sweat080309
On the homepage
Vita.mn
Out There
Vikings
Pardon Board
Home | Lifestyle | Health + Wellness
Crazy-good workout with a dull name
People of any age and ability can do the Neuromuscular Integrative Action (Nia) workout, which combines judo, ballet, tai chi, hip-hop, kick boxing and more.
Print this story
E-mail this story
Save to del.icio.us
Share on Facebook
Share on DiggMore from Health + Wellness
Imagine dancing with joyous abandon, grooving and gliding into soul-kissing bliss. That's what my morning was like when I took my first "Nia" class at Life Time Fitness in Eden Prairie.
Nia stands for Neuromuscular Integrative Action, which doesn't begin to hint at the fun cardio workout that lies ahead. Its name and description as a healing "mind-body class" made me expect calm, slow breathing, gentle swaying and, frankly, boredom. Boy, was I wrong.
Nia's been around for 25 years and here in the Twin Cities for several years, but it's still only taught in a few places. Life Time Fitness centers in Eden Prairie and St. Louis Park teach Nia, as do the Marsh in Minnetonka, St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, the St. Paul Jewish Community Center in St. Paul, and Time Out Pilates and Fitness Studio in Minneapolis. At most places a single class costs around $15. (See www.NiaNow.com for a partial list of local classes.)
Nia is for people of all ages and abilities, and the purpose is simple -- improve balance, coordination, chi-flow, energy and nerve function. There are generally two forms of classes: "athletic" and "classic." In athletic Nia, movements are bigger, faster and more intense. Classic Nia is gentler, slower and aimed at folks who are healing or haven't been physically active in a while. Both styles pack in cardiovascular magic -- even for multiple sclerosis patients who take classes while sitting in chairs.
Certified black-belt Nia instructor Marie McKay led 21 of us through a bizarre combination of moves that proved pure fun. The young, old, able bodied, and coordination-challenged among us all got a great cardio workout that somehow seamlessly combined judo, ballet, karate, salsa, tai chi, modern dance, kick boxing, hip-hop, a dash of tribal dance and a smattering of Rockette chorus line.
We pounded invisible bongos, played patty-cake with the sky, swooped down to pick up imaginary keys and mentally moved water with our fingers. Being off the beat didn't matter. Losing yourself did. The music lured us into motion. Ballads. Racing Indian pop. Waltz music, rap, jazz, gut-shaking rock and Brazilian and African drums summoned our souls.
I had a ball. And that's the idea. Shake your chakras free, find the joy and heal by doing whatever movements you can. McKay moved simply, invited us to follow and then repeated short sequences eight to 16 times until our muscle memory clicked with ease.
"All right, ladies. Find your shimmy! Find that little rattle and shake it around the room," McKay commanded. So I shimmied, banged bongos and pranced like there was no tomorrow. I'm sure we looked possessed. I know we felt free.
"It's an adventure. It's a way of letting go and finding joy," said Isabelle Carouge after the class. She'd been strength training at the club for two years but didn't know about Nia. "It lifts you up," she said.
Former yoga studio owner Annie Fink started taking Nia three weeks ago and she's hooked. "It's an amazing, amazing class," she said while toweling off. "It's great cardio, but I also feel it loosens me up."
Try it. I'm betting you'll have a whoop of a time and not even realize you are exercising.
Dee DePass • 612-673-7725
Recent Health + Wellness stories
Democrats push legislation for paid sick leave - August 3, 2009
Democrats push legislation for paid sick leave - Against the backdrop of the H1N1 flu pandemic, congressional Democrats are pushing for emergency sick leave legislation and using the crisis to garner support for a wider-ranging bill. More
  Know More. Save More!Check out sales advertised in Star Tribune. This is your one stop for savings. Updated daily. Go now! Get A ProfessionalFind home maintenance, car repair, legal advice, cleaning, and more in the Yellow Pages. Go now! |
Win tickets to the Dec. 3 performance of "In The Heights" at Orpheum Theatre.Vita.mn presents the Dec. 3 performance of "In The Heights" at Orpheum Theatre, and is hosting the official cast after party at First Avenue's Ritmo Caliente. |
Comment on this story | Read all 6 comments | Hide reader comments