When things that don’t actually get done are charged for, I don’t have a problem with making them do things correct… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…1 day ago
My last post was about the Garland Pose or Malasana. That is a yoga pose. The Garland Pose post was long enough so I didn’t talk about the advanced positions of that pose. In Nia the pose could be compared to “Standing” which is the fourth stage in Nia’s 5 Stages. In Nia it is also a little different. Nia’s 5 Stages is a movement practice through the five stages of human development. While I have mentioned Nia’s 5 Stages before in my blog I have not written about them in depth and this post will not be in depth either. I am just touching upon the fourth stage, including it in my little series about squatting. Squatting is important and Nia knows that. Nia recognizes it as a stage of human development. Although Nia does not believe it should be abandoned and that is why we have the 5 Stages as a movement practice and why we include squatting in many of our routines. As I said standing is the fourth stage and it is somewhat like a squat.
The Nia 5 Stages are the stages we go through in development. Stage one is Embryonic. Stage two is Creeping. Stage three is Crawling. Stage four is Standing. Stage five is Walking. First we are in the womb, then most of us creep, then we crawl, we stand (squat), then walk. Stages of human development. Stage four, “Standing”, is a low or full squat.
I have posted about squats before. In fact when I did I mentioned that we don’t do them in Nia. And we don’t — or I hadn’t done the type of squats I was writing about. I was writing about squats done in a way that is more in line with weight training. Using weights and other equipment. I believe there are weight lifting competitions where people do really low squats with weights, but . . . I am not going to go there. There are a lot of things that elite athletes do that I would STRONGLY recommend the average person NOT do . . . . EVER.
I DO recommend full squats (without weights) . . . providing your body is able to do them I believe you should. And by able I mean there is no medical reason you can’t, you have joints and body parts that will allow you to do them. Doing squats will help you in so many ways.
With Nia’s fourth stage – standing – we are coming from a crawling position. The way we move from crawling to “standing” is we open our feet wider than our knees while our knees are still on the ground. Then curl our toes then push back onto our feet. Since the 5 stages of human development are based on the way the body was designed to move and how we develop ideally, the idea is to push back onto feet that are flat on the ground. However, Nia is a practice done in YOUR OWN BODY’S WAY so it is possible that both feet cannot be flat on the ground. So we take the stages in stages. What works for many is to have ONE foot flat on the ground while the other one has a heel up. Then we just alternate. This allows for each foot to engage in ankle flexibility.
The next stage in this stage is to raise the torso up, have the chest facing forward and not down . . . if you are doing the alternating of the feet. If both feet are flat on the earth the chest is probably already facing mostly forward because the buttocks are lowered and the legs are folded over so the chest is somewhat up against the thighs. In both positions lift the chest up further, sternum to the sky. When ready the arms also come up, reaching to the sky.
We stay in this stage as long as the present workout dictates. Could be just a second or two . . . could be a bar (of a song) . . . whatever is appropriate for the moment. Then we rise up – nose leading the way – onto our toes and into the fifth stage which is walking.
Squatting is important because of the benefits it provides. Being able to come up from a squat provides even more benefits. Like push-ups and/or planks, squats could easily be one of the “must haves” in ANY workout or exercise program. Nia understands the benefits. So when I said we didn’t do squats in Nia, I wasn’t talking about this type of squat or what Nia’s 5 stages calls standing.
What benefits can your body receive from Nia’s standing/squatting?
Did you sing it? When I began to write this post the first thing I thought of is what I often think of when I sit down to share something on my blog and that is WHICH way do I want to describe it. As I have said numerous times there are different ways to do things and you can check the web, books, magazines, and other places and you will see different instructions. So while I was glancing at the different pictures what popped into my head was “GET DOWN ON IT!” There really is no “it” in this position. That is just what popped into my head, then as I was typing it . . . I was singing. Of course, you were singing too as you read it right? Please stop here and take a few minutes to Get Down On It!
Ok, now that you are back. Let’s talk about the Garland Pose. This is an instinctive position for the human body and one that gets abandoned as we age. As I type, I see myself writing at least three posts about it, not the Garland Pose specifically, but this position. I am starting with the Garland Pose.
The Garland Pose or Malasana is a yoga asana. This pose can easily be described as a low, deep, or full squat. I have posted about squats before, but the squats I was talking about previously were not full squats. I think of those ones more as “weight training” squats. Either doing them with weights or on a BOSU and not going all the way down. The legs are not fully “folded” in that type of squat.
In the Garland Pose the legs are folded to where the back of the calf touches the back of the thigh.
Remember there are different ways to do this, the main goal for ankle and hip flexibility is full foot on the floor, legs folded with knees wide. So these instructions are going to start with feet flat on the floor. Place your feet about shoulder width apart (not wider than). Have your toes pointing just slightly out on the diagonal. Then lower your buttocks down, keeping your knees wide.
If it is not just a matter of “lowering your buttocks down” as in, this is not easy for you there are things to do to allow you to practice getting into that position. One way is to fold over, bending at the hips, and place your hands on the ground then lower your tush down. If that is not a comfortable option you can put your hands on the seat of a chair and lower your butt until it is comfortable. With each try, go lower. Eventually you will be using elbows on the chair. With this method you have to be cautious with the chair. If you are using it to hold your weight you have to make certain it will not move or tip over on you. So use a secure chair.
If not the fold over or chair technique, you can use a strap or something secured around a door knob. Hold onto that as you learn to lower yourself down. There are many precautions to take when using a door knob so make sure you think about all of them (strap not slipping off, door knob not popping off, door secure – not opening, no one walking in the door you are using — and more, so please be careful if using this technique). With a secure strap you can work your way down slowly or in increments.
Once down, center your torso in between your knees and thighs. Your knees are wide. Place your elbows at your knees hands in Añjali Mudra or prayer position. Embrace the beauty of posture that is yoga and lengthen your spine. Lift the crown of your head up, reach the neck longer, lower the shoulders as they pull back, lift the ribs off of the hips, all the while your tail reaching for the earth. Stay as long as you are comfortable.
Another modification to practice is to put a folded towel or blanket under your heels until you are able to put your heels down. One of the reasons this position gets abandoned as we get older is our calf muscles get shortened and/or tight. In some people high heels are the cause of that.
This pose is beautiful for some many reasons. To name a few; it helps with balance, it opens the hips, it improves flexibility in the ankles, it can transport you back to when you were a child and did not hesitant to squat to see what was on the ground!
When you are done push up to standing. If that is not an option, I recommend getting up any way that is comfortable for you. Eventually with practice you will get stronger and find many ways to rise. Also with practice you might find yourself using the squat to pick things up instead of just bending over. Remember it is a practice so you don’t have to save all the moves for the mat, incorporate them into your day.
So did you sing? When practicing this pose how far can you get down? Are you utilizing either the chair or the door knob technique?
While you are doing your plank you might notice some of the muscles involved in doing the plank. As I am sure you know, there are many variations to the plank. Many movement practices/exercise disciplines do planks. There is a plank in yoga, in Pilates, in weight training . . . you probably have seen it all over. That alone tells you that it is an exercise/pose worth doing right? We even do planks in Nia. If there is a version in so many different disciplines it could be that is because does a body good. The plank we are doing in our Plank A Day Challenge is the plank on our forearms as opposed to the plank where your arms are straight (the position of the “top” of a push-up). There are a lot of muscles used in this plank.
The muscles being used in a plank are the abdominal muscles, the back muscles, the muscles in the arms, the shoulders, leg muscles, and butt muscles. So pretty much muscles in every muscle group. You can understand why it is such a great exercise. It is a full body workout. So, while it might not utilize every muscles it calls upon a lot of them. If you are participating in the challenge you might even notice that the endurance in the muscles is improving.
I often think of the plank as a great exercise to work on your core. You might have heard “core” and “core muscles” before. You might even wonder what they are. And just like so many things there are so many answers. I think of the core as a muscle group. I think of the core muscles as the group that allows your body to remain stable and/or upright. So sometimes that could include your quads if you are standing or doing a plank.
Having a strong and stable core helps us accomplish everyday things. From sitting, to walking, to doing things with our arm as in pushing, pulling, carrying, etc. A strong trunk helps us when we need to work with are arms. Especially with our arms extended. If we are do something with our arms out, say opening a window, grabbing a grocery bag and bringing it towards you, or pushing something in to a vehicle for transport, you rely a lot on your torso. So when it is strong and stable it can support you while you do these task.
On top of the strong core having arms that are able to open windows, grab and hold groceries, pull them towards you or push things help with every day life too. Be able to do all of these everyday things might be one reason the plank is in so many exercise disciplines. It is a great functional exercise. It is understood that it can assist with muscle strength and endurance. And it is one of the exercises that gets a lot of muscles all at once!
Are you participating in our challenge? Are you feeling your muscles? You have probably felt the muscles used in a plank, right?
In two days it will be December 2012. Wow! The end of the year really seemed to go fast. Like that last half of tank of gas. 🙂 This is the busy time of the year for many of us. There are holiday obligations that might include work and family. There is the weather you might be dealing with. There is all of the days off. There is a lot to deal with. And two things often fall by the wayside during this season. One is eating healthy. With all of the holiday treats around and so much more of food in general, eating more than we might normally and eating differently that we might normally is too easy to do. I say be aware. Don’t graze at the party because it is there and you are not paying attention. Don’t eat something that you normally wouldn’t just because “Tis the Season.” The second thing that gets put away for the month sometimes is exercise or working out. The month is so busy and it is so cold. It is easier to bundle up and sit by the fire. It is easier not to get out of bed early to get some movement in. But let’s not allow that to happen. Let’s make a pact with each other. Let’s move for 30 minutes EVERY DAY in December. My ideal is 30 consecutive minutes, and for you, personally, I would like to have the 30 minutes be consecutive minutes, but I am not going to be picky. It can be 15 and 15 or 10, 10, 10. Just get in 30 minutes. It can be walking, dancing, lifting weights . . . .whatever, just make it MOVING.
Let’s start Saturday, December 1, 2012. Let’s do a challenge, let’s make a pact. Let’s check in here every day. I will schedule a post for midnight Pacific Standard Time. And you all (yes ALL OF YOU!) can just post a quick, “I did my 30!” If you want to tell us WHAT you did great? But let’s just keep moving throughout the entire month. Let’s be a team. A support group. Let’s not let our exercise and workouts and just moving fall down the cracks because it is “that time of year.” Yes, we are all busy, but this is really important. You know exercise actually helps relieve stress yet it is usually one of the first things to get crossed of the schedule where there are a lot of things to do. Let’s not do that this year. Let’s ban together and keep moving.
Two of my regularly scheduled San Jose Nia classes are on Monday and Wednesdays. So we will be doing Nia on Monday, December 24, 2012, Christmas Eve and Wednesday, December 26, 2012, the day after Christmas. AND there is Nia on Monday, December 31, 2012, New Year’s Eve and Wednesday, January 2, 2013! PLUS I just agreed to teach Nia as a substitute class on Mondays AND Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. So I am keeping my regular Nia Class schedule during the Holidays and have added more, so we can keep on dancing. Be sure to check my website for all the dates I will be teaching because when I teach for they City there are center closures. For instance, my Tuesday Nia class is with the City and they are closed on Christmas Day so I won’t be having that class. Do whatever it is you like to do. Do it for 30 minutes. Every day!
I teach Nia. I have been teaching Nia for three and a half years. Not as many people who I talk to have heard of Nia as have heard of Zumba so I am constantly being asked the difference between Nia and Zumba. Since I am often asked I am often thinking about them and comparing them. First, they are actually the same in that music is played and participants dance to it. Second, in both the instructor leads the participants through the various dance moves. Third, participants of both claim they are both fun. One difference is Nia is an experience in five sensations, Zumba seems to concentrate on one.
The experience is such a big part of Nia we actually call them the five sensations of Nia. I have posted about them before (FAMSS). They are the sensation of flexibility, of agility, of mobility, of strength, and of stability. In a Nia class your body will move in a way that allows you to sense the energy moving out and away. You will bend and stretch to play with flexibility, either retaining what you have or improving upon it. There are moves in the routines that require the start and the stop. The movement that is agility could be done with our feet, our arms, our hands, our bodies, our heads or a combination of body parts but we sense the start and the stop. With every routine there is a lot of mobility, some routines have more than others, but all of them that I have experienced have a lot. With mobility it is just the same as agility in that it could be a body part that is moving or our whole body. Whatever the case there is a lot of movement from each joint that helps create a healthy joint by allowing the fluid to move to it and within it. Then we also play with strength. We might squeeze our muscles sensing the energy moving in as if the bones are being hugged by the muscles. We might do squats or sit-ups, punches and/or kicks, but there is time where we play with strength. I say Nia is very big on balance because we do many moves that requires us to be stable. Many of our moves are balancing on one leg, could be a kick, could be a stance, but it requires stability. Moving from one move to the next often requires us to call upon our stability. In a Nia routine we experience all of these sensations. I’ve reached the conclusion that Zumba is primarily agility.
In Zumba the moves are always fast. So it is a constant state of start and stop. The only sensation I sense while doing Zumba is agility. Fast start, fast stop . . . . even when there is a stretch where your muscles are yearning for a second to move to their fullest length, it is a fast stretch that does not allow for the muscle to be fully stretched. Doing a full hour of agility is not a bad thing at all. It can be fun and it can produce a lot of sweat. And many of us are programmed to think that sweat equals a good workout. I think that if you are adding Zumba to a stretching program that has some balance practice in it that is great.
I am also a believer that there are a lot of things that compliment Nia too. I actually think that if you like Nia and Zumba and you are able to do both that is a nice combination. You get two different types of cardio. One that is a workout in the sensation of agility and one that can move you through more use of the entire body to get that heart pumping.
I really believe that whatever gets you moving is GREAT. I think that you have to like what you do in order to make it a constant in your life. So Zumba, Nia, Jazzercise, U-Jam, yoga, kickboxing, bootcamp, weight training, whatever works for you is great. Do what you will do! That is the key!
It is that I am always asked about the difference between Zumba and Nia that I am always thinking about it and this was my latest thought after I did a Zumba class. I think I posted before about how I am left wanting to extend and finish my moves in Zumba and it dawned on me that it is the sensation of agility that is predominant in Zumba. Some Zumba classes I have attended do take a song to stretch at the end, but not all of them. So I guess it depends on the instructor. Nia instructors are encouraged to infuse their classes and the routines with their personalities, so I am sure that every Nia class has a few differences too.
Both Nia and Zumba are great cardio workouts. It just depends on what you want to do during your workout and what you want to get out of it. Do what you will do!
I think you have probably heard that before. You might have even said it. I know that I have. It doesn’t make sense. One pound of muscle CANNOT weigh more than one pound of fat, that is impossible. A pound of something does not weigh more than a pound of something else. Nope, just not possible. Doesn’t matter if one pound is feathers and another pound is rocks. As you probably know, it is really about volume or the SPACE that one takes up over the other. A POUND of fat actually takes up more space than a POUND of muscle, but they still WEIGH the same. There is really no getting around that weight thing.
Sometimes a scale that measures weight might be a little deceiving in terms of size and health. It all depends upon your goal. Right? I always say that, but it is true. If your mainly concerned with how much you weigh then that is what you should focus on. If you want to be smaller then maybe a scale is not the best way to measure that. If you want to build muscle or be stronger then you might not want to be concerned with the weight because it is difficult to get weight to go down and muscle to go up. Of course, this is all very general, I am not saying one is good or one is bad, I am really just trying explain the point a bit.
I find, on occasion, one of the best ways to explain something is to use a visual aide. Here is a picture.
What you see is three pounds of butter with a three pound weight. What is butter? Fat. I am using the weight as a rough sample of muscle. This is three pounds of fat compared to three pounds of muscle. Yeah, yeah, I know it is not exact, but it gives us a rough idea right? You can clearly see that three pounds of fat take up much more room than three pounds of “muscle”.
If you are working out and exercising to “lose weight” your scale might not always tell you the accurate truth. Because first of all usually we are working out and exercising to lose fat and one of the best ways to do that is with strength training. A muscled body burns more calories than a fatty body, no matter what the body is doing. So one way to help lose the fat is to gain muscle. But if you gain muscle the number on your scale might not go down as much as you think it should. Second, if you are not doing some type of resistance training you would be losing muscle.
If you are doing something in your fitness routine that builds muscle and the scale is not moving down or it is not going down fast enough for you, don’t get discouraged. Maybe it is time to take out the measure tape. It could be that you are going down in size but staying the same or even gaining pounds.
Also remember that in order for you to actually build bigger muscles you have to follow a specific training plan so chances are you are not going to get bigger. Women – in general – don’t need to be concerned with that. That is another great reason to measure because the body will change so it might look different or seem bigger to you, but with a measure of it, you will know.
Not too long before I hurt my foot I thought my scale was broken. It kept showing me the same weight but my clothes weren’t fitting the same. I threw my scale away. Turns out it really wasn’t broken, I was NOT gaining weight, I was just losing muscle mass. So now that my foot is better (better, not the same, but better) I want to get back to having more muscle. I thought this would be a great way to remind me. Sometimes I know things, I just need a reminder, what about you? Do you sometimes need a reminder? I am sure that you know that muscles DOES NOT weigh more than fat — not possible, but I thought I’d give us a visual to keep in our heads.
In Nia classes we have the opportunity to experience flexibility AND mobility AND agility AND strength AND stability. Depending on the starting point we can either be increasing or maintaining. I also believe it is good for people to participate in a weight training program. I believe it is good to use weights to keep strength or build strength. I think having muscle strength in important. Most people do not have to concern themselves about getting big and bulking up. I have heard women say they don’t lift weights because they don’t want to do either of those things.
First of all, as a reminder, weights are not the only way to build strength, any type of resistance can work muscles. Depending on your starting point different things can be used, for example body weight alone without the use of weights is a great place to start. The use of resistance bands or tubing can be a great way to work muscles without having to deal with storing the weights. Working with weights (resistance) is a great way to stave off the aging process.
I think it might help people who are afraid of building big muscles to know how it happens. Basically if you want to build big muscles you have to work really, really, really hard at it. It doesn’t happen from going to the gym two or three times a week doing a few exercises at 8 repetitions each. Hypertrophy (muscles getting bigger) occurs when heavy weights are lifted in a specific way . . . more than the average person is going to lift (75% to 85% of what you can absolutely lift), more exercises than the average person takes time for, and with less rest time than most people take in the gym. It really takes work and concentration. It is very stressful on the body and people often don’t like to be sore. The type of lifting required to cause hypertrophy is not something the average woman is going to do. Doing 8 to 12 repetitions of a few exercise two or three times a week will enable your muscles to stay toned or it might even build some strength, but it will not make the muscles really big. If you want to increase your strength add more resistance or more reps.
What could actually happen if you start working with weights is the shape of the muscle might adjust and it you might think it is bigger because you actually start sensing it. I would recommend you measure your limbs with a flexible tape measure before you start a weight regimen. After a couple of weeks measure again, see if there is actually an increase in size. I’ll be waiting to hear . . . .
I have said it before that resistance training or strength training has many benefits. I even have posted about it in my Resistance Training Benefits post. But as I see people in my life age I am reminded daily that having strength can also equal independence. Being able to do everyday tasks is a great incentive.
Everyday tasks like carrying the laundry, carrying the groceries, and moving the garbage can full of garbage, all things that many of us might not think about, but we would if we couldn’t do them. So in addition to the health benefits there are also many other reasons to train with weights or resistance.
After age 20, most of us lose about a half pound of muscle a year. By the time we’re 65, we will have lost 25 percent of our peak strength. Aging plays a part in s muscle mass, but it does not have to be as severe. If you want to keep doing what your doing—be independent–it is good to put a little muscle into it. A way to keep the muscles you have or build some is to work them two to three times a week. Working your muscles does not have to be with weights, but it does have to be resistance. Anything that you have to exert force to move. It helps you stay young and independent.
Resistance Training has many benefits. I say resistance training because the resistance may be any force the body has to overcome. It does not have to be weights, it can be bands, springs, or even your own body weight. In addition to doing something that you like you want to train according to your goals.
Some of the benefits of resistance training:
Increase in strength, power, and endurance in the muscles
Increase in size of the muscle
Increase in lean mass (or maintained lean mass)
Increase in the tone of the muscles
Increase in metabolism
Increase in bone density
Increase in energy
Improvement in the body’s muscle to fat ratio
Improvement in mood
Improvement in Insulin Sensitivity
and
can assist in lower your resting blood pressure
can assist in preventing sarcopenia
can assist in lowering your resting heart rate
I met up with a friend today in San Jose at the gym we had a nice workout. We played with some of the equipment and managed to get a great set of exercises in. It is nice to be reminded of why resistance training is important.
In my introduction I made a comment about blaming my husband again, because a couple of years ago I made a comment and his response was “Why don’t you do something about it?” and so I have been working out ever since. I try to eat healthy. I don’t think I am a fanatic, I just try to exercise and eat well. I also wanted to help people like me so, at that time, I thought the best way to do that would be to become certified as a personal trainer. I, Terre Pruitt, am a certified personal trainer through the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF).
(Pause)
So, what image popped into your head when you read “personal trainer”? Doesn’t matter what it was I am pretty sure it was not me. Most people think of huge gyms, machines, heavy weights, big muscles and sweat when they think of personal trainers. When I became a personal trainer I was thinking more along the lines of “movement coach”. Just trying to help people realize that they need to move because there is truth in the old axiom “move it or lose it.” And I fear the day when my age group loses it. I think that the time will come sooner then it did with earlier generations who were accustom to movement in their everyday lives.
So I wanted to help people with functional fitness. Yes, there is such a thing. It is exercises and movement that actually help your body stay mobile so when you need to put your arms up to get a shirt on you will be able to. When you need to stretch and reach for something on a shelf you will be able to. At the same time you can be working on building your strength, stability, flexibility, and agility because all these things are what we use in our everyday lives. Things like that is what I am interested in.
I still believe that weight training is important, and you have to get your heart rate up to burn the calories to lose the fat, but I do not subscribe to “no pain, no gain”. Although, I might define pain differently than you . . . I don’t think you need to be in pain, per se, to gain. There are all types of “gain” so it really depends on what your goals are. I also think that a form of stretching is necessary to keep the body mobile. Some exercise forms combine these different elements, some forms keep them separate. It is best to find something you like so you can stick with it. Whatever works for you.
The Nia 5 Stages are the stages we go through in development. Stage one is Embryonic. Stage two is Creeping. Stage three is Crawling. Stage four is Standing. Stage five is Walking. First we are in the womb, then most of us creep, then we crawl, we stand (squat), then walk. Stages of human development. Stage four, “Standing”, is a low or full squat.
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