Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

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Posts Tagged ‘Nia routine’

« Previous Entries

New Way To Connect

Posted by terrepruitt on October 14, 2020

I was recently listening to a recorded meeting for Nia teachers and one of them came on camera to share something she was doing as a way for her to learn a routine and connect with students. The teacher said that she had “pop-up” Zooms where they just popped on for 15 or 20 minutes to review a song and that was it. I thought this was a great way to connect with community during this time when we can’t actually meet in person, so I tried it today. We had a great time.

This being the first time I decided to do this “pop-up” Zoom right after our regular Nia class. I was thinking that it would be easier for the students to just stay then if it were a separate meeting. I figured the Nia students would stay and more people could join.  I had notified people of the plan ahead of time.  My husband pointed out that advance notification makes it not truly a “pop-up”.  To which I responded, that since it was not in my monthly e-mail or on my website I was considering it a “pop-up”.**

When everyone arrived I quickly spoke a bit about katas, what Nia calls a combination of moves. The katas were what I wanted to focus on, the arrangement of the katas can be changed and would take a lot longer than 15 minutes to learn so that was not what this meeting was for — AND THAT WAS THE PART I WAS TRYING TO LEARN. Simple review, me showing/explaining, then them doing.  I would check in after each kata and with a “thumbs up” response we would move to the next one.  I reviewed the three katas in the song, and then we basically did them to music in the order in which we reviewed them.  To me I often feel a review of moves does not prepare me for doing them with the music, so we did them to the song.  Then after a “thumbs up” all around we danced the entire song.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia online, San Jose Virtual classes, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, Nia Technique, Yin Yoga, stretch classes, online exercise, Zoom classes, virtual yoga, City of San Jose online exercise, live classes via Zoom, Nia White Belt training via ZoomThe moves were so easy and I didn’t talk too much beforehand so we finished – having danced the song twice – in 20 minutes.  We had a lot of fun.  I picked a really easy song so we could get through it and have fun.

Thanks to Joan T.  for her idea.  I think we are going to do it again!  Although the next time I will probably send out advanced notification and I might put it on my website so I might have to change the name to a “pop-in”.  Pop in, learn the song then go about your day.  I want it to be a quick thing so people will come and we can keep it light and fun.

What do you think?

Are you or your teachers finding ways to stay connected while we are not have in-person classes?  What are you all doing?

**(edited 11.19.20) I am not calling this quick “non-classes” POP-INS, and having actually classes that are Pop-Ups!

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To Do List Fail

Posted by terrepruitt on November 1, 2017

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Sigh.  How is it that I was busy all day and I got a lot done, but I made no progress?  Ugh!  I totally failed on my to-do (for today) list.

How did you do today?

 

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , | 10 Comments »

Cats, Crazy, Valentine’s Day

Posted by terrepruitt on February 13, 2017

You may have read somewhere on my blog that we have two cats.  You may have read somewhere on my blog that we had ONE cat.  It took me over a year to even think about getting another cat.  Notice I said CAT.  So when I finally got to a point where I was entertaining the idea of getting A CAT . . . it was really hard to be faced with the idea of getting TWO.  The one I wanted came as a pair.  Now, I still would opt for ONE cat as opposed to two, but that will not happen because there is no way we would get rid of either one.  Although, I am still learning about two cats.  It is not easy having two cats.  I had always heard that cats did not like change, that cats liked to have the same thing to eat – all the time.  But lately I hear they get bored and want something else.  So when our “big” cat doesn’t bother me for dinner, then when I put it out she barely touches it, I think she is bored.

So then I spend hours on the internet trying to find a food.  Because I am picky.  I prefer grain free and limited ingredients and you may have read somewhere on my blog that our last cat did not like fish.  So, I have never researched any cat food with fish until these two.  They like fish.  Once I find something I will feed them on the internet, I used to buy it, but now I have to go find it at a store because I would rather buy a CAN as opposed to a case (and only cases can be purchased on the internet).  Because apparently only ONE kind of food with fish will do, so I don’t want to buy a whole case and be stuck with it. The little one will eat different kinds, but it seems the “big” one likes ONE kind.  Even though she may seem bored she won’t eat anything else.  Sigh.

Today I was trying to put together a Valentine’s Day routine for my Nia class tomorrow after spending a bit of time looking for new food for the cats.  Then I give it to them and the picky one does not like it and spends the next two hours telling me about her dissatisfaction.  Poor girl.  It is sad because if it were the little one, I probably would have opened another cat food.  But since it was the one who could stand to lose a pound, I just look at her and say, “You have dry food if you don’t want to eat your wet food.  Sorry, Girl.”  Man, why did I bother?  Didn’t get as far as I’d have like on the routine and I felt as if I wasted my time.

Cats are crazy.  But really, it is probably humans that are crazy to try to live with such amazing creatures.  🙂  So will you tell me about feeding two cats?  What do you feed your cats?  And how do you get one to slim down but not the other?  What are your feeding practices?  Do your cats tell you when it is time to feed them?  I know this is a lot of questions, but, I want to know these things.

Posted in Cats | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Pan Fried Gnocchi

Posted by terrepruitt on October 12, 2016

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitWhen I get home at noon on Wednesday it seems like the day goes by really quick.  I am working on my Nia routine for class the next day.  I am working on the stretch routine for class the next day.  I might have to put together something for yoga for the class the next day.  Plus I have a blog post I would like to write.  So I just don’t have a lot of time to think about dinner.  Well, tonight was one of those nights.  I hadn’t even really thought about a blog post during the day.  And I was making up dinner as I was cooking it.  I really didn’t know what I was doing.  Cooking the steak we have is always an adventure.  I hadn’t really thought about a blog post as I was flying by the seat of my pants as I cooked dinner.  At the last minute I thought well this might work and I snapped a couple of pictures.  I didn’t really know how I was going to cook the meat or gnocchi.  I had taken out two packages of meat.  I thought each one was a steak, but it turned out each one was two cuts of meat.  Yay.  Now, we have dinner for tomorrow, well at least the meat part.  I always try to have some gnocchi in the freezer, I thought it would go well with the steak.  But I wanted it different – normally I just boil it.  I thought after I boiled it I could pan fry it, to give it that crispy brown.  My friend taught me that.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI have a friend who used to make . . . now I don’t even remember what type of gnocchi was . . . I think it was butternut squash gnocchi.  Perhaps it was sweet potato.  I didn’t even like gnocchi until she gave it to me.  She apologize when she gave it to me because “it didn’t turn out right” and she recommended pan frying it.  I thought, “Ok, whatever.”  It wasn’t potato gnocchi so I thought it must be better cooked differently.  Turns out ALL gnocchi is better cooked that way.  But her gnocchi was THE BEST.  It was sooooooo yummy.

Most gnocchi has to be boiled first and then it can be pan fried.  Well, that is the way I like it best.  With a little bit of browning on it.  I had never done such a large batch before and some of it broke up and got a little mushy, but then the mush browned so I was ok with that.  I threw in some kale and it rounded off our steak great.

Do you like potato gnocchi?  Do you like it boiled? Have you ever tried browning it?

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The Routine Really is AMAZING

Posted by terrepruitt on May 11, 2016

You may have seen me announce that I was producing another Nia class with a guest teacher.  “Producing” just means that I communicate with the teacher, secure a venue, and promote it as much as I can.  The guest teacher does the routine or playshop work and presents the material.  I have had this guest teacher come teach a couple of times before.  Jason Alan Griffin is a first degree Nia Black Belt and he travels the country with his dog River, and he teaches Nia.  In March of 2015, he was going to be in our area so I invited him to present his FreeDance Playshop.  Then since he was going to be here on Friday, I asked him to do his based-on-Nia-routine Frankie Say Nia.  So we had a Nia class on Friday, then the playshop and a class on Saturday.  He happened to be passing through our area in August so I invited him back to do Frankie Say Nia again because it was so fun the first time.  This time around he was traveling with a few routines and the one I thought would be the best for the Nia community here was “Amazing”.  It is appropriately named.  A small group of us danced Amazing with Jason on Friday, May 06, 2016.

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Now he is spending several months on the road bringing this routine to many Nia communities around the country.  He has a few other routines that are on the menu Orchestra, Woodstock Experience, and Floorplay . . . all sound super fun by their descriptions.

The focus of Amazing is on connections and directions.  We moved in all directions and were encouraged to sense the connection.  As with many things in Nia the connection could be one of or all of the BMES.  So we could have been connecting with the Body, the Mind, our Emotions, or Spirit.  We were invited to connect with people in the room, in the Nia community, and any where.  The intent was to explore something new and return home renewed.  And again, as with many things in Nia, that could relate to the BMES.  As an example we would extend our arm and try a new movement for our hand, then return our hand back to our center or our “home” and sense if there was a change or some new or different kind of sensation.

It was super fun.  A question occurred to me today as I was thinking about writing this post,  “Do I just think it is fun because I am not a student often and so any chance to dance Nia is fun?”  Then I pictured the e-mails I received telling me it was fun.  I remembered the comments after class.  It was fun.  We have fun when Jason teaches us.  So, even though he is planning on taking a year off from traveling, I am hoping that a quick jaunt down the coast to us won’t be considered “traveling” and he will come back next year to teach us again.  I really want to try that Orchestra class.

Below are some pictures from the class.  I do hope one day you’ll come dance with me!

 

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Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

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Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit

If you want to see MORE pictures and a video from the class please visit my site.

Posted in Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Using Your Middle Finger

Posted by terrepruitt on May 4, 2016

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitIf you have ever taken a moment to look at the list of the Fifty-Two Nia Moves you might have wondered what the “Power Finger Crossover” is.  You probably figured out it has something to do with fingers as the name contains “finger” but perhaps that is as far as you had gotten.  You may have thought, “What is crossed over what?”  Well, the middle finger is considered the power finger in Nia.  It has a lot of power.  In some cultures it is considered a finger of communication ;-).  In Nia it is also called the balance finger.  With the power finger crossover in the 52 Nia Moves it can be used at many different times during a Nia routine.

First: how to – the way you do the power finger is to cross the middle finger, the power finger over the index finger.  Then you release the index finger and cross the power finger over the ring finger.  The arms remain long and extended.  The cross of the fingers is small.  Use both hands, doing the crossover at the same time on both hands.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitGo ahead, try it.

I can do the middle finger crossed over the index finger on both hands.  I can do the middle finger crossed over the ring finger on the left hand with out help.  But I have to use my left hand to cross my right middle finger over my right ring finger.  As you can imagine it takes a little strength and dexterity to cross the fingers over each other unaided.  It is obvious to me I need to practice more.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitThere is a routine in which we cross the ring finger over the pinky finger and for the longest time I could do it on my left hand, but had to help my right hand out.  But now I can cross both ring fingers over both pinky fingers without help.  So it really is just a matter of practice.

If you can do the crossing without helping great!  But if you can’t, it is fine to help your fingers until you can do it without the help of the other hand.  The fingers still get the benefit of flexibility.  And your brain gets the benefit of your digits being crossed.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitAccording to The Nia Technique (page 164) “practicing this move helps you extend energy along your arm bones and out through your hands, which keeps your neck and shoulders relaxes.  It creates positive tension in the hand and adds to awareness of the integration of the hand and arm.”

And as I said it helps strengthen the hands/fingers and brings dexterity to them.

This move is part of the moves of the upper extremities and is grouped under “Fingers”.  It can be done in combination with many of The Fifty-Two Nia Moves and during many of the Nia Routines.  It can be done at almost anytime in a Nia class.  During FreeDance or as part of a routine.   It can also be practiced throughout your day.

So did you try it?  Can you do it?  Can you do it on both hands without the help of the other hand?

 

 

Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Try Something Other Than What You Want

Posted by terrepruitt on February 17, 2016

I know I have said that if you are trying an exercise class go at least three times before you decide you don’t like it.  Have you seen me say that before?  I think that in order for you to decide you honestly don’t like it you need to try it at least three times.  I think there are enough factors in a group exercise class that you have to experience it more than once to make an educated decision.  I also think that sometimes what you want is not what you need, so you might want to step out into the unknown.

As I said there are many reasons not to like a class, if you think it is the instructor, don’t condemn the whole modality.  If you go to a Jazzercise class and the instructor runs around the room shouting encouragement at individuals and that is not your style, try a different teacher.  If the Zumba teacher only plays one type of music instead of sticking to the Zumba formula, try a different teacher . . . but it doesn’t seem fair to you nor Zumba if you claim you don’t like Zumba.  If you can, it is really nice to give that instructor another chance, but time is short and so sometimes that might not be the answer.  Every teacher has her own style and it might not be one you like, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t like the exercise.

Also keep in mind that you are only seeing one routine, and those change.  If you go to a Nia class and think you don’t like it, try it again because the routines can be vastly different.  It is good to check out the different routines.  Also, find an appropriate class for your level.  If you take a circuit training class and it is too difficult try a different one or talk to the teacher.

When it comes to yoga, though, I would like to suggest a way to find the appropriate yoga class for you.  Try the opposite of what you WANT.  If you want to lie around on cushions in poses for 5 minutes at a time, try a more active class.  If you want a super aggressive active fast-paced class try a restorative class (lying around on cushions).  If you want gentle yoga try a class that you think might be tough.  You might walk out of class thinking, “Wow!  That was great.  I never would have thought.”

It could be that while you are in the class you are thinking that you wish the torture would end.  And by torture I mean, if you are a very active person and you want to be in a power yoga class and you take a restorative class and are having to lie still for ten minutes . . . that can be torture. If you just wanted to lie around on props and you are having to hold your left leg up for 45 seconds while twisting to the right and grabbing your right foot that might be torture.  But with the right teacher you will be able to do the yoga that is being taught in the class and you will walk out saying, “That is exactly what I needed.”

There are so many different types of yoga and yoga is only regulated when it is trade-marked and there are licenses to teach otherwise yoga class definitions vary.  Classes with the same names can vary greatly.

I am not saying to go to a class that is way beyond your level, but I am suggesting to try something you may not have normally thought of doing.  As I said, you might end up getting what you really need when you don’t go after what you want.

What type of yoga do you normally do?  What classes have your tried?

Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

He Got Me With Something New

Posted by terrepruitt on August 18, 2015

Oh my!  I bet you are relieved to hear that I only took a few pictures of the Nia event.  I say that because I took so many of the last two events that I couldn’t decide which ones to post, so I posted a lot.  In March Jason came to town and taught his Nia routine Frankie Say Nia and a Nia FreeDance Playshop.  We had a great time.  You can see pictures and videos on my posts What Did Frankie Say?, Dancing, Learning, Posting, Editing, The Nia FreeDance Playshop Was Awesome!, and What Do You Mean Nia FreeDance Tool?.  This time Jason was driving through California again so I invited him back to do what he is calling Franking Say Redux.  It is so fun.  One of the things he said was that we were going to do things we had never done before.  I teach Nia so I thought that was a tall order and I shared my skepticism.  But I was also eager to see what that might be.  Well, a song or two in he had us doing . . . . something I had never done before.  And I said, “Alright, here it is!”

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia at the San Jose Community Centers, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia TechniqueSo even though he was here in March and we did the same routine he did it a little different.  While he traveled throughout the United States he adjusted it.  Plus sometimes part of what a Nia Teacher does while teaching is adjust moves or what we say to encourage different movement.  The move was not only new to me but it was so funny I had to laugh while I was doing it.  It was a Cat Stance Tail Wag with Jazz Hands.  Now, if you know what that is get up and do it.  It is hilarious.  You don’t even need music to get a giggle out of it.  I am sure part of my laughter came from the fact that we were doing other things leading up to or right after the move that doing it was almost a joke because there was just so much going on!

Some of you may need a reminder:  a cat stance is balancing on one leg while the other leg is up, a tail wag is when you wag your tail (I like to do it with a release in my spine), and Jazz Hands are your fingers spread wide.  Yeah.  Ha, ha, ha.  Try it!

Loved it.  I can’t remember what was before or after, but I know the whole thing was very funny.

We had a small group, but we had a great time.  My supportive husband even joined us.  Jason is always fun and we always learn something.  I think I will just have to keep inviting him back until you come and see for yourself.

Doing something new is such a great way to stimulate the brain and with that the nervous system.  Doing something new and having it be physical is a way to stimilate the brain, nervous stystem, and the whole entire body.  Jason had us doing all kinds of stimulating things.  It was very fun.

Does your exercise class stimulate your brain?  Do you do knew things?

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Seven Possibly Memory Helpers

Posted by terrepruitt on June 23, 2015

I think that with our busy life styles and the fact that there are multiple ways to communicate and multiple devices that which can draw our attention we might feel very forgetful at times.  But really how can we forget what we never really (REALLY) paid attention to?  Sometimes I am on autopilot . . . my muscles can do things while I am not even paying much attention to the task.  While I am brushing my teeth I might be thinking about what I am going to wear.  While I am gathering my clothes, I could be thinking about the next task.  While I am getting dressed I could be thinking about the Nia routine I am going to teach.  I grab my phone and put it in my purse while I am thinking about something else.  Then I step outside and wonder, “Do I have my phone?”  Then I blame it on my memory.  I FORGOT I grabbed it and stuck it in my purse.  But I don’t always believe it is memory, I think it is more that I wasn’t paying attention to the fact that I put my phone in my purse.  I really believe that so much multi-tasking makes us believe we have bad memories.  Or the fact that we have so much on our minds already, makes us think we have bad memories.  But whatever the case, I know that I don’t mind doing things thought to help our brains remember.  There is advice out there on ways to improve your memory or prevent memory loss.

The  Mayo Clinic has a list of seven things to help the memory.  I bet you have heard them before, but . . . I also bet it doesn’t hurt to be reminded:

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia at the San Jose Community Centers, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo1-Stimulate your brain and memory by staying mentally active.

Reading, doing brain puzzles, driving a different route to a familiar place, or learning how to play a musical instrument are ways to keep that brain active.  The idea would not necessarily be for you to play a concert or a recital, but the act of learning keeps that brain stimulated.

2-Being social not only helps your brain, but it can help stave off depression and stress.  If you are lucky enough to be social with close friends then it is a huge benefit to your well-being.

3-Being organized is a great way to help keep the “I forget everything” feeling at bay.  If you have a calendar to keep track of appointments and social events that helps you stay on track.  Also if yourliving space is organized you won’t find yourself misplacing things.  Certain things you use often or need on your way out should have a place; keys and wallet, for example.  If you always put them in one spot you won’t wonder where they are when you are about to walk out the door.

Being organized can also help you focus as you will not be wondering around looking for your keys you will know exactly where they are and be able to be aware.

4-Getting enough good quality sleep.  I believe sleep is good for so many things.  This is the time that our body gets to rest from the go-go-go of the day.  It is also a time where our mind, emotions, and self get to rest.  We are bombarded all day long with so many things . . . it is nice to let our bodies rest.

5-Eating healthy food.  Our bodies need nutrients to run properly so a healthy diet will help our brain function.

6-Exercising is also thought to help keep memory loss at bay.  This is due to the fact that exercise helps so many systems.  If your body is healthy this could contribute to a healthy brain/memory.  If the physical activity you do is something that requires skill, then you are putting your brain to work and that could be a double whammy.  If the exercise you do is something that you really like, then that could contribute to your mental well-being and that could be one way that exercise helps.

7-“Manage chronic conditions

Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations for any chronic conditions, such as depression or kidney or thyroid problems. The better you take care of yourself, the better your memory is likely to be. In addition, review your medications with your doctor regularly. Various medications can impact memory.”

As you probably know, the brain is still a large mystery.  Science learns more everyday, but the cause of memory loss and diseases like Alzheimer’s are still unknown.  So they come up with a list of things we can do that they think might help.

And Yup, heard them before, right?  But . . . how many of them do you do?  Do you think that these things can perhaps help your memory?

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

My Organization of the Choreography for Close to My Skin

Posted by terrepruitt on April 16, 2015

The current Nia routine I am trying to learn is taking me a long time.  I have mentioned before that I feel it takes me a long time to learn a routine, but this one seems even longer.  The first thing I do is listen to the music.  I had been doing so for a couple of weeks, then I got busy for a couple of days and hadn’t turned it on.  When I went to the album in my iTunes I was shocked to see I had never listened past the sixth song.  In fact, at that point I had never made it through the entire sixth song (that is how annoying it is).  So I realized I needed to watch the Nia Training DVD.  Watching the choreography usually helps me get through a song that I don’t like because it gives me points of reference.  But this workout is filmed where the teacher and class are FACING the camera.  I don’t like this since I primarily teach with my back towards the class.  Back to the class really helps people copy the moves because they don’t have the whole “mirroring” issue to resolve.  When I am trying to learn a routine and the people on the DVD are facing me, I don’t care for it.  I do it as mirror, they are using their left foot and I am using my right, so I go right when they say “Go left”.   All trainers sometimes state the opposite side or direction, but when they are actually USING the left, but I am mirroring them, it confuses my brain.  In addition to the camera angle challenge (for me) this particular song is said to be a different version than they thought they were getting.  So the choreography appears to be being created as the routine is being filmed.  So it is very loose.  I often feel that Debbie Rosas, in her brilliance, has so many ideas about choreography for one song that she sometimes shares them all during the filming and there ends up being a lot of moves in one song.  I am grateful that the belts I have taken thus far have emphasized “less is more” and we have permission to pick a couple of moves from the song on the DVD and do them to the song.  So that is what I did with one of the songs.  I picked a few of the moves she did and organized them into something I can learn.

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I will work on learning it this way.  Although I will need a lot of practice because the song tends to mesmerize me and I lose my place.  Hopefully as I grow more familiar with the moves and music I can play with it as the Debbie did. Since I don’t watch the DVDs that are filmed with the class facing front as many times as I watch the other ones I need to have a map I can follow from the get go.  That is also the case for me when the song is very long and repetitive.  I need to have a pattern, even then I can get lost in a song like this.  And as I mentioned — just listening to it, trying to learn the song itself is not something I have been able to do.  Every time I turn it on to learn it, half way through I am so annoyed by it, I turn it off.  But moving to it is another thing.  That is why when I don’t like a song, I look to the choreography because often times when the choreography makes sense it allows me to get through the song.  More often than not I end up liking the song.  We will see what happens with this song.  It is like a dripping faucet.

Except for the class and the trainer facing the camera and the song titles not being shown as each song begins, the Nia training material continues to be stellar.  At the end of 2014, Nia HQ put out the new Routines.  I had ordered three earlier in the year, I just received the fourth one.  I am going to add the titles in with the AWESOME software I have on trial.  I have to do it before my 30 days is up.  Then I will continue learning the routine I am working on.  I will debut it to my class soon.

When you take group exercise classes do you like the instructor to face you?  Have you ever noticed how a lot of songs are very repetitive?

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