Posts Tagged ‘Nia workout’
Posted by terrepruitt on April 8, 2010
I am using today to post My Easter in pictures.
I started out the day doing my Nia workout. . . . thank God, I got my workout in before brunch.
We went to a friends in San Jose. It was a small gathering so I thought it would be pretty causal, and it was, sort of, this was the spread that met us . . . . pretty fancy, but very relaxed.
We probably could have stayed there visiting all day, but we had to rush off to an early dinner.
We went straight from brunch to dinner in Milpitas. Since the family was done with dinner this is from dinner.
We had a good day. Good food and visiting with friends and family. Very nice. What did you do? What are your traditions?
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: cardio workout, Easter, Easter Brunch, Milpitas Cardio, Milpitas Nia, Milpitas workout, Nia, Nia cardio, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, San Jose Cardio, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 23, 2010
If you are going to get deeper into Nia–taking it further than a workout and even further than a practice, if you are going to attend a Nia Intensive, you will be introduced to the triads. Nia has a method of grouping things together in threes to assist in the learning of the information. I think that it is a pretty good tool to use. It helps organize things into little manageable packets.
Each principle in the Nia White Belt has a triad. Some triads have three additional triads to help further explain the principle. It is all packaged so wonderfully I just love it.
I have posts about Principle #2 Natural Time and the Movement Forms. Here is an example of what the Art Forms Triad may look like. Each art form has three movement forms.
Now, honestly, participating in a Nia Intensive is so delicious I don’t want to take away from all that you will be experiencing so this does not have all the information that you would see if you were to attend an intensive. With the principles and points on a triad there are usually catch phrases and other things to assist you in learning. This is just an somewhat striped down version so that you can have an idea of what I am talking about.
Also, with all of my talk and posts and tweets and pages about Nia, I am wanting to share with you a glimpse of the richness that is Nia. There is a lot of knowledge that Debbie and Carlos want to share and they have created or commissioned to be created some wonderful and beautiful tools in order for anyone who wants to learn can use.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Carlos AyaRosas, Debbie and Carlos, delicious Nia, Natural Time and the Movement Forms, Nia, Nia Movement Forms, Nia Practice, Nia principles, Nia Triads, Nia White Belt, Nia workout, Principle #2, Triads | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 18, 2010
My husband does the grocery shopping. I know, cool, huh? Sometimes, when he is busy, I will do it. On my way home from teaching a Nia class on Wednesday, I decided to stop by the store.
Now, the store that is most convenient to us in San Jose we can’t always go to because they have bad milk and, I believe that my husband told me they also don’t have the bread I like. So we drive a little bit out of our way to go to the store where we can buy milk that will is not sour and bread that is what I like.
While standing in the bread isle I almost had to call my Hubby because I forgot what kind of bread we get. As I am scanning the packages I see this.
Oh yeah! THAT IS the bread that we get. But, I did a little dance because of that bright yellow label. See that is one of the reasons why that is the bread we get. The label made me happy.
Then while I was standing in line I was even made more happy because I was able to share with a woman in line why I looked like I just worked out (because I did) AND tell her about Nia. Awesome!
But, Honey, if you are reading this, I still don’t like grocery shopping. 🙂 It can still be “your job”. (Thanks, btw.)
Posted in Food | Tagged: bad milk, Bread Dance, Earthgrain bread, grocery shopping, happy, Happy Dance, HFCS, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Nia, Nia class, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Safeway, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, San Jose Workout class, Savemart, teaching Nia, Wednesday Nia Class, work out | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 16, 2010
First of all I thought it was Daylight SavingS Time. It is Daylight Saving Time. I am not a fan. I don’t know if they have ever done studies on it, but I don’t think it is good for our bodies to just up and change the time. And I REALLY don’t think that after 21 years it was a good idea to change the times of year that we adjust the time. I honestly believe that for the past four years I have had a VERY difficult time adjusting to the new times of year.
Let me share with you why I am not a fan and I do not think that changing the time is good for a body — at least mine. I am a night person. I am “more awake” at night than in the morning. Around 9:00 at night is when I begin to get my energy. When it is light later . . . it takes me even longer to wind down. It is very difficult to convince my body that it is night time when it is light out still.
A little history:
Daylight Saving Time had been observed in the United States spottily since 1918. From February 9, 1942 until September 30, 1945 it was observed all year long. Daylight Saving Time was not consistently observed for 21 years (from 1945 to 1966) because there was no federal law.
In 1966 the law stated DST ran from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, but states could pass a law of their own if they didn’t want to follow DST.
Then in 1974 an emergency act was passed setting the clocks ahead on January 6, 1974. It was amended on October 27, 1974 returning the clocks back to Standard Time. Then DST was observed from February 23, 1975 through October 26, 1975.
Then from 1986 to 2007 the United States observed DST from 2:00 am on the first Sunday of April until at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.
After 21 years in 2007 it was changed to: DST beginning 2:00 am. on the second Sunday of March to 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. So for over half my life, my body has been operating on a specific time frame for the time change and I can tell you that after four years, it is still not used to the change.
Hawaii and Arizona are among the states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time.
I was very fortunate that people love Nia and don’t let this time change affect them. The first morning of the time change I had a Sunday Nia class in San Jose as a follow up to a health fair I attended in Cupertino the day before. It was fabulous the students that showed up to get in their first workout of the DST! We had a great time.
What do you think about Daylight Saving Time? What do you think about the change? Or more accurately, what do you FEEL? How are you feeling when we change the time?
Or better yet, I wanna know, are you one of those people who efficiently goes around and changes all your clocks? Or do you do the math on a few until you just get tired of that and change them?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Arizona, Cupertino Nia, Daylight Saving Time, Daylight Savings Time, DST, Hawaii, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia Cupertino, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, observe DST, San Jose Nia classes, Standard Time | 9 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 9, 2010
I don’t really like tomatoes. I have never liked tomatoes. I used to NOT eat pizza because of the tomato sauce. Spaghetti and tomato sauce? Forget about it. BUT . . . . tomatoes are really good for you. And so I try to eat them and I try them every once in a while.
Since they are good for you I think they make a healthy snack. This is what I had as a snack prior to doing a Nia workout.
I don’t really like them so I add a little special seasoning (pre-made garlic and salt mix).
Tomatoes contain antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and iron. They are even touted as having cancer fighting properties. Amazing for a fruit with so little calories. Do you like tomatoes?
Posted in Food, Fruit | Tagged: healthy snack, Nia, Nia workout, tomato, Tomatoes | 8 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 27, 2010
El Camino Hospital sponsored a Free Health Fair today (February 27, 2010). It was in one of the ballrooms at the Santa Clara Convention Center. There was various Health Screenings. I didn’t actually get any done because I just didn’t feel like waiting in the lines. Although there were plenty of people that were willing to stand in the lines in the interest of learning about their health.
There was various demonstrations and audience participation dances going on. On TWO stages. It was very interesting and very loud since they had the “main stage” and the “side stage” set up right next to each other.
I was able to do a little Zumba, which I have done before. But I didn’t have the right shoes so it made it difficult. I should have stayed to do the yoga that was on the stage right after us. But I didn’t want to keep my photographer waiting that long.
A fellow Nia teacher was invited to do a demonstration of Nia so she had asked people to join her. I am not sure how many people were there from her invitation or how many were there because they joined us, but I think it turned out to be a good crowd. I would say there was at least 30 people. So many so that they did not all fit on the little dance floor she was given.
It was a great thing. I believe that a lot of people were introduced to Nia. I am thankful to Anita for doing this for us.
My husband came along to get some pictures. He was taking pictures of me and we confirmed that our camera is not able to take good action shots in low light. Here are a few. Thank you for looking.
I hope that next year El Camino Hospital sponsor another Day of Dance and you come out to see that dancing is a great way to workout out and a very fun way to get your exercise on!
You can find information regarding my classes in San Jose and San Carlos on my web site (click here).
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Anita Christensen, dance classes, dance exercise, Dance Workout, exercise, Nia Classes, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia exericse, Nia San Carlos, Nia San Francisco, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, San Carlos, San Carlos exercise, San Carlos exercise classes, San Carlos Nia, San Carlos Workout, San Francisco exercise, San Francisco exercise classes, San Francisco Nia, San Francisco workout, San Jose exercise, San Jose exercise classes, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, San Jose Zumba, San Jose Zumba classes, San Jose Zumba exercise, Yoga, Yoga San Jose, Zumba San Jose | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 23, 2010
When we do a Nia routine we set a focus and an intent. In my classes I set a class focus and intent but participants are always welcome to set their own. To focus on whatever they need at that moment. I am not sure if I have mentioned it before on my blog, but a focus and an intent can greatly alter the Nia routine. Recently I subbed a Nia class for another Nia teacher, in a different part of San Jose. I had planned and practiced the routine I wanted to teach. I had a feeling that the teacher had taught it because it is a new routine and a lot of teachers tend to start teaching those right away. When I arrived I announced to the class that I would be teaching Sexi. A few of the women, voiced some concerns. They mentioned that their shoulders hurt. They said that it was the routine that made their shoulders hurt.
Well, there is so much to be said about that. Nia is designed specifically NOT to hurt. So it could be that their shoulders had been pushed too hard, but not by the routine. 🙂 It could be that their shoulders weren’t injured but were just sore. Sometimes soreness, because it is a form of “pain”, is perceived as pain that one needs to be concerned about because there is an injury instead of just the “pain” that comes with moving a body part that has not been moved in a long time or has been moved in a way it is not accustomed to. And that is just a FEW things that can be said. At the beginning of a class where there is other classes that follow and a group of people to be attended it is not always possible to give each individual personal attention required—as they would get from a personal training session. So what I suggested was for them to NOT move so vigorously.
Before we started, I gave them the option of changing the routine. I would have gladly done a different Nia routine in order for them to have a good time in their workout and to not be doing a routine they were tired of or a routine they felt injured them. But they said that it was ok, I could do Sexi. And I was so happy, because I knew it would be different. I advised them that even though we were going to do the same routine, we were going to use a different focus.
The original focus of Sexi is the spine. When the spine is mentioned one thing people might think of is the back. Even though this routine employs many movements to move the spine, with the focus being the spine one might be thinking “back”.
Well, I changed the focus to the front. The focus I set forth was actually the Fourth Chakra, the Heart Chakra. And I read out of the Nia Technique Book, as Debbie Rosas is always encouraging us to do. The book states that this energy center is affected most by the motions of your rib cage and chest. With that information it moved the physical focus to the front.
So we danced Sexi. We danced Sexi sexy. Oh yeah. With our focus being the heart chakra and the intention being to allow a connection with love, compassion, joy, and sorrow–we danced.
While we danced I reminded the group to be aware of their shoulders and to try NOT to move them in the way that caused the pain. Afterwards, the ones that had voiced concerns said they were glad that we did it. They were able to do the same routine, but change the focus and therefore changing the routine. I love that about Nia. Because the focus is different the same routine is different. Because I am different the routine is different. Because the moves are basically the same, but the focus is different they were able to get an entirely different workout. Just another wonderful aspect of Nia.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: dance, Dance Workout, Debbie Rosas, focus and intent, fourth chakra, heart chakra, joy, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia routine, Nia San Jose, Nia Technique, Nia Technique Book, Nia workout, personal training, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Nia Workout, San Jose Personal training, San Jose Workout, Sexi, Sexy, workout classes | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 20, 2010
I subbed a Nia class in another part of San Jose today and so I had a different group of participants, and the routine we did today has a lot of bows in it. Watching the class do the bow stance made me think of how a bow is somewhat of a lunge. Reminded me how we really do work a lot of muscles in our Nia workouts with all of the different exercises we do. The bow stance is one of Nia’s 52 Moves.
Did you know you Quadriceps are made up for four muscles? Maybe, but since we always say, “quads” we might be thinking of them as one muscle. Of course, when we stop to think about it we understand that “quad” means four so it makes sense that quadriceps is four muscles.
Basically they work together. It is not as if you can work just one. Our quads extend the leg and flex the thigh. They move our thigh towards our chest and kick our foot out (as an example). Quads would be included in a “Push” workout. Lunges and squats target the quadriceps.
I am pretty sure you knew that the quadriceps were four muscles, but I thought I would just remind you.
Posted in Muscles | Tagged: bows stance, class workout, exercise class, exercise routine, lunges, Muscles, Nia class, Nia exercise, Nia routine, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, push workout, Quadriceps, quads, San Jose exercise, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, squats | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 9, 2010
Nia is a workout, and a great one at that. It is fun and interesting. We get to play and move our bodies and work our muscles. Our exercise consists of all types of movements.
Presently I teach at two facilities. I teach in San Jose at a dance studio where I rent time by the hour. And I teach at a city recreation department. Here is a picture of my class. This is my San Carlos City Park and Recreation class. This is not all of them, but the ones that were there a few minutes before class.
I took this picture because I wanted to document this. I am posting it on my blog because I want to document this and share it.
For me, Nia is a workout, but it is more. It is a journey. I am learning a lot with these ladies. I am learning a lot with this space. I am learning a lot on this particular path of my journey and I wanted to have record of it.
I asked for permission to post this, but I didn’t get anything signed so I will not be naming anyone, but we are having fun. These ladies are on a Nia journey with me too.
We are starting a new session next week, and I have agreed to do more after that, but this one is special because it is the first one. The first one for me, the first one for San Carlos, and the first one for a lot of these women. I have been contacted by some men and hope to have them in our future sessions, but for now it is just us girls.
I am posting this to remember and honor these wonderful women who are on a wonderful journey with me. Cheers to us!
Posted in Nia | Tagged: muscle exercise, Nia, Nia class, Nia exercise, Nia journey, Nia San Jose, Nia studio, Nia workout, San Carlos, San Carlos Workout, San Jose Dance Studio, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Workout, teach Nia | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 4, 2010
I always get questions about the Nia Routines. Are teachers given the routines? Do teachers make up their own routines? How many routines are there? And more. In this post I’ll just cover those three questions.
At the time of this writing there are 18 Nia routines showing on the teacher website for purchase. I know in the 26 years that Nia has been around there have been a lot more. I believe back when Nia started having routines, music rights and all that big business part of music was not an issue. Now, I think, that portion of life has affected Nia and the routines. I think they had to remove some from sale.
A routine is group of songs. I think 8 to 10 is the average, but it depends on the length of the songs. An average Nia workout class is about 55 minutes, give or take a few minutes. At the time of this post Carlos and Debbie were the creators of the routines.
As a teacher, we purchase a routine which includes a DVD disc, a music CD, and an information pamphlet. It is an amazing piece of educational material. This post is not about the fabulous package of material we receive or about learning the routine, it is just general information about Nia routines. But whenever I talk about the Nia routine packages I feel compelled to exclaim how wonderful they are. I will save the explanation of them for another post.
Teachers are encouraged to use their own creativity when leading a routine. Nia routines are very well thought out and put together. It is my understanding that with higher belt levels choreography is discussed, but with White Belts, Nia encourages them to use the routines that Nia has created. But at the same time we are encouraged to do the katas to different music than we are given.
With the encouragement of using our own creativity, I believe comes the impression that we can do things in Natural Time and to me, that means we can adjust routines. A kata might be less aerobic, but if we want to help make it more so we can add cha-cha-chas in place of a regular step, or just do fast side steps instead of a grapevine.
In addition to changing simple steps we are empowered with all of the different Movement Forms. When we employ the energies of the different movement forms they can change the routine dramatically.
I do mix up the katas from various routines to “create” new routines. To me this gives the participants a feeling of doing something new, yet at the same time they are moving to familiar patterns. Or once, I had an out of town friend attending my classes, after the first class, she admitted she couldn’t do turns. Well, if she were going to be my student for any length of time, you know I would put those in and work with her on them, but since she was only going to be in one more class, I put together katas that didn’t have turns so she would enjoy her workout more.
When I do mix it up, I make certain I adhere to the seven cycles of Nia. I also try to make it a well-rounded routine. I love it when I put something together and afterwards the class says, “Ahhh, I really liked that routine, what was it?”
I hope this helped to answer some of the questions about Nia routines. Please let me know if you have other question.
I am going to continue to you invite you, my reader to a Nia class. If you are ever visiting the San Jose/South Bay Area or you are local to me, please, come to one of mine :-). If you are not local, look up a class near you and try Nia in your area.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: aerobic class, aerobic exercise, Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, kata, Natural Time, Nia Belts, Nia choreography, Nia class, Nia Natural Time, Nia routines, Nia San Jose, Nia teachers, Nia White Belt, Nia workout, Nia workout class, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Workout, seven cycles of Nia, White Belt, workout class in San Jose | Leave a Comment »
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