This is the third in a series on the Six Fundamentals of Nia. Whatever way you choose to help yourself get and stay fit, these fundamentals will support you in gaining the most from your workouts.
Today I’m focusing on Number Three: Movement must be conscious. Not habitual.
As we discussed last week, to get the most from our workouts we must engage the whole person. To do that, we need to stop moving on autopilot and engage with awareness.
Living (and moving) by rote and routine leads to a life experience that becomes dull – much like that of a hamster in a wheel. Boring!
By focusing on the physical sensations that course through your body as you move through your day, you can begin to consciously choose to move with purpose. Because Nia is a non-impact program, we can do our workouts without the protective padding (barrier) of shoes. This increases our awareness of how we are moving. In Nia, we refer to the feet as “the hands that touch the earth.” The seven thousand nerve endings in each foot provide a vast amount of information that we can use to move more consciously, thereby reducing the chance of injury and increasing our enjoyment. This also allows us to feel more grounded – both physically and psychologically.
Consistently performing conventional repetitive exercises leads to limited movement choices, reinforces robotic living and can lock in mental and spiritual blocks, as well. Physical repetition is not the best way to build muscle tone, either, because the muscles quickly adjust to rigid, repetitive motion, and muscle strength plateaus.
To achieve lasting fitness, use your body the way it was designed to be used. Engage in movements that shift your body’s own weight, with varying levels of intensity, range, and speed. Choose stances, postures, steps, blocks and kicks that are compatible with your body’s natural structure, and that feel good. These movements will burn calories, reduce body fat, create strength and muscle definition, and promote balance, grace, flexibility, endurance and good posture.
Stop exercising and start moving!
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