Nia and the Core

As I said, just moments ago - I like the drama of a pause - my father introduced me to the core. As he taught me to skate, he would tell me to keep my "cg" (he's a retired mechanical engineer), my center of gravity, slightly low. If I tried to fall he would say with frightening enthusiasm, "Lower your cg!! Lower your cg!!" Mostly I didn't fall. He also taught me to line up my pelvis, chest and head (my Nia core). In this posture, you are balanced, he said. He felt it in his body, it felt right and it worked - that is a gift my father gave me - body awareness.

When I was older I taught aerobics - I loved two elements the best: leg work and core work! Leg work came naturally to my body and core work was a kick. Holy cow, the stuff I could do when my core was strong! Oh, did I mention that I am also a dancer?!? Yea, started that at 3... Anyway, how many different ways could I dream up to do core work? Fun! Sick, you may be thinking! Then I discovered Pilates - more fun. Pilates is great, but not exactly a fit for me.

FINALLY, I discovered Nia! My body found what it had been looking for - a movement program - a fitness program that challenged (and continues to challenge) every inch of me. Nia is inherently core-based. In a Nia class, there are no crunches (how functional are crunches anyway???)! The entire class challenges the core from 13 joint warm up to the final sensations of strength, flexibility, agility, mobility and stability in Floor Play. Thank you Debbie Rosas Stewart and Carlos AyaRosas!

Nice plug for Nia, don't you think? It's brilliant and the quality of the fitness program stands for itself. However, there's more...