Terre Pruitt's Blog

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

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Posts Tagged ‘The Nia Technique book’

Tips To Help You Move – Nia

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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Nia Spear Fingers

Posted by terrepruitt on August 15, 2009

Here is a picture of the Nia spear fingers, one of the 52 Nia moves.  You pose your hand as if you are going to salute someone.


The benefits according to The Nia Technique book (page 161) are that it will help with tension that “tends to build up in your wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, and jaw.”

Also pictured is a modified version of the spear finger.  At this point I use this version in a song that I lead.  Throughout the entire song our hands/fingers are in the spear finger position and I find that is too stressful on my wrists.  And Nia is about exercising and working out in a pleasurable manner so, I have adapted the spear finger to a more comfortable position for me.  In other instances where we use spear finger for not such a long time, I employ the actual technique.

Nia is about so many things, but one thing we want to ensure participants do is modify and adapt to their own body’s way.  My body’s way for that move is to cross my thumb over my bent ring finger and little finger.  When you come to class you will be encouraged to listen to your own body and move the routine as your body wants to move.  You will be encouraged to sense pleasure.  Come experience it for yourself.

Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »