put your elbows on the ground and all the while not achieve good form.
I do not believe that practice makes perfect. Practice just makes time get used up. But good practice, practice with good form, practice that allows you to get better than you were is good. “Perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency.” Yeah that. Being patient with oneself and allowing one to practice and make it good practice will get one further on a the path of proficiency than just trying to get to that pose without working into it. While we all know this, I was reminded that many of us need to be reminded of this.
Nia is a practice. Yoga is a practice. Playing a musical instrument takes practice.
How are you are practicing? Do you like the process of learning or do you like to just jump right in and do it right and all the way the first time?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out, Nia | Tagged: body's way, dance practice, Google, Nia, Nia class, Nia exercise, Nia Practice, practice makes perfect, practice methods, yoga asanas, yoga poses, Yoga Practice | 2 Comments »
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