Posts Tagged ‘Pilates’
Posted by terrepruitt on August 18, 2011
One of my favorite workouts DVD besides my Nia routines is a ten minute one. It might be considered an old one as it is from 2004, but I love it. They always sell these things as a “Don’t have time to exercise” type of thing, but doing only a ten minute workout all the time won’t get you far. As I have said before when I was sharing my little ten minute workout in June, it is good when that is all you have time for but only every once in a while, honestly more is needed to reach fitness and health goals. This DVD, done by Lara Hudson, has five ten minute workouts on it. It has capability built into the DVD that allows you to play one workout or pick more than one to make a longer workout and they will play right in a row. You don’t have to start one, do it, then manually start another. When you set up the workout you pick the order you want them to play in. You can even pick one workout twice so you can do it two times.
The five workouts are an ab workout, a buns and thighs workout, an arm workout, a cardio workout, and a flexibility workout. There are about 10 exercises per workout — even with the leg workout. The number of times you do each exercise varies from 4 to 12.
I’ve actually only done the cardio workout once or twice because I prefer to do Nia or Turbo Jam as my cardio. I also like to do more than 10 minutes of cardio, but it could be that all of these together would work for you.
Lara has an easy way about her. The instruction is clear and easy to follow. Some times in her instructions she ends the word in a high tone and it never fails to make me laugh. She is pleasant to work out to. She also is very good at reminding you throughout the video to concentrate on each movement. She often says, “Controoool.” in a way that encourages you to keep the movement controlled. Precision is another key to Pilates and she does a good job getting you to remember that, too.
In the ab workout there are various sit-ups and leg lifts. There are roll ups and roll overs. Lara is very clear with her instruction regarding breathing, which is very helpful. This workout is done lying down.
The leg workout is done on the floor also. It contains the usual leg lifts and bridges, and maybe some other exercises that are not so usual. This workout has you do a set of exercises for one leg, then switch to the other leg. Then there is another set you do for each leg. Even though the workout is only ten minutes the pacing is nice and you really are able to get through about 10 different exercises.
They call the arm workout “Sculpting Pilates”. It is bicep curls and triceps extensions. There is shoulder and back work in there too. There might be some exercises in each workout that are new to you, but nothing to drastic. For this workout the basic stance is the Pilates V, heels together with the feet forming a V. At times we separate the feet, but most of it is done standing in the V.
The cardio portion of this DVD is a series of planks, push ups, curls, dipping lunges, leg lifts, swimmers, and mermaids. As with all of the workouts the flow is nice and Lara keeps you moving reasonable pace. Also, as with all the workouts, she gets a stretch in there. It isn’t a long stretch but just enough to help you “reset” if you need to.
The flexibility one consists of the cat and the cow, and other stretches that really get pretty much every part of your body — all in ten minutes.
I think this is a GREAT little Pilates workout DVD. It could even be a nice way to start to doing Pilates. If you have never done Pilates this could give you an idea of what to expect if you were to go to a class. It could help you learn a bit of the concentration and breathing. I really like this DVD. I feel it is a great addition to any workout program. It allows you to do from 10 minutes to 50 minutes in the order you want.
Have you ever done Pilates?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: a buns and thighs workout, a cardio workout, ab workout, an arm workout, bridges, cardio workout, cat and the cow, center, concentration, control, flexibility workout, flow, full body stretch, leg lifts, lunges, Nia, Nia DVD, Nia exercise, Nia routine, Nia workout, Pilates, Pilates exercises, Pilates V, Pilates workout, planks, precision, sculpting exercises, sculpting workout, ten minute workout | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 18, 2011
For this Ten Minute Workout, our triceps extension is going over the head with dumbbells. I have posted in the past a way to use a weighted bar lying down. For this exercise use the amount of weight that is appropriate for your own individual goals, so that could mean you use two dumbbells or one. Hold the weights behind your head. Your neck is comfortable and relaxed, it is NOT being pushed forward. Your elbows are pointing up at the sky, which for me puts my forearms right at my ears. Keeping your upper arms still, “push”/move the weights toward the sky. Don’t swing the weights, just bring them up, only your elbow joints move. Your shoulder joints don’t move, your upper arms are still. You are also concentrating on keeping your shoulders down**. They should not rise up to the ears or become scrunched. They stay down. The movement is not a swing. Momentum is not used to complete this exercise. Please be very, very careful of your head and neck.
Since this exercise is right after the sit ups and right before the push ups in the ten minute workout. I do it from a kneeling position. Since I am kneeling, I position myself up right with a straight back. Your torso does not need to move in this exercise. Remember, the triceps are doing the work, so no swing and no momentum and that includes your body.
**(Shoulders “down” tip) I was once told by a Pilates instructor – to assist with keeping my shoulders down – imagine putting my shoulder blades in my back pockets. Which really just means to pull your shoulder blades down. I used to habitually bring my shoulders up to my ears, by using the thought of my shoulder BLADES instead of actually concentrating on my shoulders I keep my shoulders down without feeling as if I am be pushed down. To me, the body sensation is different. I feel it improves my posture because it is bringing my shoulders down AND back no matter when I employ the method. But, yes, I still have to remember to do it. 🙂
With all that there is to do in this exercise, this is not necessarily one that you do fast. Sometimes fast might mean hitting yourself in the head with the weight. (I would imagine. I mean, of course, I’ve NEVER done that. 🙂 ) So take your time and don’t rush. You have ten whole minutes to do ten reps of ten exercises.
Got it? Let me know what questions you have. Or how this works for you.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: elbow joint, Pilates, Pilates exercise, Pilates instructor, posture improvement, push-ups, sit ups, Sit-up, ten minute workout, ten minutes of exercise, Tricep exercise, triceps, triceps extention | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 5, 2011
I teach Nia. I found Nia while looking on the internet for a workout that was exercise as well as dance. Dance is exercise and with so many people enjoying dancing I was hoping to find a combination of both that I could teach. Nia is a non-impact cardio dance. The “non-impact” often causes people to think that it is low intensity, but with Nia you regulate your own intensity. Nia was created using The Body’s Way, and designed so that you can practice is in Your Body’s Way. So participants receive the workout their body needs at that moment.
I believe that is one of the great things about Nia, but it is also one of the things that greatly challenge people. Some people do not know how to listen to their own bodies and give them what they need. They are accustomed to being told what they need and what to do. So Nia might not be for everyone. But there is something out there that is.
In the Fall 2010 issue of Conscious Dancer, they shared 100 modes of movement. They highlighted movements from A-Z. They pointed out AcroYoga, AlivEmotion, BeachDance, Bellyfit, Biodanza, Chakradance, Dancing with Pain, DolphinDance, 5Rhythms, Gyrotonic Expansion System, Hoop Dance, InterPlay, Jazzercise, Laughter Yoga, Nia, Pilates, Shake Your Soul, Soul Motion, SpritisDancing, Trance Dance, Wowzacise, Yoga Booty Ballet, YogaFit, Zumba, and more.
From yoga to yoga dancing, spiritual exercise, water workouts, healing, structured, non-structured, standing, sitting, rolling, running, jumping, bouncing, everything from here to there and anything you can thing of and more. So what is your excuse? Maybe there isn’t a Nia class in your area or that is convenient to you or your schedule. What about a Zumba class? Get some of your Latin on. Zumba not your thing? What about BellyFit? Maybe there is a class near you and a form of fitness that has a bit of yoga, meditation, and Pilates in it is something you would like? Laughter Yoga (who doesn’t like to laugh?) is in 60 countries. Maybe you would like the group type of moving mediation that is 5Rhytms. Or you wanna take it back to your childhood circling your hips and other body parts in a Hoop Dance. Have you tried Jazzercise lately? Even though it has been around since the 60’s it has kept up with the times. Like Nia, you learn that the joy of dance that is Shake Your Soul can be a healing experience. What about Wowzacise? Created by Wowza it is a form of fitness done on different size stability balls. Yoga Booty Ballet is a set of workouts that is yoga, cardio, and ballet and there are DVDs so you don’t even have to go out to do that one.
See? So as I am often saying there is soooooo much out there. If you don’t like one thing try another. Take into consideration your goals and what you really like to do, then go out there and find it. It has to be there. Even though Nia is for everyBODY, it really is not for everyone, but please find something that is for you and do it and stick to it!
Posted in Exercise and Working Out, Nia | Tagged: 5Rhythms, ballet, Bellyfit, Biodanza, cardio, cardio dance, Chakradance, Councious Dancer, dance exercise, Dance Workout, DolphinDance, Gyrotonic, healing, Hoop Dance, http://www.consciousdancer.com/, InterPlay, Jazzercise, Laughter Yoga, meditation, modes of movement, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia workout, non impact ardio dance, non impact workout, Pilates, Soul Motion, spiritual exercise, SpritisDancing, trance dance, water workouts, Wowzacise, Yoga, Yoga Booty Ballet, yoga dancing, YogaFit, Your Body's Way. AcroYoga, Zumba | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 30, 2010
With Nia you get a workout. It is not necessary to have any experience in any type of dance modality or martial arts, or any type of practice (Yoga, Pilates, etc.). Any BODY can walk into a class and join in and following their own body’s way get a great workout.
In the Nia practice there are three stages. So if you want you can take your workout into these areas. The stages are:
1—Learn the Move
When you learn the move you are learning the name, you are thinking about the move. The concentration is on placing your feet in the proper place, learning where your limbs are supposed to be. Maybe trying some of the different intensity levels and the different planes. This is the stage where you are actually doing a lot of thinking.
2—Move the Move
This is the stage we you move the move. You are doing a routine and just moving. Getting the moves into your muscle memory. Your body is learning the move. Here is where you are learning the combinations. This stage is where you let your body lead and you don’t think too much. The body has an intelligence of its own and if you let it sense it can flow.
3—Energize the Move
This is the stage that you can achieve once your body knows the move. This stage could be during a song the first time you do it, if you feel comfortable and your body senses the moves you might be able to just put the energy into it from one of the Nine Movement Forms. Or it could be the stage you get to once you have done the song a few times. It really depends on the you. It depends on how you feel and how you sense the music. But this is where we really get to play with our routines, where we can energize with the energy of T’ai Chi, Tae Kwon Do, Jazz Dance, or Yoga.
This weekend (10/03/10), in Willow Glen/San Jose I am holding a Nia Playshop where we will Learn the Move. We are going to play with some of the moves that make up the 52 Moves of Nia. Then after we are going to have a Nia Class where we Move the Move. Since we will have spent an hour Learning the Moves I am hoping that some of you will be able to Energize the moves. See you Sunday!
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 52 Moves of Nia, Jazz Dance, Nia class, Nia Class in San Jose, Nia Playshop, Nia Practice, Nia Willow Glen, Nia workout, Nine Movement Forms, Pilates, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Nia practice, San Jose Pilates, San Jose Yoga, Tae kwon do, Tai Chi, Willow Glen Nia, Willow Glen Workout, Yoga | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 8, 2009
With the Turbo Jam DVD set you get five workouts. Learn and Burn, 20 Minute, Turbo Sculpt, Cardio Party, and Ab Jam.
With the Ab Jam you get the jacket saying the workout is 20 minutes. Timer starts it out at 18:53.
Chalene Johnson says it is 10 minutes standing and 10 minutes on the ground. First there is a tiny warm up then the exercise consist of ab movements. Basically you are bending from side to side and bending forward. But if you are just doing the motion and not actually putting the effort of contracting your abs then it is just movement and you won’t get any contraction type of benefit. As Chalene says it is not “leaning to the side, it is crunching”. So you have to bend but make sure you are getting in the isometric contraction.
The movement includes some of the moves that Chalene calls her “Elite Eleven”. The Turbo Tuck and the row are examples. She also gets some squats and balance exercises in there.
I originally purchased this set of DVDs because it claimed to have standing ab work and it does!
With 9:20 left you’re on the floor. She moves the first exercise from standing to the floor, so you are doing the tuck, then traditional crunches. Here you can clearly see the different intensity levels.
The music has changed from dance music to a more middle-eastern flair. Even though the style has changed Chalene manages to get some grooving in there. I am convinced she loves to dance.
Some on the advanced ab work is done with your feet off the floor. Legs straight in the air or legs in “tabletop” (bent at the knee) as they call it in Pilates.
At the 4:00 minutes mark the routine changes and she has the punches included with the crunch.
When the routine has the ol’ hands-behind-your-head-elbows-out-to-the side cross over crunches she reminds you that you are actually leading with your shoulder and NOT your elbow because that is how you really work the abs.
With a little over a minute and a half left you are sitting up and working your abs with your feet off the ground and your knees going to one side then the other.
At about 20 seconds left you do down dog and child pose.
That is the Ab Jam routine in the five workout series of Turbo Jam.
So here in San Jose, where we normally have nice mild weather it has been cold and doing a workout DVD might be an alternative to going out and doing the regular walk, jog, or run. This DVD was not a cardio workout, but, it still gets your blood pumping and has a variety of ab exercises in it.
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: ab exercises, Cardio Party, Pilates, San Jose, San Jose exercise, San Jose Pilates, San Jose Workout, Turbo Jam, Turbo Sculpt, workout | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 3, 2009
A Nia workout includes elements from three disciplines from three different arts.
From the healing arts, we use moves and ideals from Yoga. As with all the movement forms incorporated into Nia, Nia does not claim to be practicing Yoga. It is understood that years of studying and practice can be involved in the practice of Yoga, and Nia respects that, that is why I say that we “use move and ideals”. Nia recognizes the benefits that can result from Yoga and with that does its best to utilize some of its amazing power. Nia calls Yoga “The Conscious Dance of Alignment”.* It helps with the proper alignment of the bones. It also assists in increasing flexibility for all fitness levels.
We use the aspects of Yoga to help find balance in the body. In Nia we can also call upon the focus that is evident in Yoga.
The White Belt Manual 3/2001 V3 states:
Witness the value this form provides to increasing and restoring the natural flow of energy throughout the entire body. Recognize the specific principles that help to clear and calm the mind, bring balance to the nervous system, improve breath and posturing, and strengthen specific body parts. Acknowledge the way Yoga unifies the body, mind, spirit, and emotional being, and how the internal, core body becomes soft and supple to provide real “energy” strength from the inside out.
So we might do some exercises of twists, bends, and poses in our workout, it is to help increase strength, flexibility, alignment and our conscious connection.
The breathing in Nia reminds me more of Pilates than to Yoga. We inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, often times sounding. I have not participated in a Yoga class that does chanting or is vocal so that is why I am reminded more of Pilates than Yoga.
Many of Nia’s teachers are also Yoga instructors or they attend Yoga classes. I sometimes attend a Yoga class in San Jose. The two forms of movement are a great compliment to each other.
***V3 of The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas
Posted in Movement Forms of Nia, Nia | Tagged: Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, exercise class, movement class, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia Movement, Nia Practice, Nia San Jose, Nia Teacher, Nia Technique, Nia White Belt, Nia workout, Nia Yoga, Pilates, Pilates breathing, Pilates class, Pilates San Jose, San Jose Nia, San Jose Yoga, sounding, White Belt, White Belt Manual, workout class, Yoga, Yoga chanting, yoga classes, Yoga Exercies, Yoga exercises, yoga instructor, Yoga Nia, yoga poses, yoga pracitce, Yoga San Jose, yoga stretches, yoga teacher, Yoga workout | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 25, 2009
Here are the main points to the 12 tips to help you move with Nia. These tips are taken from The Nia Technique a book written by the creators of Nia, Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas. The book can help you better understand how Nia can be is a great workout and can be just a workout or practice, like yoga and Pilates are practices.
~Use visual imagery to make movements feel natural.
~Combine small movements with large movements.
~Use your Base, Core, Upper Extremities, breath and voice to add energy and power to your moves.
~Use a variety of speeds.
~Use your joints to move energy.
~Use breath to start and stop the flow of energy.
~Add intensity to your movements by sinking lower and rising higher.
~Shift your body weight–don’t drop it—
~Add emotion to every motion.
~Use your fingers and hands to express how movements make you feel.
~Use your voice as you move, to activate your abdominal muscles.
~Lead your head movements with your eye movements.
While nothing compares to the energy of a live class, the book is a great way to get started or to get you acquainted with Nia.
These are great tips to help you get more from your workout yet also help it feel less like exercise.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 12 tips, 12 tips to move with Nia, Carlos Rosos, creators of Nia, Debbie Rosas, exercise, Nia, Nia Practice, Pilates, Pilates practice, San Jose, San Jose exercise, San Jose Pilates, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, The Nia Technique, The Nia Technique book, workout, Yoga, Yoga Practice | 8 Comments »
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