NIA: neuromuscular whatwhat?

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This blogger’s recent comment both brought me back to an article Id written with which I shall  now proceed to bore you and reminded me how much I’d enjoyed the FREEDOM of NIA.

I love the idea of “restful movement.” Speaking of which, has MizFit ever done NIA? it’s not exactly restful but it is also not taxing in the way I think of workouts.


NIA translates loosely from the Swahili word meaning with purpose.  It’s a technique that leads participants through a combination of modern dance, martial arts, yoga and African dance on their collective way to optimal health.

Some resources say NIA stands for neuromuscular integrative action—while others simply state NIA is an acronym for no impact aerobics.

(You know me—-I totally go with the latter. Sometimes a rose is just a rose.)

Im the first to admit Im chock full of preconceived notions regarding “holistic” exercise.  I have shed my ‘70’s no pain no gain mantra yet the idea of flapping my arms & chanting my way to a shapelier me still gives me pause.

I embraced aforementioned pause, however, & for the sake of journalistic exploration gave NIA the ole college MizFit try.

From my first step into the studio I knew this was no Powerhouse Gym.

There was the pungent aroma of patchouli (stereotypical but true) and candles & weavings filled the studio’s waiting area.

And yeah.

At this point I had to squelch my instinct to turn and run.

I couldnt shake the fear that, even with the aura of open-mindedness the NIA studio had so painstakingly created, Id do something “wrong.”

Something not laid back enough.

Something that would reveal even with the constructed atmosphere of loving kindness I’d double checked my car doors were locked before Id left the kinda sketchy parking lot.

With a little hesitation I examined my options for classes that morning.

Trance dance, belly dance, yoga, NIA weights, Trance dance (I got totally stuck on that last one. the entire class is taken blindfolded) &  opted for NIA weights class as a compromise.

I went with something  I knew (weights) while reassuring myself I was *still* surrendering to the unknown.

When I explained to the studio owner I was new to NIA and she suggested I sign up for their mailing list.

Again, oddly stereotypical yet completely true, I found myself penning my name beneath a person who filled the name-space with a symbol.

This was something I might have totally freakin mocked chuckled at were I in different surroundings, but the new NIA MizFit chose instead to mull what symbol would represent her & her authenticNIA self.

The possibilities were endless—but my time wasn’t.

I headed to the classroom, panicked (Im honest), grabbed some hand weights and made a beeline for the back.

The back where I had a fantastic view of a ginormous painting hanging in the front of the room.

A painting of a naked woman dancing.

The woman was bare, voluptuous (real voluptuous not Kate-Moss-post-rehab-having-gained-ten-pounds-voluptuous) frolicking & happy.  She seemed to embody NIA message Id received thus far: love who you are and the health will follow.

Slowly my classmates filed in and I realized any fretting over attire was for no reason.

Unlike many gyms where there is inevitably a “cool” uniform (and usually a mandatory perfect body to be placed in it) at NIA was ok.

No one appeared interested in what the other people were wearing or seemed to feel uncomfortable with how much or how little s/he had on.

Bigger women in little outfits, little men in long flowing outfits—if ever there was a workout facility filled with unconditional positive regard this NIA studio was it.

And then the dancing began.

Just like that.

The instructor turned on George Michael and we were off.

The notion of NIA lost me a tad here.

I wasn’t sure exactly what our goal was, what muscles we were going to work, and in what order we were going to attack them.  I was thinking inside the box in a room filled with people who hadn’t seen the box’s interior in a while. I needed to loosen up not only my cervical spine—but my mind as well.

The class quickly progressed.  We did some mimicking of the instructor’s movements, but, as NIA advertises, we were also left to do our own free form dance.  We were encouraged to dance what we were feeling.

Now, I’m someone who inevitable claps off the beat when music is playing and so I wasn’t quite sure how to display, through dance, my feeling of wanting to crawl and hide in a closet.

So I just wiggled my hips a bit.  And waved my hands.  And tried not to look in the mirror.  And then I was stumped.

I looked around the studio at my classmates.

This was a class comprised of people who were probably chosen last in gym and I don’t mean that in an unkind way.  These were my people.

Or they were until they started dancing freely, uninhibited and wonderfully while I shuffled my feet & tried to discern a routine in the madness.

Eventually, I recognized a few steps we did repeatedly.  Although I also recognized that my classmates whooped and kicked and fluidly moved their arms in a way I’d yet to master.

It was all slightly embarrassing and it was all very amazing.

I might have been focusing on my jerky movements and off rhythm stumbles—but no one else was.  The NIA class was an hour-long recess from being an adult.

Would I go back to a NIA class on a regular basis? Maybe.

I’d like to check out all that NIA has to offer.

Trance dance is still piquing my curiosity and I’m sure Ren Man wouldn’t mind if I attended a belly dancing class or twelve.

As far as the weights class, I noticed mostly everyone else in the class had worked up a sweat.

For a slow learner like myself, however, it would take a number of classes before I caught on enough to achieve any kind of aerobic benefit.

I will, though, try NIA again if only for the release it provided me.  These are a group of people who know how to treat their bodies with love, care and laughter.

012
(this is merely an example of my awkwardtastic Nia class moves.  in person they were far more painfulamazing)

You?

have you NIA’d?  Was your experience anything like mine?

Never NIA’d before?  Would you try now?  Or are you, as I was, skeptical of anyone who signs with a symbol who isnt this man?

You know Im longing to know.  Please to hit us all up in the comments.

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Comments

  1. What a wonderful description MizFit! Thanks for giving me some insight! I have never NIA’d before, I love the, “love yourself and be comfortable with yourself” philosophy but I am like many, resistent to change and new things!

    We don’t have anything like that here in Ireland, but I might give it a go when I get back to California!

    Thanks again for peephole into a different world of working out!

  2. I want to do NIA! I just watched a video of it and it looks fabulous… I can see that it would be hard work.

    Well done for venturing into the unknown!

  3. Wow, I have never heard of that before and I was fascinated in your entry about it.

    It’s sounds a bit too out there for one as self conscious as I

  4. “something not laid back enough”

    That is exactly why I don’t take yoga classes!

    Didn’t take yoga classes 🙂

    You might have inspired me.

  5. LOVED the article!!

    I haven’t heard of NIA before but avoid group classes for the reason you mention at the end:

    I find it takes me so long to learn the “steps” that I don’t get a workout for the first few weeks.

    I’d never though of going just to have FUN! 🙂

  6. Hey, this could be your new gig for us!!

    Testing out workouts and reporting back.

    Loved this post as I have never heard of NIA before. I don’t think they have clases where I live.

  7. SERIOUSLY?

    Did someone sign with a symbol really?

    LOL

    I think I would love this whole experience for the reason you said as well:

    The NIA class was an hour-long recess from being an adult.

    I need more of that.

    Love the dancing pic, Miz.

  8. sounds perfect to me.
    no fancy outfits. no “gym bunnies” or “meat heads” to compare myself to. no inhibitions. random movements.

    i’d probably be nervous at first too!

  11. THAT’S SO COOL! I haven’t done that but would love to try it. I like a gym where there aren’t any expectations/judgment/hierarchies.

    Now I want to design a symbol and use that as my signature. If only I were slightly more artistic…

    Must be off, time to board a plane and head to your neck of the woods 😀

  13. I LOVED how you described it. I persoanlly have not tried, nor heard of until recently. Do not think we may even have anywhere that teaches it locally.

    I do LOVE dance though and have been turning on the music and letting my body guide me. It deos feel really good. It also helps me clear my mind as of late, which I very badly need.

  14. ooooh and I might be so fatigued here this morning (please to see CHILD DIDNT SLEEP and cross reference under UP LATE YAMMERING WITH PARENTS) that any workout is a trance dance!

    Ill letcha know.

  15. LOL @ something not laid back enough!

    This was an awesome review! I felt like I was in it with you!

    I have never NIA’d, but it sounds intriguing. I applaude you for giving it a whirl!

    btw, I have lived my parenting life so far in a trance dance – no child sleeps here either…for years 🙁

  16. Never have tried, but it sounds…anxiety provoking.lol. I know, in a room of free love and love thy body you’d think that’d make me want to go. And, it’s a great message. But, I look like a dying chicken when left to my own devices! EEK.
    I think this means I need to try it. It’d be either one of the greatest learning experience ever, or a small amount of time spent being uncomfortable 🙂 Not too much to lose.

  17. Never heard or tried it! Not sure it is my thing but if I wanted more peace & release, I might opt for a yoga/flexibility class. I have, though, tried belly dancing in my younger years! I always felt self conscious & never got over that BUT maybe it is something in the future. Ya never know!

    Very interesting post since that was a “what the heck is that” moment for me! 🙂

  18. That’s awesome. I love your description… and can totally picture it! I’ve had a strange urge to take belly dancing classes for awhile now…I’ll report back if/when it actually happens. This may have given me the push I need.

  20. When I want to do some free-form movement and not care what I look like, I’ll continue to dance around in the kitchen while I wash and dry dishes.

    Definitely NOT something I’m willing to pay money and carve time out of my schedule for.

  21. So I got an email from Foodie yesterday with local nia classes. I really think it would be an fun and interesting experience. However I do noy think Angie and I should go together we are way to big of smart A**es to stay focus and not disrupt the whole group. The nia setting would be impossible to maintain composure. Just being honest!
    Alone I think it would be a good thing to try out and I would be able to contain my immature behavior 🙂

  26. Good for you and good for the NIA-ers. It sounds great in theory, but I know I’d likely not do it. That said, it’s probably exactly what I need. I did something similar at a retreat once many long years ago and didn’t find it fun, then. Mayhap I’ve changed.

  27. leah? That’s totally what I told the husband.
    He mocked.
    Haaard.
    I informed him that’s indicative of the fact he must need it 😉

    (Ok that’s not quite your comment but it brought the interaction to mind…)

  29. Have never heard of NIA classes though there MUST be some here.

    At the moment, the idea of a free-flowing trance dance for an hour class? very appealing.

    I’d sign up for a couple in a jiffy.

    Oh, and wanting to crawl into a closet: think “drop it like it’s hot”.. and some cat-like prowling moves. Does not matter if the appearance does not equal the imagined.

    You KNOW how to dance “crawling away…” And if you don’t just ask TT.

    Think I will put a sleep shade on, turn up the volume on the ITumes and give myself a treat of some trance dancing today.

  32. That actually does sound both awkward and awesome. I think, like you, I’d need a few more classes to get the hang of it. I like set routines and schedules and always need to take some time to ‘let my hair down’ and surrender to living in the moment.

    Still, I do love to dance like a madwoman on occasion.

  33. Hrrrrmmmm, well, my mom used to LOVE her NIA class and go all the time. She raved about it and asked me to come multiple times, but I too doubted it in the same way you did. As I grew up and became nostalgic and appreciative of my mom, I ran into a NIA class through one of the gyms I had become a member of, somewhere at some time. I remember deciding to go a few times to feel connected to my mom and do it for her (she has a bad back now), but never making it, though I cannot for the life of me remember why. I would definitely try a class when I get back to the States, or if they have one here, but I have not seen one around. It’s nice that you tried it even though you doubted it! I really wouldn’t have known what I signing up for as I never looked into it enough. It sounds very intriguing!

  34. I don’t quite see myself jumping in and doing this. I’m still too body-inhibited. Not to mention totally uncoordinated. Maybe I’ll start small with a yoga class. 🙂

  35. as I reflect back on the debacle, err, experience I think the thing that most struck me was the AUTHENTICNESS of it all.

    Ive done yoga classes where there seemed to be posturing.

    some “look at me Im sooo mellowhiplaidback” happening and at the NIA class there was none of that.

  36. I’ve NIA’d every morning getting out of bed and didn’t even know it. I though I was just swaying sleepily to the bathroom.

    Classes? I don’t need no stinking classes. *pffft*

  37. As someone who has no sense of rhythm and cannot keep a beat at all, I think I would be sooo self-conscious that I wouldn’t be able to let myself go enough to get anything out of the class. But thanks for the great description – at least now I know what NIA is.

    P.S. My symbol would be a stick figure tripping over her own two feet, lol!

  39. MizFit, I loooooooooooved this post so so much. It made me laugh and giggle. YES. YEE!!!!!! I loved the photo. Perfect embodiment of Nia!

    I’ve gone to 3 classes in the past 3 days. I started out snickering behind my hand and have ended up quasi-obsessed. I LOVE IT. I so want to go to Nia camp! In India or Mexico! It makes me sooooo happpppeeeeeeee. And I can think of nothing better than doing Nia in Suess-legs. OMG, what ecstasy!

  42. I’d try it at least once. I’ve only heard about it from Foodie writing about it. It sounds a little like our “family dance parties” that break out in our living room from time to time.

    They really ought to have a parent-child NIA class. I think sometimes we feel less self-conscious when doing random dancing with our kids than we would with a room full of adults. Thing 1 would adore it. Thing 2 would want me to keep picking her up and twirling her around like a kettlebell, which would certainly provide the strength portion.

  45. MizFit, You are so funny. I loved your post. Foodie McBrody, posted a link where your readers can find classes, BUT, not all Nia teachers put their classes on there (not sure why) so if you see a class that is NEAR your area contact that teacher and s/he might be able to point you to one that is closer.

    Nia and its name have gone through some changes. It has been around for 25 years so that is something you would hope for. Things should change and morph. But Nia is primarily based on how the body was designed to move, so when you actually move it that way it is incredible. We shimmy, we shake, we stomp, we gyrate. And we don’t judge each other as we are doing it because we know that the result is health and Joy.

    If you venture into a class, yeah at first you might be self conscious but once you realize no one is really paying attention you can let go a bit. Then once you realize how great you feel after “being on recess” you can even go further. It really is amazing.

    Whatever you decide, I hope you move with pleasure and Joy as we do with Nia.

    Thank you MizFit for getting Nia out to so many people. It is high time the entire world senses the Joy that is Nia.

    http://www.HelpYouWell.com

  46. MizFit, You are so funny. I loved your post. Foodie McBody, posted a link where your readers can find classes, BUT, not all Nia teachers put their classes on there (not sure why) so if you see a class that is NEAR your area contact that teacher and s/he might be able to point you to one that is closer.

    Nia and its name have gone through some changes. It has been around for 25 years so that is something you would hope for. Things should change and morph. But Nia is primarily based on how the body was designed to move, so when you actually move it that way it is incredible. We shimmy, we shake, we stomp, we gyrate. And we don’t judge each other as we are doing it because we know that the result is health and Joy.

    When you venture into a class, yeah at first you might be self conscious but once you realize no one is really paying attention you can let go a bit. Then once you realize how great you feel after “being on recess” you can even go further. It really is amazing.

    Whatever you decide, I hope you move with pleasure and Joy as we do with Nia.

    Thank you, MizFit for helping with getting the word out about Nia!

    http://www.HelpYouWell.com

  47. MizFit, You are so funny. I loved your post. Foodie McBody, posted a link where your readers can find classes, BUT, not all Nia teachers put their classes on there (not sure why) so if you see a class that is NEAR your area contact that teacher and s/he might be able to point you to one that is closer.

    Nia and its name have gone through some changes. It has been around for 25 years so that is something you would hope for. Things should change and morph. But Nia is primarily based on how the body was designed to move, so when you actually move it that way it is incredible. We shimmy, we shake, we stomp, we gyrate. And we don’t judge each other as we are doing it because we know that the result is health and Joy.

    When you venture into a class, yeah at first you might be self conscious but once you realize no one is really paying attention you can let go a bit. Then once you realize how great you feel after “being on recess” you can even go further. It really is amazing.

    Whatever you decide, I hope you move with pleasure and Joy as we do with Nia.

    Thank you, MizFit for helping with getting the word out about Nia!

    http://www.HelpYouWell.com

  48. Pubsgal, I think they would probably welcome kids at Nia class, as long as they weren’t small enough to be stepped on or hurt in all the twirling about.

    Marste, what do you mean by “really work?” work enough to make you happy? Or to be a “real” workout?

  49. foodie? I assumed marste meant work in the overarching mindbodyspirit sense!

    Now Im hoping she returneth to clarify 🙂

  50. I have amateur NIA’d. Informally, I often get up from my desk/smoking keyboard and dance to a song on my playlist. No choreography, just pretending I’m 19 and in the club again. Fun.

  51. Um, I think I might be too uptight for that. I love yoga, but Shiva Rea’s free-form “dancing” yoga always makes me shift my eyes to the corner of the room and mumble something about having left the coffee pot on.

    That said, I agree with the assessment of the gym–there’s a cool thing to wear and a good way to look (which isn’t always even healthy) and you can’t help but feel a little self-conscious if you don’t fit into that (even if you’re teaching the damn class).

    You know what gives me a break from that, though? Working out with older clients. Seriously, teaching the sixty-five-plus crowd in my water aerobics classes . . . we have women of all shapes and sizes with all kinds of swim suits doing these moves that look absolutely ridiculous. But you know what? They’re all in the water, and no one can really see anyone that well anyway, so it doesn’t matter. Except for me. I’m out of the water demonstrating, and I most definitely look ridiculous.

    On top of that, we’re always playing and experimenting, finding new ways to do old moves, or making up new moves entirely. And that’s an experience of communal play and exploration that I really, really enjoy. The class seems to enjoy it, too.

    Although, I must say, I wouldn’t mind looking at a painting of a beautiful, voluptuous, naked woman for an hour 😉

  54. there is actually a NIA class here tomorrow (at this fabulous fitness resort that you really need to visit!) and I was thinking of trying it.

    Being that my prego-belly is so big though, I decided against it and booked a massage for the same time.

    Maybe I’ll swing by to check it out (glare in the window) 🙂

  55. i had never even heard of that until this blog post. i don’t think i’d purposefully seek it out, but were there (free) classes i could take … maybe. i’d probably feel way too self-conscious (despite the atmosphere), but if i enjoyed myself, maybe i’d come back a few times until i just didn’t care about what my uncoordinated self looked like.

  56. I forgot my comment after reading workout mommy’s 😉

    I think I’d do a massage instead too.

  57. HOW have I never heard of this?!? I must try it. Even if just for the express purpose of taking awesome pics like that one of you and Ren Man. Adding it to my list now.

  61. I NIA’d (and blogged about it) for well over a year, until our instructor left for France. Now NIA classes are expensive in other facilities, and rare in the one I used to go to (three times a week!) I love NIA, and NIA made me more in love with exercise and my body (and it helped me kick my kids’ butts in Dance Dance Revolution).

    If there’s one thing I miss at my old gym, it’s my NIA.

    You know, I’ve heard NIA as Neuromuscular Integrative Action, No Impact Aerobics, and as Nia, depending on who is instructing. What it is is an absolutely wonderful fusion of different movements. The instructor I liked most focused a lot on dance and martial arts… the one that teaches (occasionally) now focuses on using yoga and dance, and I’ve taken a class that is very heavily aerobics and less body awareness (which I didn’t like nearly as much).

    Because it covers such a wide scope, NIA has many flavors depending on the instructor.

    I recommend to you the DVD NIA Unplugged, done by the originators of NIA. It’s an amazing workout done to world drum music… which is amazing and inspirational in itself.

  62. Never heard of it, but your description had me laughing and wishing I’d gone with you. Funny, I’ve never thought of yoga as laidback…my yoga class is a hard workout, maybe because of my lack of balance… I bellydance too, and find that I’m too laidback to easily memorize all the moves in sequence. It actually takes discipline.

  63. I think I would find it kind of odd – I need direction in a class, really. I do like the whole concept though.

    Now, why didn’t you go for the belly dance class?

  64. That sounds like awesome good fun. I kinda feel that way in Zumba class even though it’s more structured – it’s time to let go and have fun and be silly and giggle at yourself. I would try NIA for sure. I haven’t been doing dance classes this month and it has made me realize how much I miss them!

  65. I love your description of the whole process. Yoga – yeah…dance classes – nope. Is pretending to be laidback the most stressful thing, or what? : )

    Great suggestion for kiddo-parent NIA from Pubsgal!

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