- Flexibility
- Agility
- Mobility
- Strength
- Stability
Nia teaches that to truly be considered physically fit and respond effectively to the demands of our daily lives, we must cultivate all five of these sensations. Because of this we include each of these 5 sensations in a Nia workout.
Today I’m focusing on #2, AGILITY.
Agility is about tapping into your animal body, and activating life preserving instincts that allow you to spring gracefully into action on a moment’s notice. It is sensed as quick and sudden shifts in the physical body – the feeling of quickly starting and stopping, pushing and pulling, changing and moving in new or different directions.
Dynamic agility is the ability to contract and release with spring-loaded joints while maintaining a relaxed and responsive body. It allows us to negotiate spur of the moment shifts in weight and direction with grace and ease.
The cat provides us with a perfect example of dynamic agility. If you have ever seen a cat napping or resting that gets startled, you have observed the ability to go from complete relaxation to action that happens instantaneously. They’re alert, ready and waiting for whatever comes next within seconds.
In our daily lives this shows up in many ways: catching a glass of water before it falls to the floor, quickly recovering our balance if we trip on the stairs, grabbing a child who suddenly darts towards oncoming traffic… the list is endless. It is a much-needed skill as we negotiate the curveballs life throws our way.
Loss of agility is experienced as slowed reaction time, reduced responsiveness, stagnation, and diminished balance, grace, speed, coordination or control. Without practice, we are guaranteed to lose this ability and we are also much more likely to injure ourselves when we do need to respond quickly. While some people believe it is a natural result of aging, it is really more the result of not practicing and keeping our bodies in tune.
Agility can be nourished through balancing actions of stability (non-action) with mobility (movement). By consciously practicing shifting rapidly between continuous action and balanced stillness, you can train your nervous system to respond to a variety of stimuli. In doing so, you become better able to respond quickly when you need to with far less likelihood of injury.
Pause now and ask yourself, “How much agility do I currently sense in my body, and what will I do to develop greater agility in order to achieve better balance and responsiveness to daily challenges?”
See you on the dance floor!