Nia

[NeedsPractice]

actually nia is or at least was pretty well known in nyc taught in the equinox health clubs, etc. i am not a fan thats being nice


but alot (actually most people) dont really want any serious martial arts training for any even short period of time, they just want to say they "trained"

[RonH]

That's a fair question, Doug. Mostly because it's newsworthy, newsworthy enough that some other news source felt the need to run a story on it.

To be fair, the news also does stories on ugly, mutant dogs and breakaway underwear for kids that's anti-wedgie.

but the world sees us more like Rex Kwon Do.

These stupid people should never be given the dignity of responding to them. They suck and should be ignored at all cost.

I'm seeing nia as the newest reimagining fad of Tae Bo. But, I would say its success lies in it not being advertised in comic books.

[GeneChing]

Do you think Nia is growing or fading now?

NIA combines martial arts and dance
By Michelle Andujar
from Salem Weekly, Section Wellness
Posted on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 08:32:40 AM PDT

Some people do yoga to improve flexibility; others prefer zumba or jazzercise for the cardio, yet others opt for martial arts to better their balance and sensory awareness. Narrow-muscular Integrated Action (NIA - pronounced nee-ah) combines all these and more.

In one hour, participants experience nine arts integrated into one: three types of dances, martial arts and healing arts.

Dance techniques include jazz, Duncan and modern dance.

Salem NIA instructor Sherry Coburn says, "Jazz is animated, modern dance is making shapes with your body, and Duncan dance is about really expressing your feelings, expressing every note in the music with your body."

NIA's martial arts are Chinese tai chi, Japanese Aikido and Korean Taekwondo. They focus on the "hara," the center of gravity, or the core. All NIA instructors must have extensive martial arts training (Coburn is a blue belt).

The three healing arts are yoga, Alexander technique and the Feldenkrais method, which is about self-awareness through movement, aiming to reduce pain and stiffness. Alexander was a Shakespearean orator who began to lose his voice. After noticing that voice and breathing problems are commonly caused by tensing the muscles of the upper torso, especially the neck, he developed this technique to displace that tension and continue acting.

In her sessions, Coburn encourages students to vocalize and act out different emotions, making the NIA experience very cathartic. She might direct an angry "No!" yell or a happy "Yes!" to accompany the punches, or tell people to remember the most in love they've been as they freely dance around.

"It's like therapy! You feel anger, happiness, and work out some of those emotions," says participant Wendy Stalfire, who has seen physical balance increase despite a medical condition. "I think it's because of the crossing motions, making new connections in the nervous system," she says.

Although there's a choreography to follow, people are encouraged freedom of expression and movement.

Carmen, a NIA participant for two years, says at first she used to only follow the form, but soon began to open up.

"I have done a lot of different kinds of aerobics and NIA is a total workout. It helps keep the brain active, improve balance and elasticity and it's great for any age," she says, recommending NIA to anyone 40 and up to maintain healthy joints with NIA's gentle dance rotations.

"It's a party!" says Coburn. "It's phenomenal. I've had depressed students come and leave happy and laughing. Some people never thought they could dance and they discover their senses, their body."

The diverse world music ranges from techno to reggae, ambient and much more. Thievery Corporation would be a good example of something played during a NIA workout.

"They're very vibrant sounds we don't always hear," says Coburn, who recently created a NIA choreography to Sting's "Englishman in New York."

NIA has been around for 25 years and is very popular in Europe, Asia and Africa. Its basic principle is called "The Body's Way": the body naturally chooses pleasure over pain, and NIA uses that pleasure in movement to achieve fitness.

In one of Coburn's classes, she instructed students to act as a flying bird, stalking a prey down below. The movement was graceful, fun and full of emotion and no one would have noticed they were actually doing squats the whole time.

There could be a taekwondo kick followed by a slow dance while walking backwards and a full-body shake similar to the belly dancing "shimmy," a great technique to stimulate the nervous system. The stretching part at the end, known as "floor play," is not static stretching, but free-moving.

"The autonomic nervous system is not normally stimulated. Our bodies need sudden change, shock. We tell the brain to venture another direction," says Coburn, adding that NIA, a brain-to-toes workout, also works to improve mental clarity and memory.

The sense of joy her students have fallen in love with is evident in their faces after each session.

Janet Brice, a class participant since last year, says the workout has, "trimmed and toned me, given me a greater flexibility than I ever experienced, tremendously reduced shoulder joint issues from carrying a laptop and heavy purses for many years and provided a total acceptance atmosphere where each person is valued at their ability level."

"There are no words to express what a gift NIA is. It's like eating chocolate... you can't explain it. You want it and you love it," adds Coburn. "You have to experience it. You can't die until you have NIA."

For more information about NIA, visit nianow.com. Sherry Coburn can be reached at 503-269-3148 or at sherrycoburn@rocketmail.com

GET MOVING
Middle Earth Dance Studio, 155 Liberty St NE (downtown)
Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays 10:45-11:45 a.m.

YMCA
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:20 p.m. (Family class)
Senior 50+ community center, 2615 Portland Rd.
Mondays 8:45-9:40 a.m. and Thursdays 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Prices vary depending on the number of classes attended in a 4-week period (4 classes are $20).

[B-Rad]

Watched a video and it seemed like a good variety of movement and better integrated ideas than the typical women ma inspired health fad. The taichi influence seemed pretty minimal as to lifting techniques directly, and more inspirational in the slow movement in the beginning and end. The TKD I noticed was probably some punches and jazzy looking front kicks. Looks like a fun exercise program for the ladies.

[KC Elbows]

I don't see what there is to get upset about, it's a workout. You don't see trim carpenters watching clips all day of do-it-yourselfers and getting upset at the tarnishing of their noble art.

[GeneChing]

I just noticed that our Nia thread predates our New Hybrids thread, so it never made it on to that one. So I'm copying it now even though its far from new now, mostly because it's impossible to search Nia at only 3 letters (had to use the website NiaNow).

Barefoot dance and martial arts combine for this workout
"Nia is a sensory-based fitness practice," says Portland instructor Erin Curren about a workout that blends martial arts, dance, and healing.
Author: Amanda Hill
Published: 2:39 PM EST November 18, 2019
Updated: 11:56 AM EST November 20, 2019

PORTLAND, Maine — While we specifically seek out alternative workouts for our segment, "Working Outside The Box," Nia is something that's difficult to describe. So we leave the hard part to Portland-based black belt instructor, Erin Curren: "It blends the precision and power of martial arts, the expressiveness and play of the dance arts, and the awareness and choice of the healing arts."

Call it connecting with your inner-most self; call it working out; or call it a silly dance class. Whatever you call this class, you'll by wiping the sweat away when it's over.

"I have people dragging coming into class," says Curren. "Even though they’ve been getting this great workout, they leave with more energy, which is sort of the Nia paradox. It’s sort of a sneaky work out."

When you arrive, you kick off your shoes and socks. You want to feel every single movement, from the base of your feet to the tips of your fingers. "We have 7,000 nerve endings in our feet and that gives us a lot of information that travels through our ankles, through our knees or hips, and helps us make choices for pleasure and comfort; stability and strength." Curren is pretty laid back in class, calling herself more of a guide. It's up to you to move as much - or as little - as you'd like.

"Nia is very adaptable for highly trained athletes or for couch potatoes who want to slowly get back into moving," says Curren. "I have students in the same class who are 26 and 85 [years-old] and I love when that happens because they are moving their body's way."

To learn more about Erin Curren's Nia class, click here.