Posts Tagged ‘Nia class’
Posted by terrepruitt on August 26, 2010
As you know from my first post on water, the body is made up of a huge percentage of water. As you probably also know, sweating is a process that the body utilizes to cool off. I must always be hot. 🙂 Here in the California Bay Area we had record temperatures. San Jose reached 102 and San Francisco reached 94. For me, when it is that hot, it is easy for me to drink water. I drank a bottle of water right after teaching Nia class today.
It is much easier to become dehydrated in the heat because your body might be sweating more in order to stay cool. Also, because air conditioning takes the moisture out of the air, drinking water even if you are not in the heat is a good thing to do. Often times when the temperatures get high outside the air conditioner goes on or stays on longer, which seems like it would dry the air out more. So even in the air conditioned office or home or mall, drink the water.
I often been told that by the time you are thirsty you are already mildly dehydrated. I like the idea of drinking water throughout the day, but it is really important on the hotter days. There are different stages of dehydration so when you get thirsty drink don’t wait for until you are lightheaded, or get muscles cramps.
Of course there are other more serious reasons people become dehydrated. There are also other treatments when the dehydration is severe. I am just addressing the normal everyday don’t-let-yourself-get-dehydrated-in-the-excessive-heat kind of thing. Funny because my last post regarding water was because it was nice and cool and sometimes a challenge to drink water. In the heat please remember to hydrate!
Posted in Water | Tagged: Bay Area, Bay Area Nia, bottle of water, dehydrated, dehydration, mild dehydration, Nia Bay Area, Nia class, Nia San Jose, San Jose Nia, Water | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 10, 2010
In my Nia class tomorrow the focus is going to be the second chakra. The routine I am doing has a lot of opportunity for us to focus on it. Chakras are areas of the body with specific energies. The second chakra is the sacral chakra, the hara, or the pelvic chakra. This chakra is located in the pelvis area.
The routine has a lot of hip movements; side to side, up and down, folding, circles, and just dancing them however the body senses the music. There are times when we might not be moving them at all but focusing on the area enables us to be aware of where we are directing its energy even when it is not in motion. While we are doing a rib isolation the hips stay still but they should be facing the front with the energy directed to the area in front of us.
This chakra is located in the first lumbar area so movement of it stimulates the spleen, bladder, lower back, sex organs, areas of the intestines, and all liquids in the body. The sacral chakra is also associated with emotions. According to The Nia Technique* “move this chakra to develop a strong connection between your male and female sexual energy and to stimulate your powers of creation.”
The color orange is associated with this chakra.
As with any focus the intent can be changed to whatever you would like. I think tomorrow we will start out with the intent of being aware of the sacral chakras energy and being aware of where we are focusing the energy of the hara.
*A book written by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, NKA Carlos AyaRosas
Posted in Chakras | Tagged: Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, chakra energy, chakras, class focus, Debbie Rosas, Debbie Rosas Stewart, hips, Nia class, Nia routine, pelivic chakra, sacral chakra, second chakra, sexual energy, The Nia Technique | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 5, 2010
In Nia there are five basic principles of the body’s way that we like to keep in mind. Listed here are just the highlights, for the details on each point you can visit the page on my website.
1—The Body Thrives on Dynamic Ease. Dynamic ease is somewhat comparable to muscle memory. When you are first learning a movement the challenge of doing so generally keeps you from being creative.
2—The Body Demands Balance. The body was built with balance in mind with body parts on each side.
3—The Body is Balanced in Yin and Yang. Both have a place in the body.
4—The Body’s Way Demands Simultaneous Mobility and Stability. The body’s joints allow for mobility and the muscles for stability.
5—The Body Itself Reveals the Body’s Way. Its very design instructs us on its use.
Also our bodies give us feedback both negative and positive. Both can be used to help guide our movements. Which ever is necessary Nia can help achieve the balance. Nia respects the body’s way and can successful assist in achieve balance in the body.
The Five Basic Principles of the Body’s Way on Help You Well’s website.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: body's design, Help You Well, muscle memory, Nia, Nia balance, Nia body, Nia class, Nia creative, Nia exercise, Nia principles, Nia website, Principles of the Body's Way, Yin and Yang | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 29, 2010
I often find myself defending Twitter when I meet new people. In this world of multiple social media networks, the subject of FaceBook, Twitter, and Yelp often come up. We start talking then usually someone says, “I’ve never gotten into Twitter. I mean, really (!?!?) who wants to know what I had for lunch? And I certainly don’t care about what others had for lunch?!?!” That is not the only thing Twitter is about.
First of all, that is a Twitter stereo-type. Not ALL tweeple tweet about what they had for lunch. But those that do often get a lot of responses. If you are in a circle of people that are foodies they LOVE tweets about food! ANY MEAL AT ALL. My hubby (@JohnPruitt) used to tweet and Facebook pictures of his lunch every day. Now he actually takes lunch from home and people miss his pictures. They ask him if he is on a diet, if he is sick, they miss it. EVERYONE eats. Not everyone has the opportunity to eat what is available to us in San Jose and the Bay Area and they enjoy seeing all the different things. Food really brings people together.
What I was thinking about the other day was when someone tweets me out of the blue and says, “I thought about you . . . .” WOW! People I know only through Twitter THINK about ME! How cool is that? I love that someone out there is thinking about me. I love it when it is silly, “I was thinking about you because I was wearing blue.” I love it when it is related to healthy eating, “I was thinking about you as I ate my salad.” I love when it is about kitties, “I saw a cat and thought about you and your cat.” I love when it is about Nia, “I went to a Nia class today and I thought about you.”
Yes, I started using Twitter to promote Nia and my business. I have made business connections and friends. I have actually made some connections. Funny enough, with this post half written (up to this very point – no lie!) I had a DM* conversation with a friend today. She was asking if I thought it were possible to have “real” friends on Twitter. Ones that you only knew through Twitter. My thinking on that is “you betcha!”
Maybe the definition of “real” is different, I don’t know. But I know that I know more about a lot of my friends on Twitter than I know about my friends I have in person. I talk more to some of my Twitter friends than I do my “in person friends”. So . . . . . to me, as I always say . . . Twitter is what you make it. Connections are out there to be made. Either you know because you are on it, or you will see when you get there. It is soooooo AWESOME (inspiring, and humbling) to have someone tweet, “I was thinking about you today!” Gives me the warm fuzzies.
*DM = Direct Message
(Oh, and puleeeaase! You think I am going to write a post about Twitter warm fuzzies and not put this most excellent tweet that I received one day in my post. Ha! That would be unacceptable. Thanks, Dani!)
Posted in Twitter | Tagged: @JohnPruitt, Bay Area, Bay Area Nia, Bay Area Nia class, Direct Message, DM, Facebook, foodies, John Pruitt, Nia business, Nia class, Nia San Jose, San Jose, San Jose Nia class, social media, social media networks, Tweeple, tweets, Twitter, twitter friends, warm fuzzies, warm fuzzy, Yelp | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 24, 2010
On the way home from a little Nia class / meeting in Danville I starting craving a salad. All the way home to San Jose (its about an hour) I kept thinking of what ingredients I would need. I didn’t have the recipe with me, but since it is so easy I remembered the few things I needed to get. Recently I went to a little party where the hostess had made a bean salad. It had two things in it I REALLY don’t like, one thing I don’t like, one thing I love in teeny tiny pieces, and one thing I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE (not including the spices). So on my quest to learn how to like bean and get some legumes in my diet I decided to make my friend’s TWO bean salad recipe.
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 large red pepper – chopped (big or small, you decide)
½ large sweet onion – cut small square sizes
¼ to ½ bunch cilantro – cut ½ inch size
½ to 1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon fine ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
Drain the beans, mix everything together. Like most salads it is better when the flavors have mixed so wait an hour or so, then eat. Yum!
I adjusted the recipe to have MORE bell pepper (can you tell which ingredient I love, love, love?), I used a little more salt because I bought these really low sodium beans. I mean compared to the other two brands I looked at these had about one third of the sodium. I like that idea, but I also know that if it doesn’t have a good enough flavor for me I won’t eat it, so I actually put in 1 teaspoon plus two sprinkles. I didn’t have granulated garlic so I used garlic powder and I probably put in more than 2 teaspoons. I cannot tolerate pepper, but I loved her salad and she said she put in a lot of pepper so I sprinkled pepper in. I also used 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar.
I am sure this is an easy thing for people to make, but I have NEVER, EVER, EVER liked a bean salad before so this recipe just thrilled me. Ya see, I REALLY don’t like cilantro either, but I think the kidney beans and the cilantro work to “cancel” each other out. Ha! I don’t know, but I like this salad. I hope you do too.
Since I am on a quest to learn to eat (and like) beans, do you have a recipe that you would like to share to help me out?
Posted in Food | Tagged: bean salad, beans, bell peppers, Garbanzo beans, garlic, kidney beans, Nia, Nia class, Nia classes in San Jose, Nia Danville, Nia meeting, Nia San Jose, party recipe, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class | 17 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 15, 2010
In Nia our sixth principle for the White Belt is the base. #6 The Base; Feet and legs. I sat down to write and as I was searching for something to post about it dawned on me that base came up yesterday and today. It is a different type of base yet a base is a base so there can be a connection, but in this post I am just going to share the things that came up and later write more on the Nia White Belt Principle #6 in another post.
Yesterday I was out with a friend and we were eating something that she just found divine. She is one of those creative-in-the-kitchen-people and also trained in the kitchen. She was breaking down this item. She was tasting it and eating and trying to discover what it was. She came up with what she thought it was and then we both lit up when we realized that once she had that—the base, we could do whatever we want with it. We could make any flavor we want. It could become the condiment to end all condiments. It was awesome. Something you know but when you come across it and see how it can blossom into something or so many other things it is fun to be reminded that things start with a base.
Today, I joined a small group of Nia White Belts to learn some music and work on a routine. There are not as many Nia teachers down in my part of the Bay, the South Bay as there are in the North Bay and the East Bay so whenever I get to meet with them I get very excited. We went through the steps that we were taught to go through when learning a routine. We did the first step in the process. Then after a couple of times of dancing the song it was clear we pretty much had the base down. The person leading the group started to say, “Or you could . . . .” “Have the class do this . . . . ” so there is was again . . . the base. In this case we had the base steps down and once we had that we are free to play a little more. We can play with speed, levels, or even changing the moves.
I just think it is so interesting that I have had two very strong reminders of the importance of the base. It is important to have a strong base. It give your strength and security which will allow you room to grow. Cool. Fun. I love it.
That was my day. How about you? Any “base” examples you can thing of? Anything else you want to share? Do you have any stories of a “base”? Maybe a weak base story to help support the idea of how important a strong one is?
Posted in Nia, Nia White Belt Principles | Tagged: #6 The Base; Feet and legs, East Bay Nia, Nia, Nia class, Nia routine, Nia White Belt, North Bay Nia, Principle #6, South Bay Nia, South Bay Nia class, White Belt | 7 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 10, 2010
I like to cook. I like to go into the kitchen, have some ingredients, put them together and have something to eat. I like that. I think it is cool. But cooking is not like Nia in the sense that: Nia I like to do every day, cooking I do not. When I cook, I like to cook in a way that leaves us with leftovers. I know a lot of people that won’t eat leftovers and I kinda don’t understand that, but . . . to each their own. I LOVE leftovers. Some, like pasta, are even better the next day.
My husband doesn’t mind leftovers. That makes him really easy to cook for. But at the same time I don’t want him to have to eat the EXACT same thing a few nights in a row. So one thing I do to allow me to cook once but not leave us eating the EXACT same thing for a few days is I cook chicken in foil packets. Yup, just like those aluminum foil ladies on TV showed us.
This also enables me to get one more servings out our a “two serving” bag of chicken. (From Costco the boneless, skinless Foster Farm Chicken Breasts are packaged in twos—-hmmmmm . . . . ? . . . ) I separate the chicken onto foil pieces then I just put whatever seasonings, spices, fruit, sauces, veggies I want in each package. I have to label them because my husband is not a fan of teriyaki and I am. Plus he likes spicy hot and I don’t.
So then I cook them up and we have chicken for a few days. Even though it is chicken it is not that same flavor chicken every night. Then each night I can cook up different veggies, and either rice or pasta. Or we might throw the chicken in or on a tortilla, or maybe even on some bread. Either way it makes making dinner that night much easier and faster. I love it.
Come join me for a Nia class in San Jose and see why I like to do it every day. And here, share with me your thoughts on cooking every day or leftovers. Do you like leftovers? Do you cook every day?
Posted in Food | Tagged: chicken breasts, chicken packets, cooking, Costco, Foster Farm Chicken, leftover chicken, leftover pasta, leftovers, Nia, Nia class, Nia in San Jose, Nia San Jose, Nia San Jose class, San Jose Nia | 12 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 8, 2010
San Jose weather up until about June had been all over the place! One day it would be cold, one day it would be windy, the next day it would be raining, then the next day there would be sun, then the next day it would cold, rainy, and windy. Then—bam! HOT! It was all over the place. Honestly, I have a difficult time drinking water when the weather is cold. When I am cold because the weather is cold drinking water makes me MORE cold. So I had thought of coming up with things that help me when I have to work at getting “enough” water.
One thing I do is, I heat it up. When the weather is chilly I just put it in the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds. I like it warmer than room temperature but not so hot that I feel as if I need to actually be drinking tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.
When the weather is warmer, but I am wanting something more than just plain water I put a cucumber in it. I had seen this and wanted to try it, then a friend brought it over earlier this year and reminded me. (Thanks, Friend!) I am not a fan of lemons, but some people do that. I like to put a few slices of cucumber in it.
Other things I do, I change what I am drinking the water from. Sounds weird, I can imagine, but it works for me. I pour it in a mug instead of drinking it out of my usual bottle. Sometimes I drink out of different glass, just to have a different sensation.
I find that when the weather is hot I don’t even have to think, I just drink, but when the weather is cool or comfortable, I need a little more reminder. I drink it when I am practicing a Nia routine or teaching a Nia class, but honestly, lately, just during the day I need to step up my water drinking, I have slacked off a bit and I am feeling it.
Do you drink water? Do you add things to it? Drink it plain? Have a special glass you drink from? Tell me, I love to hear different ideas.
Posted in Water | Tagged: cucumber water, drink more water, drinking water, Help With Drinking Water, hot water, lemon water, Nia, Nia class, Nia routine, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Weather, warm water, Water, water ideas | 20 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 1, 2010
I had a lunch date after teaching my Nia class on Wednesday. I had mentioned, in a previous post that I wanted to cook more with fruit since we had a large amount of plums. So, I was happy to try the mango and chicken kabob. Obviously, I can’t take credit for cooking and/or preparing this. I did not cook this kabob. Worse, I took the picture with my iPhone so it is — well, the quality of an iPhone picture (it was actually so blurry I had to “sharpen” it with Photoshop). As the waiter was setting the plate down, I thought, “Oh, I need to take a picture.” But I forgot when the waiter brought another plate of kabobs that we did not order. I think he just didn’t want her to feel left out. I remember after I ate one!
Anyway . . . .GREAT way to cook with fruit. I don’t think I would have thought to put mango on a skewer with chicken, but it actually works perfect because it cooks great. I have determined a long time ago that it is too difficult to cook meat and veggies on the same skewer because in order to get the meat cooked properly the veggies get too done. Or vice-versa, depending on the meat and the veggies. So it is best–for us–to do them separate. Plus separate allows for different seasonings and it keeps the meat separate from the vegetables in case there are persons who are not eating meat.
The mangos were cooked with the skin on and for the most part that made the skin very edible. I didn’t even notice the skin until I got to a particularly tough one that was green.
So, yay! A way to cook with fruit AND another way to use mangos. I normally only use them in the cucumber mango salad. I would have thought to make a salsa, but not to put them on a skewer especially WITH the chicken. You might have noticed that this kabob has onions, red peppers, and tomatoes too. I even ate the tomatoes (big deal for loath-tomatoes-girl), even though they were cooked.
Do you cook with mangos? Do you make kabobs? Kabobs are a nice way to serve food for a cook out, huh? Have you managed to perfect cooking vegetables AND meat on the same skewer?
Posted in Food, Fruit | Tagged: cook out, cucumber mango salad, grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, iphone, Kabob, mango, Mango and Chicken Kabob, mango salsa, Nia, Nia class | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 29, 2010
We often step on the ball of our foot. We often call it the toe. The Ball of the foot is one of the 52 Moves of Nia. Ballerinas are actually on their toes and they do it in special shoes that have a support in them where their toes are. We usually are stepping onto the BALL of our foot when we step on the “toe”. It is the ball portion of the foot that supports the weight when we are “on our toes”.
This is plantar flexion and assists with keeping the ankle joint flexible. If you are standing on the foot you are flexing it can also assist with strength.
In a Nia workout class we do all types of movement and sometimes we are using the ball of our foot. We could be stepping or standing. The moment might call for us stepping ONTO the ball either forward, back, or even laterally. Or it could be that we are standing and just rising up. This could be a position where we stay either in a display of balance or it could be a display of agility, a temporary place where we quickly move onto another move. Either way it is all part of how the body was designed to be moved.
It might be a nice idea to keep in mind that moving and working the foot in different ways than it is used to being worked might cause some muscle soreness or tenderness through the entire leg. If you are never on your the ball of your feet and suddenly your dancing a few moments on them, your calves might remind you of it later that day or even the next day. Same goes for the whole foot, if you are not in the habit of moving on the whole foot your ENTIRE leg could end up letting you know you worked some leg muscles.
As with the whole foot, the ball of the foot can be used in the stances of Nia.
Just as I have done with the heel lead and the whole foot, I am going to suggest that you take note of this foot position. As you walk notice when your stride gets to the point of the ball of your foot. As you reach for something on the top shelf and you balance on your toes, notice the flex of your foot and the muscles in your calves. As you walk through your day notice the ball of your foot.
Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: agility, ankle joint flexibilty, ankle strength, balance, Ball of foot, ballerinas, DOMS, felxibilty, leg muscles, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia dancing, Nia workout, toe shoes | 10 Comments »
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