Posts Tagged ‘San Jose Yoga’
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 September 12, 2009
I have only taken two yoga classes. One was this evening and throughout the entire class, while the teacher was instructing I kept thinking, “Oh that is so Nia. Oh this is so Nia. . . . . .Oh THAT is so Nia.” Even though earlier in the class I realized that maybe Nia was “so Yoga”.
Yoga was first. It has been around for thousands of years. For some it is rooted in religion, where as Nia has been around for 25 years and is rooted in the body. I just couldn’t help thinking that this yoga class was so like a Nia class, except much slower. Slower, in the sense that in this class the movement wass not to the music, but to the breath. There was no rhythmic quality to the movement, just the flow of your breath. Every once in awhile I would hear the music and to start sway to it and realize that I was supposed to be holding a pose so I would stop my body from moving but my spirit continued to boogey away.
This yoga class is about joy in yoga, allowing for another comparison, comparing to the first principle of the Nia White Belt which is the Joy of Movement. The Joy of movement is actually found as a sensation and not a feeling. In Nia it is something that is sensed in the body and not felts as an emotion.
The teacher started the class with the suggestion that you set an intention. I actually wiggled with happiness at this because in every Nia class we set a focus and an intent (in cycle one).
This yoga class made me realize why so many people that practice yoga also practice Nia because there are many things in common. In yoga there are poses that open areas of the body, in Nia we have movements and poses that open the body and get the joints juicy. Yoga has muscle strengtheners and ligaments and tendon lengtheners and so does Nia. But with yoga it is a pose and in Nia it is primarily movements linked together in a more cardio-dance fashion. In the cool down we do poses or stretches and sometimes there are yoga poses. It just amazed me how similar they were. With the request of awareness that the teacher was giving during the ending meditation, something that we request during the entire Nia workout, I was extremely delighted to realize that yoga and Nia aren’t competing practices, but companion practices. They are so similar that you can apply a lot of the principles to both. You can have a non-impact booty shaking cardio and strength workout (Nia) that you balance with the complete stretching and strength workout (yoga).
I truly was amazed at how Nia has taken so much of what is “yoga” and created a practice that can be such a great companion. With so many similarities it really allows for an expansion of exercise and workout possibilities for so many people who do yoga in San Jose and in the Bay Area.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Bay Area Exercies, Bay Area Nia, Bay Area Workout, Bay Area Yoga, cardio, cardio dance, cardio yoga, dance class, dance exercise, Dance Workout, exercise class, Joy of Movement, juicy joints, movement class, Nia, Nia cardio, Nia Classes, Nia Practice, Nia principles, Nia Teacher, Nia White Belt, Nia-like, San Jose exercise, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, workout class, Yoga, yoga classes, yoga flow, yoga instructor, yoga meditation, yoga poses, yoga pracitce, yoga religion, Yoga San Jose, yoga stretches, yoga teacher | 6 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 »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 13, 2009
The moment I read this I wanted to post it on my blog. But then I didn’t want to post someone else’s stuff on my blog. But then I thought if I gave full credit it would be ok and I knew that one of these days (whether it was today or not) I would be compelled to post someone’s something. So all day I have been debating with myself. And after teaching my class today at the Los Gatos Swim and Raquet Club I decided to post it.
To me, it is very “Nia“. We don’t dance for others, we dance for ourselves. And when we dance it is a workout and it is very much exercise, yet healing and spiritual, like Yoga.
The author had other reasons for writing it. I’ve read some of her other poems posted on her blog. She has been through a lot. She expresses it well. I hope you enjoy it:
We Have Come To Be Danced by Jewel Mathieson
We have come to be danced
Not the pretty dance
Not the pretty pretty, pick me, pick me dance
But the claw our way back into the belly
Of the sacred, sensual animal dance
The unhinged, unplugged, cat is out of its box dance
The holding the precious moment in the palms
Of our hands and feet dance.
We have come to be danced
Not the jiffy booby, shake your booty for him dance
But the wring the sadness from our skin dance
The blow the chip off our shoulder dance.
The slap the apology from our posture dance.
We have come to be danced
Not the monkey see, monkey do dance
One two dance like you
One two three, dance like me dance
but the grave robber, tomb stalker
Tearing scabs and scars open dance
The rub the rhythm raw against our soul dance.
We have come to be danced
Not the nice, invisible, self-conscious shuffle
But the matted hair flying, voodoo mama
Shaman shakin’ ancient bones dance
The strip us from our casings, return our wings
Sharpen our claws and tongues dance
The shed dead cells and slip into
The luminous skin of love dance.
We have come to be danced
Not the hold our breath and wallow in the shallow end of the floor dance
But the meeting of the trinity, the body breath and beat dance
The shout hallelujah from the top of our thighs dance
The mother may I?
Yes you may take 10 giant leaps dance
The olly olly oxen free free free dance
The everyone can come to our heaven dance.
We have come to be danced
Where the kingdom’s collide
In the cathedral of flesh
To burn back into the light
To unravel, to play, to fly, to pray
To root in skin sanctuary
We have come to be danced
We have come.
Thank you Jewel Mathieson for this might have been about your anger and your pain and your healing, to me it is also about joy and healing, and being one own’s self and being ok with that. Thank you for sharing, Ms. Mathieson.
I also need to thank Danielle Eastman for posting this on Facebook and bringing it to my attention. Thanks Danielle, I learn so much from you.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Danielle Eastman, Facebook, Healing exercise, Healing Nia, Healing workout, Healing Yoga, heaven dance, Jewel Mathieson, Los Gatos Exercise, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Swim and Raquet Club, Los Gatos Workout, Los Gatos Yoga, Poem, San Jose exercise, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, sanctuary, We Have Come To Be Danced, Yoga, Yoga workout | 8 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 7, 2009
This past weekend we went to a park in Fremont, not too far from San Jose. I was thinking we would be in shade, but we were not so much. I was terrible and got sunburned and worse, I “let” Hubby get sunburned too.
Now we all know the bad stuff about sunburns. You got the whole risk of skin cancer increase going on. This, of course is serious because the sun damages the skin’s cells and when they try to rebuild if something doesn’t work out right that is when cancer occurs. Since most of us are immune to cancer (Ya know, “That won’t happen to me.”), maybe we can use some other incentive.
What about the other things that happen that might interrupt our quest for health? In comparison to cancer these things are really nothing but inconveniences, but sometimes that is what it takes for us to take action.
I am talking about being uncomfortable. I was looking outside and I wanted to go, but I knew it was too hot. Even if I didn’t go out in the direct sun, I knew just the heat of the day would be too much. So any normal activity you might do outside could be restricted.
What about sleep? One of the best things we can do for our body and one of the things that is absolutely essential to health, but ya can’t do it well when you are sunburned. The first night I think I woke up four or five times.
And exercise. How uncomfortable is that? Think about bending a sunburned limb into a yoga pose just gives me chills. I wore a big shirt to teach the day after (the sunburn occurred) because I was thinking a shirt with tighter arms would be too much but every time I lifted my arms I was in pain because my shirt rubbed on my sunburned arms.
And shower just plain hurts. Even if you opt for cold water sometimes just the water hitting the sunburn is enough to hurt!
So, I guess, I wrote this blog to myself, because I need to remember the inconveniences so that I remember the sunscreen not matter what.
The latest information is stating that products that block the UVA and UVB rays on the best. Products containing titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide. They don’t soak into the skin, they sit on top and scatter the rays. Also, I am seeing that it doesn’t matter what number SPF you buy, you should apply it often.
So, think not only about avoiding the BIG thing, think short term, think in the now, think about wanting to remain healthy by continuing your normal outdoor activities, sleeping soundly, being able to exercise, and, oh yeah, for the sake of the rest of us—shower! If you do get sunburned, what do you do to ease it?
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: exercise outdoors, Outdoor activities, San Jose exercise, San Jose work out, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, sun burned, sunburned, yoga pose San Jose | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 16, 2009
In my last post, I mentioned “exercise mojo“, I was saying that actually referring to a exercise schedule. Most people need to make working out a habit. They need to put it in their schedule and then do it. If you have it scheduled you are more likely to do it.
Well, I believe, from what I have been hearing around San Jose and the Bay Area, that the last of the schools are finally out. And if not, they will be this week and everyone’s schedule is all in jumble. Well, since a new schedule is going to have to be instituted into your life, you might as well schedule in some exercise. Right? It is a perfect time. If you are having to change things anyway, just shove some movement in there. Now, of course, honestly, I would like you to add MY classes or something with me into your schedule, that would be awesome. But I am really more interested in you getting healthy, so I think anything you add would be great.
Most parents pick up their kids from school now-a-days, right? Why not just keep that time that is allotted for picking up the kids and add a walk into your day. You can even walk with your child (if it is a teenager you will probably have to promise to stay a few feet back). Or workout to a DVD, do some calisthenics, run, jog, do yoga, anything. Now is the time add it. Then it might even be a smooth transition since you are already having to rearrange your day, it won’t be that big of a deal. Ha! How do you like that? Doesn’t that sound totally logical? Isn’t that a good idea? Wouldn’t you call that perfect timing?
So this tactic can work for any change of scheduling, right? Be it school letting out, or a new work schedule, or school going back into session, whatever, if you are already changing why not take the opportunity to add some change for the better?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: Bay Area Exercise, Bay Area Exercise classes, Bay Area Workout, Bay Area Yoga, calistehnics, exercise, jog, San Jose exercise, San Jose exercise classes, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, work out, work out schedule, Working Out | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 21, 2009
This morning as I was trying to figure out what to write about, it dawned on me that I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching about being true to myself.
I was trying to decide what to write. I want to write stuff that people will read. I am worried about people not reading it. I am worried that they won’t like it. I am worried that I am not following my own self initiated schedule of healthful on Tuesdays and Saturdays with Thursdays less in that realm. Because of all my worries I couldn’t think of what to write, I felt as if my thoughts were twisted like the most twisty Yoga pose. Then it hit me, my real intent of all of this, my blog is somewhat like a mini resume.
When people ask me about their resume or they share that they are confused because they don’t know what to put on it because they hear this and they hear that, I ALWAYS tell them to follow their heart and write a resume they would like. Some of who they are needs to be in that resume because they want to be happy at their new job. The person that is going to hire them and the place where they will fit the best will be the person that likes the resume at the company that accepts it. So if you put a little of yourself in it, then it should all work out.
So with my social media stuff I need to think the same way. I am tweeting so people will see me, and learn from me and want to train and workout with me. When I retweet something, it is something I like, so that is showing a little bit of me. Twitter is different for everyone, we all have different reasons for being there, so if you don’t like the tweets you are seeing don’t follow. I follow to learn and network, so I won’t follow you if I see tweets I don’t like. That is Twitter.
For me Facebook is more personal. I am not “friending” everyone because I like to be less business-y there. Although I do post a lot of stuff about Nia, that is just because I am practicing it and I like the way it makes me feel so I want to share with others. And I am growing my garden of Nia flowers so I tend to repost their information so that others can see what people think about Nia and maybe come try it for themselves.
With my blog I have a few goals. I want to share about events that happen in my areas, Los Gatos, San Jose (Willow Glen, Berryessa) and around, I want to entertain a bit, and I want to help people learn, but I don’t need to be all scientific as I first thought. Every time I go to write a blog with a bunch of interesting facts, I find a bunch of other sites with a bunch of interesting facts. I think that people can go to those sites if they want the science and the statistics. I will keep it simple. And you will either like it or you won’t, but I think if you like it then you will enjoy my classes and enjoy training with me.
My point is that I need to stop worrying and just start doing so that we can get on with it. I need to be me so you can see who I am and then say, “Yeah, I would like to go to her class.” So, whew . . . what a relief, now I just have to remember to actually practice what I preach. You are welcome to remind me.
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: Facebook, healthful, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Tuesday classes, Nia, Nia Berryessa, Nia Los Gatos, Nia San Jose, Nia Willow Glen, Practice, San Jose, San Jose Nia, San Jose Tuesday classes, San Jose Workout, San Jose Yoga, schedule of classes, social media, Tuesday classes, Twitter, Willow Glen Nia, Willow Glen Tuesday classes, Willow Glen Yoga, Yoga | 8 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 19, 2009
At one point there was information released that stated one could be active for 30 minutes a day, five days a week and the result would be improved health. I somehow was under a different impression, and I think my impression is better for overall health.
I thought that the information had said that the 30 minutes needed to be EVERY DAY and that it was for healthy people to maintain health. So my conclusion was that if one wanted to actually improve one’s health one needed to be doing a workout OVER and above the recommended 30 minutes of activity a day five days a week.
Maybe I was seeing into the future of recommendations. Seems like the people that make these recommendations are now saying that more activity IS needed.
What it really boils down to is that everyone is different. Recommendations that are published are broad, everyone has different goals. I would think that some people could improve their health in 30 minutes a day five days a week, but there are a lot more people that need more, just to get healthy. It is estimated that 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure and they don’t even know it. High blood pressure is not healthy and it possible to lower it with exercise, but it might take more than 30 minutes a day.
I recommend 30 minutes of activity every day. The 30 minutes can be anything . . . .cleaning house, walking the dog, gardening, shopping, almost anything where you are moving your body and active. THEN in addition to that 30 minutes every day, there should be an exercise routine. Everyone is different. Everyone has different goals. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. If you are trying to get healthy, I would suggest you examine your goals, then look at the vast amount of exercise options out there and try some.**
There is so much out there it is amazing. There is Yoga, there is Zumba, there is Pilates, there is Nia, there is Cycling, there is Weight Training, oh, the list goes on. Try something. San Jose, Los Gatos, Cupertino, and San Ramon and all cities around have plenty of gyms, clubs, yoga studios, dance studios, etc., and most of them have a vararity of things to try.
Don’t think that the old recommendation of 30 minutes per day will give you the results you want, try more, get out there .. . . move!
**before starting any exercise program you should clear it with your doctor.
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: 30 Minutes per day, cleaning house, Cupertino Nia, exercies routine, exercise program, gardening, high blood pressure, Los Gatos Yoga, Nia, overall health, San Jose Dance Studio, San Jose Gym, San Jose Nia, San Jose Pilates, San Jose Yoga, San Jose Zumba, San Ramon Nia, walking the dog, Yoga | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 9, 2009
Everyone is talking about Twitter. I will say I just recently joined the masses, but I have been on long enough to have participated a few times in the once a month #Gratitude party. Once a month on the second Sunday of the month LaSara Firefox host an online Twitter “party” where for an hour you tweet things you are grateful for. I am sure there are some that think this is odd and maybe some even think it is stupid, but I really love it. It gives me the opportunity to release some of the joy that is always built up in my heart. I have so many things to be grateful for and it is so wonderful to have a place to just say them out loud where no one is judging. Since everyone there is just sharing, it is not ever taken as if someone is bragging. It is just really great.
Some people have heart wrenching stories that they share and they end with a grateful note. Some people have huge accomplishments that they share. Some people have little triumphs. But all are received with open arms. We lend our hands, we give our shoulders, then we cheer. It is really amazing that all of this happens on line in tweets. Then with all of the sharing and everything going on, we can meet new people. I know that I walk away feeling great, and I think others do too. I feel great because I was allowed to let people know that I know what I have is amazing and that I am grateful. I feel great because I hear how others might have had a bad experience but they triumphed through it. I feel great because I was able to cheer someone who accomplished something. And I feel great because I was able to connect with all of these people. It is awesome.
I have met people from San Jose, Istanbul, New York, Los Gatos, Canada, Trieste, all over all . And I blog about it, in something longer than a tweet, to express my gratitude to LaSara Firefox (yoga_mama) for doing this every month, and so that you can learn about it and participate, if you would like.
This month it is May 10, 2009 at 4:30 pm PST.
Just type #gratitude in your tweet to join. I can’t wait to see you there.*
*06.06.20
I don’t know if gratitude parties are still a thing, but the #gratitude link above was not long working so I tried the # in Twitter and was so happy to see there is still some gratitude going on . . . so now it is a June 02, 2020 link.
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: gratitude, Gratitude party, LaSara Firefox, Los Gatos Yoga, San Jose, San Jose Yoga, Twitter | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 30, 2009
Tonight we are going to dinner in Willow Glen, which is San Jose, but San Jose is large and spread out so having the sections help us determine the general location. Downtown Willow Glen is where I have my Nia classes, and is fairly close to downtown San Jose.** We went with a group of people who Yelp (so they are called Yelpers) on Yelp.com.
We are going to Opa. It is a Greek Restaurant. I am part Greek. I didn’t like Greek food until recently. Since we are going to a Greek Restaurant it started me thinking about one of my favorite snacks that I have been having lately. Greek Yogurt. I didn’t even know that there is such a thing until about two years ago—and I am Greek.
There are probably as many different brands of yogurt as there is (types of) Yoga, just like there are different brands of regular yogurt, but what you will find is that Greek Yogurt is thicker. It seems creamier. And it typically has less sugar and a lot more protein.
I have been eating plain non-fat to which I added a little bit of sugar, vanilla, and some super crunchy cereal. Yum. So I guess you could say that I am using it like milk. But I won’t drink non-fat milk, but I will eat non-fat yogurt and get a lot more protein! Plus with its smooth, think, creaminess it is like dessert for breakfast!
Also, during our heat wave I decided to make chicken salad sandwiches for dinner. I didn’t realize we were out of mayo when I decided on that refreshing dinner. But I used the yogurt instead. It worked great because it is more like mayo in consistency than regular yogurt. Don’t tell my husband because it also has less fat and more protein than mayo. And I did add a little bit of mayo so it would taste like regular mayonnaised chicken salad.
So next time you are in the store you might want to pick up some Greek yogurt and do some experimenting of your own with it. It can be used a little differently than regular yogurt. Then let me know what recipe you used it in. I am always looking for new things to make!
**Good thing I looked up the event before we went, granted it was after I posted this, but we actually ended up going to Opa in Los Gatos! It is important to check on event locations and not assume . . . . . 🙂
Posted in Food | Tagged: chicken salad, dessert for breakfast, Greek, Greek food, Greek snack, Greek yogurt, Los Gatos, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Yoga, mayo substitute, Nia Classes, Nia in Los Gatos, Opa, San Jose, San Jose Greek Restaurant, San Jose Nia, San Jose Yoga, Willow Glen, Willow Glen Yoga, Yelp, Yelp.com, Yelpers, Yoga, Yoga Los Gatos | 6 Comments »
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